Cookie Drama

Most of the time, I am not a teacher.

Most of the time, I am a babysitter.

Most of the time, my students view me as an old hag.

Most of the time, I want to rip my hair out and walk out of the room.

For example:

My school has a cookie shack. My fellow co-teachers and I have decided that these cookies must contain some type of drug because the students are addicted to the cookies. At any time during the day, there is a line 50 kids deep waiting for these cookies. Everywhere I go in the halls, students are talking about these cookies. I have students tardy to class because of these cookies. I have students asking me if they can leave class for these cookies.

On Thursday, I showed a short video to my students. It was a little disturbing, so I told them that if they didn't want to watch it, they could sit out in the hallway. One girl opted to sit in the hall, but for some reason I had a feeling that she was up to no good. I went to the hall to find her, and she was halfway down the hall. I yelled at her and she goes, "Darn it. You caught me. I was going to get a cookie." I told her to march her butt back into the class.

About halfway through this same class, I had a student ask me if he could go to the bathroom. I allowed him to go, but I noticed that he was gone longer than he should have been. When he came back in, he looked guilty. I could tell by his face that he had done something bad. I was already fuming.

"Jake, please tell me you do not have a cookie in your pocket. I will really be ticked if you do."
With his head down, he said, "Yes, Ms. Nichols. I have a cookie in my pocket."
I lost it. I rarely get mad at my students (or if I do get mad, I try to hide it). But this took me over the line. How dare he leave class while I am teaching to get a cookie. I went on a rampage for about five minutes, telling him how disappointed I was in him. I took away all their bathroom privileges. I said that Jake had ruined it for everyone, and I could no longer trust any one of them to go the bathroom. I don't even really remember what I said to them because I was so furious. My face was red, and it was apparent to all of them that I was serious. Not a student said a peep.

After I was done yelling, a student raised his hand. "Ms. Nichols, can I go get a drink?"
"Are you serious right now? No, you may not go get a drink. I just took away all your privileges. You're stuck with me for the rest of the class period."

Jake came and apologized after class, which I appreciated. He said he felt bad and he would never do something like that again. I told him he had to come clean my desks as his punishment, which he did the following day.

My last class of the day was next, which is my one and only 10th grade class. I told them as they filed in that I was not in a good mood. They asked why, so I told them the story of Jake who left to get a cookie while I was teaching. My 10th graders had a poem due, and one student asked if he could go print his poem. I told him he could. I said, "However, if you come back with a dang cookie in your hand, I will flip a lid on you."

He said, "What if I bring a cookie back for you?"
I thought about it for a moment, and I said, "OK!"

Sure enough, Dan came back with his poem and two cookies, one for him and one for me. I ate this cookie, and it was delicious. Now I totally understand why the kids love these cookies so much.