It's too bad that your student doesn't understand the value of character and trust.
I've been similarly hoodwinked by and ELL as well, and the only thing I think she was sorry for was the fact that she got caught.
And the students wonder why teachers are so bitter and snarky sometimes!
I hate to admit this, but I usually have a hard time believing anything my students say because of the liars who've come before them. It's really quite sad.
The worst thing about kids like this is that they make it bad for kids that tell the truth, as HappyChyck is saying.
A woman I know tried to make an appointment with the math chair at the college I teach in. She just wanted to talk to him about some of the problems she was having in math and about her professor. Because of the reputation students have, she had hard time getting through. It's a shame, because she has real concerns that need to be addressed.
As a first year teacher I've been taken in by a lot of student-liars. It's shocking how expertly they can spin a lie, turn on the tears, and hold no remorse for the consequences.
I feel like a bitch when I err on the side of caution, unable to let myself believe anything a student says for fear of being the fool. On the one hand I like my students, find them interesting and chock full of potential...but I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them. (And since they are all bigger than me, it's not far.)
I teach middle school, so you pretty much (and I hate to say this) expect them to make stuff up all the time. They're mostly little Bart Simpsons.
The worst part is the bathroom and water fountain. I would really just rather let them all use them no questions asked--I mean, it's freaking bodily necessities here--but a lot of them will pretty much try to take a break from every single class they're in, making it hard to keep track of the little buggers. Worse, there are a few kids who will hide out in there and skip class, and the administration being so inept, it would rather punish all the kids than just keep a tight grip on the cut-ups.
It occurred to me this morning that maybe the family was lying and the kid was telling the truth. Maybe they really did keep her out of school to work and when caught-blamed her! Maybe we are too quick to pick on the kids.
I Try to Always Check.
You did too.
It's exhausting.
Commenting by HaloScan
