Now for a story. Our seventh graders are a very lively and spirited group. They never fail to amuse at least one teacher a day, if not several. During the first week of school, one of the seventh grade boys was apparently bored during my Pre-Algebra class. In the middle of my lecture, he started doing the "YMCA". I asked him stop, and he promptly did so. The students in the two rows behind him giggled but came back on task fairly soon.
I began working a problem at the board, and when I turned around to ask a question, the same student was now doing the "Funky Chicken". Trying to keep my composure, I once again told him to stop and pay attention. I kept teaching.
Again, when turning around from writing on the board, I saw the same student, this time performing a move from a popular commercial*. I don't think anyone knew what math was going on at this point. I worked to get the class under control and went back to teaching--again.
During homework time (seventh grade usually ends up with 5-10 minutes to work on homework), I looked up from helping another student, and the same boy is now performing "Walk Like an Egyptian"! How did he learn all of this stuff!
Needless to say, I now use the overhead projector to work problems becuase I never have to turn my back on the class.
*The third "dance" by my student involved placing the right hand on the right shoulder and the left hand on the left hip. The hand positions are then reversed, with the right hand going to the right hip and the left hand going to the left shoulder. As the hands are switched, head is thrust slight forward and pulled back.
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