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April fools seems to be a constant event in schools. Students try to annoy and antagonize their teachers in colourful ways. Many do this to get attention; others do it for fun. Decades ago, students believed that if they behaved inappropriately, they could actually get the teacher to quit or fired. Here are just 10 case scenarios I’ve witnessed inside the classroom. P.S. No.1 really did happen and is meant to prep you for the other 9 horrifying scenarios.

Case Scenario #1:

Students are attending a grade 9 gym class. The teacher has no control over her classroom. A student arrives late, with a note in her hand. Another asks to go to the washroom. The teacher is angered by the interruption and yells at both students to go to the office. When I say yell, I do mean it in a rooster way. You can see the teacher’s neck veins become visible as she is yelling. The teacher did not last more than a semester in the school.

Case Scenario #2:

A teacher has prepared overhead notes for students to copy. The notes are only 4 pages long with graphs and photos and double spaced. One student decides to anger the teacher by taking pages away and hiding them. The teacher scrambles to find the notes, then goes to photocopy a new overhead. When he comes back…the notes are back on the overhead.

Case Scenario #3:

This is a classic annoyance. Students have chitchats in the middle of a lesson. The chitchats trail to the front of the classroom. It is annoying and antagonizing as well as rude to speak when others speak. It goes against the Tribes program which emphasizes respect.

Case Scenario #4:

It is the last day to hand in papers for high school students. Grade 12 students are scrambling to print out their papers at the library and to fix minor errors. Technology sometimes does not work with humans. All of the sudden 20 minutes before class starts, 10 of the 25 students are standing at the teacher’s office saying that they cannot print out their assignments. The teacher, of course, is angered and does not expect that from students on their way to university. 25 minutes of valuable exam prep time is taken to save work on the teacher’s USB key.

Case Scenario #5:

Teachers get frustrated when students use the following phrases: “I don’t know” and “I cannot do this”. Most teachers have the philosophy that everyone can achieve the same expectations and the same results with the right amount of assistance and the right amount of resources. There is no need for students to give up so easily, unless the teacher is not willing to meet them half way. Teachers face these expressions day in and day out.

Case Scenario #6:

A teacher is in the middle of a lesson. He is being evaluated by an administrator on his teaching methods and skills. All of the sudden…a cell phone rings with Bart Simpson pranks ringtone. The student decides not to pick it up, fearing they will be caught. It is annoying, in a sense that it disrupts others’ learning.

Case Scenario #7:

Students anger teachers by becoming tough. They would use swear words, try to intimidate the latter and sometimes become physical. After bringing an extendable baton to school and getting caught, one student threatened to use it on anyone standing in their way. They even admitted it in their expulsion hearing. It is frustrating and not only angering to see students waste their education on such things.

Case Scenario #8:

A homework assignment is given to all students in the class. The teacher does not tell the students that the assignment will be collected. When the teacher comes to collect the assignment the next day, students give the excuse that they did not complete it. Teachers are angered by this because students are not taking responsibility for their work.

Case Scenario #9:

A teacher spends day and night trying to prepare her lessons and unit plans. She designs learning strategies and activities which utilize all intelligences. When students go to do the test, they fail. The average is below standard. The annoyed teacher must now go back to reteach the material. She merrily picked up from where another teacher left off before going on maternity leave.

Case Scenario #10:

Primary students regularly use the phrase, “You are not my mother and you are not the boss of me” to their teachers. Teachers are hurt by the comments, especially when their students are at a young age.

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Homework is a pain for students. Many youngsters do not like to complete their tasks. They make up excuses which are sometimes preposterous. Here are the top 10 reasons for not doing homework. Raise your hand if you recognize one or two. Don’t be shy we are culpable of at least one.

1. My dog ate my homework (Excuse):

This is a classic excuse students use to get away with incomplete assignments. Bart Simpson popularized this term with his laziness. Usually this phrase means that the student has no care for his/her work.

2. Sick:

Teachers have heard these excuses plenty of times. From having a belly ache to their hands hurting to even getting a headache. Students will make up anything just to get out of doing homework.

3. Computer broke:

This one time I had students lined up at my door because the internet and printer were not working. They thus could not hand in their assignment/homework to me. At that point I utilize a USB key.

4. Death:

Take out a handkerchief because sometimes this excuse is a lie students tell. Universities and even schools now require a professional note to accompany this reason.

5. Book left at school:

This is another popular reason for not completing tasks and homework assignments. Many students sometimes leave their belongings at school. Teachers are now being cleverer. They partner students with others. If something is misplaced, they can call someone from the same class and share. No EXCUSES!

Where do the years pass? I began working in the field of education 11 years ago. I was a high school student who took on an after-school teaching position to make some extras cash. Since then, I’ve taught every grade from Kindergarten to Grade 12, with the exception of Grade 2 and Grade 10.

I’ve had the privilege of working with diverse young and exemplary citizens. It seems like just yesterday I was teaching one student in my grade 11 philosophy class. Now, he is in 3rd year university and applying for teacher’s college. Although his dreams and goals are just ahead of him, there are some concerns he shares with many other college/university students. Entering a college/university and joining a new program cites concerns and worries amongst the student populace. Here are just 10 nightmares students fear to face when entering college or a new program.

1. Failing to Meet the Standards:

I share the worries with many students. Universities are competitive and the grades are also harder to earn. To earn an A in a course, the student must work harder and must meet and exceed curriculum expectations. Many students who received A’s in high school faced difficulties in their first year. Their marks at times drop to 60%. With most masters and specialized programs only considering B+ to A students, many panic.

2. Not enough partying:

When asking some students what they thought about their first college experience…many stated that their worst fears have come true. Their social life has been totally eliminated. Their school work has taken over their life 24/7.

3. Not Fitting In:

Many students fear that they would not fit in. Their personalities may clash with the programs, the directors and professors. Many are not used to being in a lecture of 200+ students. They are thus discouraged and feel that university life is just not for them. I know a number of people who gave up in their first year because they did not “fit in”.

4. Being Safe:

Many question whether universities and colleges are safe? Increasing incidents have given fear to those enrolling for the first time. Rape issues, drug issues and violence are some cited worries students have. I was quite worried about being safe when students rallied at my university to protest a political issue. The rally resulted in police brutality and the disruption of classes nearby.

5. Money:

Many students, like me, fear that the costs are too high. Education so far has been provided to students for free. When entering college/university, many face loans and high costs. They thus fear that they will not be able to pay off their debts. Others are worried that they will be kicked out if their bills are not paid on time. I know several students who work full time and study full time to pay-off their expenses.

Effective teachers are typically not the ones who are knowledgeable. Those who are knowledgeable may not be a good and effective teacher. Effective teachers are those who believe that all students are capable of learning. They are able to further connect with all students and provide additional support and material to allow all students to compete equitably. There are more qualities of an effective which this article will survey.

1. Provide a variety of learning activities:

Students have multiple intelligences which need to be met effectively. Effective teachers will create lessons and learning activities which balance the use of linguistic, musical, kin-aesthetic, interpersonal, visual, natural, interpersonal and existential abilities. For example, not all students will learn equitably if they require interpersonal abilities. Many are shy and will not be as vibrant. Effective teachers will need to have a Plan B which will help them know all student is learning.

2. Equity and not Equality:

This cannot be stressed enough. Schooling is not a competition for the best grades. Equality trumps on those with exceptionalities. Effective teachers are those who provide ample resources and material for all students to be able to compete equally. For example, a math textbook will not work for all students. Those students who are falling behind in math may need additional resources to be up to speed with others. It is the responsibility of the teacher to help those students.

3. Multiculturalism:

Every teacher in an urban or suburban school will probably have one or two students who have moved from another country. Effective teachers will not teach from a traditional textbook to all students. Students who arrived in the country will not be able to understand the material. It is thus important for a teacher to effectively pull resources relating to the students` studies and interests to assess and evaluate them.

4. A sense of humour:

An effective teacher will need to have a sense of humor. Teachers cannot connect with students if they seem glum or even angry. They will lose their students’ respect if they resort to yelling as a form of punishment. Starting the day with a good attitude will always lead to a good end of the day. When a student makes a joke or says something funny, effective teachers use reinforcements and rewards to respond.

5. Fairness:

An effective teacher is also one who is fair. No student is ever given preferential treatment for no reason. For fairness to work, effective teachers will set out rules and guidelines in the classroom at the beginning of the year. Teachers should examine The Tribes program to see an example of rules and ways to embrace fairness.

When planning team-building activities the teacher needs to take into consideration some the following things about their students: skills and abilities, special education, English Language Learners and multiple intelligences. It is never wise to group friends together during formative assessments as friends sometimes learn best when apart. The teacher should always choose partners and activities wisely and based on varying skills, abilities and intelligences. With hope, this will help those who are struggling be partnered up with those who are excellent mentors. Taking all of this into consideration, here are the top 10 team-building activities.

1. Think/Pair/Share

Teachers find that students need to be prepared for group work in small and gradual steps. When a teacher forces students to do teamwork right away one or two students take the lead while others listen and stay quiet. If teachers would like everyone to participate they should pose a question such as: What do you predict you will do during the summer holidays? The student is given a moment to think of the answer. The teacher takes the activity to the next level by asking the students to pair up their answers with a partner. When complete, the two students will share their answers with two more students. This time…each student will discuss their partner’s situation and answer the question: How is my summer going to be similar or different than my partner’s? Everyone is able to participate and the teacher will be able to assess whether the students can use higher order thinking skills.

2. Jigsaw:

Developed by American Psychologist Elliot Aronson, the purpose of a jigsaw activity is to stimulate cooperative and social development of diverse groups of students. Students are divided into groups of 4 where they examine one aspect of an event such as the Holocaust. In their home groups, they would utilize the material provided and examine one group exterminated by the Nazis. Using numbering heads, they would then move to their expert group where they would share their knowledge they learned in their home groups. Jigsaws can be accompanied by graphic organizers. The whole activity helps students focus on researching one aspect and not 5 or 10. It also allows students to work together to obtain information.

3. Fishbowl Discussion:

As stated before, students learn best when activities are broken down into steps. When introducing a hot topic or issue, have students discuss in pairs. When complete…have 5-6 students sitting in the middle as a cluster discussing and debating the issue introduced. The rest of the class sits on the outer circle and take notes and writes down questions down. When complete, the students in the outer circle are able to reflect and evaluate the arguments of the cluster group. Teachers should facilitate better discussions by repeating the fishbowl discussion with different participants.

4. Popcorn review:

This activity allows for students to participate in an intellectual and scholarly debate. The teacher chooses 4 students who will sit at the front of the room. A heated topic is introduced. One student provides a statement, followed by another student who adds to the statement. This is one teambuilding experience where students are exploring different facts and examining their validity.

5. Graphic Organizers:

I was teaching grade 11 law class for the first time. I had 3 weeks to cover the first unit. When it came to review, I had one day to cover the history of law from Plato and Aristotle to the 20th Century. I knew it was going to be hard for students to study everything. The whole test was based on 11 short answer questions which covered different themes in the unit. In groups of 4 or 5, students would examine the SPERM (Social, Political, Economic/Environmental, Religious, and Moral) aspects of one theme in the form of a graphic organizer. I didn’t want essays and I did not want paragraphs. I wanted my students to create a chart or a picture which helped explain the topic. I then photocopied all graphic organizers and distributed them amongst all students. To ensure that each student participated, one student would examine one aspect of sperm.

Reward: Bonus 3 marks on the test (1 mark for level 1 work, 2 marks for level 2 work, 3 marks for level 3 work).

Teachers have seen just about everything when it comes to students cheating. Students are becoming creative and will resort to anything and everything to cheat on tests, papers and in school. They fail to realize the consequences of their actions and the impending dismay that can ensue as a result of unfairness and academy dishonesty. Here are the top 10 ways students decide to cheat.

1. Cheat sheets:

In the past students were clever to bring their own paper to their tests and exams. They know that each teacher will not inspect every single page to make sure that cheat sheets are not included. Now students are more resourceful. They download cheat sheets on mp3 players, cell phones and other media devices. A teacher can never know unless they confiscate the item from the student.

2. Talking:

Either through whisper or by talking when the teacher is away, this is common in cheating practices. When unsure, students will ask for answers from their neighbour when given the chance.

3. Glare:

All it takes is a simple glare at another test or paper to copy the essentials down. Teachers and professors now separate students by leaving one extra seat between them. Will that be enough to stop students from glaring? Students are now more tactful and use excuses such as a drop of pen to glare.

4. Buy papers online:

Many students buy their papers online or from firms. They believe that they could trust the company to write “customized” papers tailored to their needs. Many papers are often plagiarized and are not cited. They mostly store reused papers that are circulated on the internet. Teachers and professors have plagiarism detectors such as Turninin.com which compares a paper to a wider database of papers for similarities.

5. Washroom breaks:

Washroom breaks are now supervised by staff members who closely monitor student activities. Many students would use the washroom to open up their cell phone and call up a friend to give more detailed information on a certain question they are stuck on. Having a personal chaperon, helps eliminate such chances. It is sad how low students will stoop.

Fooling anyone is a great fun, but at the same time it shouldn’t hurt any ones feelings. The most beautiful days are always the school days where we use pranks on almost every body without even bothering the consequences. There are times that we use pranks on our teachers as well. Many times we are caught many times they just let us go. But we never stopped playing pranks and making them fools. So, what are the best ways of making fool of your teachers? Here is a list of ten activities which are funny ways of making fool of a teacher at class:

1. Head banging at a silent class

This is a very innovative way to make fool of your teacher. All you need to do is when the class is silent and the teacher is in total command of the class, suddenly start banging your head at the desk and start murmuring words like “no…” “no…” “please get out” and many other crazy words. This will take the teacher by surprise and he/she will be utterly confused. When they ask you about what is the matter, just raise your head and say something stupid and look confused. This will really make a fool out of the teacher and you can enjoy the prank with your friends after the teacher leaves.

2. Principal Calling

This is a very common trick to fool the teacher and is a very effective one too. When you come in from outside and the teacher is already in, just walk straight to her and with a serious look say her that the principal is calling her. She will be really surprised as well as confused and will not have any clue as to what she should do. You can see the panic at her face and can enjoy with your friends.

3. Happy Birthday songs

Another way to make fool of a teacher is by declaring any of the students birthday and making the teacher sing a song for the student. This is a very funny prank where the teacher would be with her full attention think that it is actually the birthday of the student and with smiles all over her face she will stand and sing the song. This will let her postpone the class by sometime and you can enjoy in the meantime wishing the fake birthday boy or girl.

4. Calling the teacher at her back

When the teacher is writing something on the board and not facing you, say her name in different voices like u got to ask her something and when she turns around act like nobody said anything, it works best if you get your buddies to help and if she asks or says stop blame it on people you don’t like. This is a very useful prank and the teacher many a times get super annoyed and leave the class.

5. A sudden cry

This is a very tactful prank and whoever plays it has to play it in a very confident way. This will involve a lot of acting on the part of the doer. When the class is all silent, suddenly shout out crying. Say all sorts of stupid things and start crying. Let your friends know about your act and then you will enjoy it more. The teacher will be spellbound and will get the shock of her life. She might get scared and the reactions will be worth enjoying.