School part deux

So I went back yesterday to teach the darling little angels how to use the tool.

Ok, for future reference, teach them how the software works *before* they're in the computer lab. They were all trying to check their email and play computer games instead of listening to me. I was *not* happy.

I guess kids are kids all over the world. I saw the shortest and the tallest kids being teased. One student called another one stupid. I told him he was not to call that student stupid and he looked slightly embarassed. Good. Another shoved some papers and pens under a student as he was about to sit down. He was one of the most "developed" students (the tallest and with facial hair), but I grabbed the offending material and whacked the student and told him he should not be doing that, at least around me.

Is there any school where bullying does not exist? I don't think so.

The girls really surprised me. Most just sat down and got their pictures taken. A few vamped it up. A couple tried to look downright sexy. They flipped their hair and glared into the camera. I wanted them to look natural, not like models in training. I joked that they were trying to get a boyfriend in the partner class. They giggled and I was able to catch some natural smiles. One girl struck a sexy pose and frowned at my lense. I told her that my camera was not her ex boyfriend and she shouldn't look at it like she was angry. She burst out laughing and her picture came out really nice.

I got them set up with the chat program. One boy came up to me "We're allowed to chat? Now? Right here?" "Yup! Have fun!" *cunning look* "Can we chat with people not in this classroom?" "If you're asking me if you can use IRC, the answer is 'no'" "Oh"

As soon as I turned my back, they were chatting on IRC, playing video games, checking their email, looking up fashions online... Were we this bad in junior high? Oh, that's right! We didn't have the Internet when I was in junior high. I didn't have email until I was 16. And all our school computers were blocked against chatting and email when we finally went online back in '97.

The teacher doesn't speak a word of English. I speak Romanian like a dyslexic six year old. Luckily, we have an incredible translator who speaks better English than me (yes, Alina, that's you). Ever try teaching software through an interpreter? Not easy. Luckily, everyone has a good sense of humour, so it's progressing.