I.T. to Teacher

I was teaching math classes today. Ok, so I was watching math classes take a test today. In one of the classes there was a girl who wasn't doing well on the test. She was sitting near me and I could see her skipping a lot of questions. About halfway through the period (about half of the tests were turned in by this point) she all of a sudden looks around and then asks me, with a hint of desperation, if she can go to the restroom. I tell her she can go when she finishes the test. She doesn't really like the answer, but accepts it. After she turns her test in, the last to do so and having skipped most of the questions leaving a note to the teacher saying she forgot how to do them, she proceeds to pull out her iPod and chat with her friends. Nary a mention of the restroom. "Hmmmm...," I think to myself, "was she wanting to go to the restroom to 'remember' how to do the problems?" Beats me. Makes me glad I don't let kids leave the room during tests.

Remember being sneaky in high school? The teacher has so many people to watch they can't see everything, right? It's enlightening to see things from the front of the room. I'm surprised at how obvious it is when kids are being sneaky. It's like the old saying that parents probably know a lot more about what you're doing than they let on. It's certainly true with teachers.

Some examples...

• If your hand is hidden from me and you're staring at it, there's probably a cell phone in it.
• If you're looking intently at something in your lap and casting furtive glances at me, I'm going to come and see what it is.
• I'm sure you put your review sheet face up on the floor on "accident."
• Yes, I saw you carefully place your vocab book in your backpack so when a flap is knocked aside it will be in the perfect position to read from.
• If you're acting suspicious when I can't see you well and normal when I can, I'm going to stay where I can see you.
• Yes, I see the iPod you think you're hiding. Sometimes I just don't care enough to tell you to put it away.
• Yes, I know you are texting when you're trying to look like you're digging in your purse.
• I'm not deaf and you're not as quiet as you think you are.

What do you think I am, stupid? Oh right, I'm just a teacher.