So working in a K-8 school you tend to come across a lot of different levels of maturity, understanding and bravado. When I specifically was dealing with my middle-schoolers, they were funny. They understood sarcasm, and were willing to give it right back to you. The little kids are different. They dont get sarcasm so when you addressed them you had to be very direct. This is the background you need for this story.
Every Monday I happened to have a prep period where the kids stayed in the classroom so if I wanted any alone time, I needed to leave my room. For 45 minutes I would wonder around the school, police the hallways, and venture to the cafeteria, which was more of a circus with food than anything else. One day I decided I would go explore the lower elementary school floors and walked into the second grade hallway. I turned a corner and there in front of me was a second grade boy who I had known by site for the last three years. I always said hi to him and he always waived but in three years had never said a word.
He was alone in the hallway standing by his coat hook and looking directly at me.
"Where's your hall pass little man?" I greated him. Again, you have to be direct with the little ones. The older ones I would have immediately started picking on and harassing them into their rooms. The little ones need fear. They need to understand authority of adults and that rules apply even when they think no one is watching.
Silence.
I put my hands on my hips, furrowed my brow and a little more firmly asked again, "where's your hall pass?"
Right then without missing a beat, he placed his hands on his hips, leaned forward a little, looked me dead in the eyes and said, "Sharkbait who ha-ha!" and then ran into his classroom.
I wasn't even mad. How can you be mad at Finding Nemo? And at such an amazing time!
He was the only kid to ever not get reprimanded by me for not having a hall pass.
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