No-Namer

Students turn in papers without a name all the time.

Recently, I had a worksheet without a name, so I said to the class, "Here's a no-namer. It's obviously a boy's handwriting, so if it's yours, put your name on it and turn it back in so you can get a grade."

I passed the paper around the room. When every single student had viewed it, the last student returned it back to me.

"No one is going to claim this paper? Boys, did you all look at this? Okay, someone has a 0 in the gradebook."

A few hours passed, and then one of my students showed up during my off hour. She was embarrassed as she said to me, "That paper that you passed around? Well, it's mine. I didn't want to claim it because you said it was a boy's handwriting. I know I have awful handwriting, but I was too embarrassed to claim it. But I'm back now to write my name on it so I can get a grade for it."

Oh man, did I feel bad!