Apathy Jack writes:

"Mister, I'm not going to get this project finished on time."
"No, you're not: It was due to your teacher two hours ago."
"You know, instead of growling me, I think you should be happy that I'm here at lunchtime working on it."
"I am, and I'm proud of you, but that doesn't alter the fact that your teacher won't accept it after three-thirty this afternoon."
"That's too soon. I need to do heaps more work on it."
"Well, how long are you going to be at school this afternoon? I'm here late, so if you give it to me when you're done, I can slip it into your teacher's things after she's gone home."
"Ooh, cheeky."
"'Cheeky'?"
"But I need to do, like, hours of work. I can't stay that late."
"Right, then you need to think up an explanation as to why you didn't hand in the project today."
"Can't I just say I was at the Councillor during English?"
"You were at the Councillor during English."
"Exactly, so can't I just say that?"
"Yes, but she'll want to know why you didn't hand it in at lunchtime."
"Because I'm with you finishing it off."
"Yes, but you can't tell her that."
"Why not?"
"Well, primarily bcause she'll yell at me - she has some kind of irrational opposition to me teaching students from her class."
"Well if she could teach us properly..."
"Yes yes, taken as read. The other reason is that if it was due in before lunch, you shouldn't be working on it at lunchtime, especially if you still can't get it finished. Understand?"
"I get it."
"So what's your excuse?"
"Can't I just say I have problems?"
"Yes, but you're at school today, so she'll ask what sort of problems let you come to school, but not hand in a specific assignment."
"So when she asks me that, I'll burst into tears and pretend I'm too upset to talk."
"Yeah, that should work. Do that."



You know, there are times when I realise how woefully inadequate a job teachers' college did to prepare me for the realities of my chosen career...