Stink Bombs and Wasps

Ah, the wonders of working in a high school. It’s certainly a different environment than teaching in a college.

For example, yesterday and today some pranksters have taken to letting off stink bombs. These potent, sulfurous things are the worst fart smell you’ve ever encountered. Yesterday my freshmen handled our encounter with this terrible smell quite well. They had a test. They pulled their shirts over their noses and took their tests quietly. The smell dissipated pretty quickly.

Today, 3rd period again, after lunch, the familiar smell began to waft through the room through either the hallway or the class next door. Mostly the students were Ok. We opened the window. Things were good.

Until a wasp flew in.

Now, in a room of adults, I probably could have proceeded with teaching. Everyone knows that a wasp isn’t going to bother you unless you bother it.

A room full of teenagers? Forget about it.

As it flew above the room, close to the 10′ high ceiling, students ducked and dove like a B52 was firing at their heads. 

I asked them what the chances were that we could continue with the wasp in the room.

Nada…

Fortunately the wasp landed, and I was able to trap it in a lid and I released it to the wild

I’m pretty sure I earned badass status for confronting the terrible beast.

After the stink bomb incident, I joked with the students that there are some things you don’t have to deal with if you teach at the college level. Certainly in my 6+ years of teaching college, I’ve never had to deal with shenanigans like this.

But I didn’t laugh as much with those students either.

I really do love teaching these kids. They keep me on my toes. The make me laugh. The ask really tough, interesting questions. 

While teaching them, I don’t think I’ll ever have to worry about dying from lack of laughter.