When you know it's time for a break...

Scene 1:

Student- "Mrs. Scott, She pushed me!"

Student 2- "Nuh uh! You poked me first!"

Me- "What grade do I TEACH?!?"

Students (blinking)- "ummm, 7th?"

Me- "HOW OLD are YOU?!?"

Students- "Ummm, 12."

Me- 'CORRECT!" You are not in kindergarten; stop acting like you are!"

Scene 2:

Me- "I'm going to give you 5 more minutes to work quietly, and then we're moving on; when I say stop, you will need to get your notes out and be ready to listen."

"Okay, you have 4 minutes left."

"Three minutes left, folks."

"Two minutes, please start wrapping up"

"Ok, you have one minute, you need to finish what you are doing and get out your notes, please."

"TIME! Please put that away and get out your notes."

"Ok, let's begin"

Student: "WAIT! I'm Still working!"

Me: "The direction was to stop and get out your notes, please do so, now.

STOP.

STOPPPP!"

(in a very calm and yet stern tone,) PLEASE put your pencil DOWN. STOP WRITING and get out your notes."

Student (still writing)- "But...I'm almost done!"

Me- "Put your pencil down NOW, get our your notes, I'm moving on without you."

Me- (turning to class) "Ok...let's begin." (and I begin giving the second part of the lesson, writing what I say on the overhead.)

Student-"WAIT! I didn't catch what you said, could you repeat it, please?"

Me- "Nope. You didn't follow the directions, you'll have to catch up when I’m done talking." (and then I continue the lesson.)

Student (to another student sitting across the aisle.) "Hey, what was the first thing she said?"

Me- "I have asked you to be quiet, stop and listen, do not interrupt him because you failed to listen and do what you were asked."

Student- “I’m just trying to take notes, geez!”

Me- “You are not following directions, you are being rude, and you have now taken time away from the rest of your class. If you interrupt me again, you will leave.”

Student sighs (in the most adolescent, annoying way possible)

Scene 3

Kids are working on an assignment, I’m circling the room, giving individual help.

Student- “Mrs. Scott, he took my pencil!”

Me- “Ok?”

Student- “Don’t you care?”

Me- “Not really, no.”

Student- “You don’t CARE he took my pencil?”

Me- “Basically, something like dealing with a pencil is not really at the top of my list of priorities right now.”

Student- (in a very high-pitched whine) “But he TOOK it! and now I can't WORK.”

Me- (while taking the stolen pencil and returning it to the whiner,)
“WHAT GRADE DO I TEACH?”

Students- “Siiigh.”