clever kids

 I teach in a middle school and my favorite of the three grades is eighth. But, no matter if it is sixth, seventh, or eighth, there are a few things that us middle school teachers say, on repeat, year after year.

Today, a friend and I were standing in the hall during passing period and I had called out to a group of boys about 20 feet away, "Hey, stop touching each other!"

After I said that, Rachel turned to me and asked, "There are just some things we never stop saying, aren't there," as two kids ran by and I called, "Walk, please!"

I looked back and we both laughed, adding that to the list.

Just then, a student from the first group of boys walked up, and said, "Hey, but I had consent."

Rachel and I looked at him, a little confused, and asked, "You had consent?"

This kid, we'll call him JT, replied, "Yeah, you said stop touching each other. I had consent. That's important, and I had it," he deadpanned.

Rachel I just burst into laughter. This kid is so clever and totally can deliver the jokes - we've both taught him and we have this kind of relationship - and it was just the funniest response I've ever heard to the stop-touching-each-other feedback.

Another day in middle school :-)