I’ve noticed a strange need in the kids to simply break conformance. Apart from being the anchor teacher for Grade 5, I’m also the bus coordinator for the bus route that I take every day. We have assigned seats to kids on the bus, to ensure the seats are adequately used and to allow kids to mingle with those outside their own circle of friends. Given free will, the entire last row would be crowded and we’d be making additional stops at the ER.
Every day is an ongoing discussion on their seat positions and if they could switch seats or not. It got interesting with the 8th and 9th graders. They all wanted to go back to the last row, with the roller-coaster twists and backbreaking jumps. Tired of their never ending demands and pleading sobs, I sought some business gyaan to deal with them. I asked them to sell their proposition to me. If they could convince me of their USP, I would let them shift. So, they had two choices. To either sit in their designated seats or convince me otherwise.
Most of them stuck to the typical needs to sit closer to their pals and to enjoy a window by themselves. Some gave up and turned to their books. Except one. In a little too subtle a way, she told me that the only reason they wanted to shift was because I asked them not to. Ha! The rebels live on.
Aunty, you’re the only teacher I know that has a tattoo.
A tattoo? I have 4.
Woaahhh!
I had three dosas today only because we have carpentry, aunty.
But I had only one and I’m sawing more than you.
That’s because you’re the dominator, aunty.
A piece of my mind 