Hu is a quiet young man, and though he isn't my best student, he isn't my worst either. One day I was walking by Hu's desk and caught him copying his math homework. He laughed, and I told him that wasn't why he was here. He said he would never copy English homework. Of course not. Still, I told him the next time I caught him I'd tear up the paper and toss it in the trash.
The second time I caught Hu copying math homework, I took the paper he was copying and didn't give it back. He swore up and down he wouldn't copy, and that he needed the paper, and I tore it up and handed it to him. He put it in his bag.
Two weeks ago, I caught Hu copying math homework again. I tore up the paper and tossed it in the trash. Hu was very angry. He said he wasn't copying, but simply holding the homework for his friend. He sat with his arms folded and did no work whatsoever. To further punish me, he didn't come to class for three days.
"Hu's not here," the kids said.
I'll spare you what I did with that.
Now, Hu comes to class every day and makes a point of doing no work whatsoever. He talked contemptuously to his friend for a few days to let me know he wasn't going to put up with my nonsense anymore. I moved his friend to the other side of the room, and now he sits and sulks by himself, making scornful noises once or twice per class.
He's determined to teach me a lesson. I tried talking to him, but he insists he didn't copy, though I watched him do it three times. Now he's not messing around anymore. He's going to show me who's boss by deliberately failing my class.
Posts
