I have a lot of favorite students. Any teacher who tells you that they don't have favorites is lying. It's like saying that you don't have a favorite sibling, favorite child, or favorite dog...all lies. Well, there are some students that are my favorites because they are funny and fun and "normal" human beings (rare for ninth graders). But there are some who are my favorites simply because they are darn weird. David Gamble is one of those. Honestly, I feel bad for the kid because he's short, stocky, wears glasses, and he cries sometimes. But I also can't help but laugh at him. When we read Richard III, he always wanted to read the part of Lord Hastings, and he attempted a British accent. It was awful. It hurt so hard to try not to laugh, especially when the whole class looked at me waiting for me to crack. By far my favorite experience with Gamble was last week when he put his glasses on upside down. I'm not really sure why. I honestly don't think he was doing it to be funny. I think it just happened. He probably thought..."wonder what things would look like upside down." After a couple of seconds, I couldn't take it anymore, and I started laughing. Is that bad? Sometimes I can't help it. I laugh at my students all the time--even the students that cry. I'm going to be a great mom.
3 comments:
I can't believe that kid is in 9th grade. Kids are looking younger and younger all the time these days. Shine on Gamble, you crazy diamond.
Laughter is always good. Isn't it? Like when Kate asks if she can do the "puter"...it's just funny. And as a mom I should probably laugh more...there is always something comical happening here.
I've found it's always best to save your laughs for the appropriate moment. Like that time when your student, who has been quiet and bashful all year long, finally speaks out and gives his opinion on something, being daring, needing acceptance. You stare that student right in the face for a good, four, five complete seconds, and then you laugh long and hard and encourage the rest of the class to join in.
Thanks for the blog, Sad. It brought back some great memories of last year. We'll call him "Mr. Knight." I should check to see if he and Gamble are related.
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