Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Um, thanks?

In conferences today, one student is not very talkative. So I say to him, Student, I see you're not very talkative. Do you have any additional suggestions for Other Student?

He shakes his head and says, "This English stuff is just not for me."

"What?" I say.

He shakes his head again. "Man, I hate English."

Me: ...?

Him: No, I mean I hate English. I've tried to hate you so hard but I can't.

Me: ????

Him: I tried so hard. I hated all my English teachers, so much, but you're standing up there in front of class with your laughing and your smiling and your Jay-Z jokes and silly dance and I just cannot hate you no matter how hard I try. I still don't like writing essay drafts, though.

Me: Oh. ... Okay? ... Don't forget to turn in the final draft online on Friday.








____________________
The good news: I saw one of my students from yesterday's conferences signing up for a session at the tutoring center today, as I pointed the reception area out to the current peer review group sitting with me. I don't even care if it was for my class or not. I'm just glad someone who didn't know about the center is now using it.

6 comments:

Lucky Jane said...

. . . ? Congratulations?

Fie upon this quiet life! said...

Somebody's got a teacher crush. :)

Susan said...

That's a compliment.

Similarly, I've had students in conferences say "I don't like history, but I like your class". Um...OK.

Psycgirl said...

Oh cognitive dissonance - so uncomfortable!

Ms.Nomer said...

Agree with Fie! teacher crush all the way! Hey he'll probably become your best student tho trying to impress you... :)

Dr. Koshary said...

Adorable! I personally dig the way he lined out his list of positive qualities, ending with "silly dance." I will now entertain myself by trying to envision a silly English-class dance.