Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Les croquants, ça les attriste, ça

Tutoring after school today. A time to catch up on old work and to get some remedial review. Perezoso would rather say "I don't know" and "I forgot" four or five times in a row than just give the answer that he already full well knows. (I was intractable, and he finally gave in, answering with an alacrity that showed he knew all the time.) Why? What causes that kind of contrary attitude? I mean, I know school's boring, but surely it's more boring to sit there and say "I forgot" over and over? Huh, maybe not.

***

After work I took my father out to a trivia bar, at Friar's suggestion. Friar and 74 joined us there. It was "almost fun," as Friar put it. We didn't win, and none of us cares about that anyway. But that announcer is supremely annoying, with all his little phrases and stale routines (deliberate mispronunciations and so forth). It's kind of amusing, but quickly turns annoying again. Anyway, Friar was terrific to suggest giving my dad a night out --- "I'd over-medicate too if I had to live with your mother," Friar said, in reference to this.

2 comments:

NYC Educator said...

The kid reminds me of the Watergate hearings. Maybe you should teach him to say, "I don't recollect," so he can be not only obstinate, but pretentious as well.

It's nice to hear you're intractable. That's a very good quality in a teacher.

Churlita said...

I think it's a power thing. I probably feels powerless at home and other situations and at school he can just show all of you by not caring.