I got two answers for this.
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When I was in grade school, the teachers would get mad and fuss at me for reading books during recess time. Because I wasn't playing with the other kids. But those kids told me they didn't like me and they didn't wanna play with me because they thought I was too weird. So why should I want to or have to play with the other kids if they didn't wanna play with me? Also I was sitting on the steps reading my Junie B. Jones book or Babysitters Club book or Judy Moody book and eating my cookies, minding my business, how was that bothering you any?
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In my sophomore year of high school I took a Ceramics/Sculpting art class, and it was the last day of school before fall holiday break. And rhe project we were currently working on was making tumbler cups that can be used to hold desk supplies like pencils, markers, pens, highlighters, etc. I guess i didn't wrap my project up as well ad i thought the day before because half the clay of my project was dried up before I was finished. I asked the teacher what I should do, she said that I could ask the girl at the table in front of mine for some clay, because she was prepping a new bag of clay. So when I went to ask the girl, she said "Of course, but can you give me about 10 minutes?" And I said "okay, I can wait". Whilst I was waiting, I pulled out my school laptop, checked to see if I had any new important emails and made sure I turned in all my finished assignments into Google Classroom so my teachers could grade them during break. 15 or so minutes later, I asked the girl again if I could get some clay now. But I just asked her from my table since hers was not far from mine. The teacher called me to her desk and said to me "We do not yell across the classroom! You can prep your own clay." I didn't even yell, I thought to myself. The girl was literally less than ten feet in front of me. But out loud, I responded "That's fine, but can I at least get an apron or smock first please? I don't wanna get my clothes dirty". And for some unbeknownst reason that made my teacher even more angry with me. "You have been very disrespectful all day today! Pack up your bags, I'm calling your vice principal". And I was sentenced to all day in school suspension.
But what about you? What's the silliest or dumbest reason you got in trouble for in school?
One of our teachers said you have to learn some things by rote because "if you throw enough mud at a wall, eventually some of it sticks". We were investigating this for science on the (windowless) back wall of the gym and we all got detention. We had got quite a lot of brown smudging but very partial and blotchy coverage.
That's funny. When I realize that a kid I worked with took something I said literally, I recognize it as my mistake in wording, and laugh about it. I'll say something like, "Okay, that is technically what I said. Perhaps I should've phrased it as such-and-such" and I then tell/show the kid what I meant. No punishments. We are trained to take responsibility when there's a miscommunication. We are the adults, after all, and if a kid misunderstands us, we're supposed to clarify ourselves - not expect them to magically know something they weren't taught.
It's such a far away world from the environment I was taught in, and I'm so glad to work somewhere that aligns with the science of how kids develop.
You are a hero of the teaching profession and I wish all teachers were like you.
But I'm afraid you give me too much credit in this case. We were teenagers and knew perfectly well that it was an analogy, but also thought that throwing mud at a wall sounded like a lot of fun, which it very much was. Fair's fair. I knew the risks and have no regrets!
I still would've thought it funny, even if I was not supposed to show it. I was a "smart ass" kid and know that not every teacher treats kids with respect from the get-go, so depending on the circumstances I might secretly be happy to see an act of civil disobedience.
But yeah, I do work with a much younger population. I know the kids I work with usually don't mean to cause harm, they just aren't emotionally mature enough to react in socially-appropriate ways. It all depends on the circumstance, which is another thing I've seen a lot of school officials completely ignore. Sigh.
Children have to learn to get along. I'm glad they have you being a good example while you teach them that alongside all the subjects and learning skills and who knows what else. Thank you.
I'm sure there are many children whose lives have gone down a much better path than they would have done, all because of what you do and how you do it.
May your career be happy, fun and long. Sincerely, bless you.
You’re so kind, thank you. 💜