Water balloon

Just a quick blip....


So I am right in the middle of my after school lesson today, after school classes are essentially the same as day school, but they are called "after school," when all of a sudden I heard a loud gush of water. To my surprise, one of the students had been playing with a water balloon. To my even greater surprise, it popped in his lap (guess that's what you get for having a water balloon in school), and the boys face immediately displayed a look of "please don't hit me." Now, I don't hit kids, but in this case, I just back-handed him.


SIKE!!! I have never and would never hit a student.

Actually, I didn't find it to be a big deal at all, and I think this surprised all of my students. Ultimately, I think my calm reaction won me some points with this class, and after a quick dab with a cloth, the crisis was over.

Throughout my teaching experience both here and in the states, I continually have discovered that you essentially--get what you give. In other words, if you give off an anxious/annoyed/impatient/rude vibe, that is what the kids return, so today, I gave off calm, and in spite of the big trouble the students face told me he was expecting, I just moved on rather unbothered, and I think we were all the better after.

But sheeh, a water balloon in class? Really?

Gotta love SoKo!