Bueller...Bueller...Bueller...

I know they don't get the joke.

I'm not doing it for them.

It feels like a full scale mutiny, and unfortunately its not getting any better. Its my speaking class that's supposed to have 'advanced' students (I think). Its that moment where nobody raises their hand, nobody looks at you like you like they know the answer, nobody even looks at you.

"No?"
"Anybody?"
"Bueller...Bueller...Bueller?"

This class in particular has shown a scary lateralization (with one exception). The left side is all male, and lazy as fuck. The right side is all girls, with hands going up almost faster than I can ask the questions. The exception sits in the middle (desks are in a right-angled horseshoe with the open side facing me). He's with the class half the time, the other half he's not really paying attention, but either way he always has the answer.

This is what really frustrates me about this job sometimes.

I don't quite blame the kids. You don't want to be there. Your parents aren't giving you an option. You're as much stuck with me as I am with you.

But I don't want to leave it at that.

I had an awesome conversation with a guy today about how the system works, and he had lots of good things to say about my school (a little shocked by that). I told him sometimes I felt like all I was doing was playing mascot up there, cheering the kids on instead of teaching. I asked, "How do you balance entertainment with learning?"

"Well, that's just the art of teaching" he said.

So there it is.

To you, you shitty, insolent, snot nosed, bratty little fuckfaced hellion, I'm going to learn how to make you want to learn.

And if you don't like it...well I'm sure the rest of the class will appreciate the effort.