Wednesday, April 16, 2008

I've been Punk'd!!!!

I can't believe it. I've been punk'd.
You know the show with Ashton Kutcher that is like Candid Camera?
Ya, by my own co-workers and students!
It was an amazing ruse, to say the least and it got me where I didn't want to see it.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, after being frustrated with the lack of effort and success by many students, I threw down the challenge that if they all got 100% on a spelling test that I would dye my hair blond.
I never saw it coming.
Sometime during the previous week, after I handed out the spelling words, the other teachers had each student fill out an answer sheet with the correct spelling and definitions. An assistant came into my class during the test to "help out and be interested in the results" (read, be an accomplice). While she offered to collect the tests afterwards and help grade, (we often will share grading), she switched the answer sheets to the previously filled out ones.
Not one kid said a word.
As I graded the definitions, she "graded" the words. With each page I got more and more excited. I must admit that I thought it rather unlikely, but I wanted to believe it.

And I did. Hook, line and sinker.

The big reveal was during today's recess as we let the kids have a few extra minutes.

I had no idea what to do or say. A lot of people knew about it and it took the cooperation of a lot of them to make it successful.
I wasn't mad about it and it was rather funny.

But I was really disappointed.
One of my students came up to me sensing my daze and dismay and said,
"But Mr. Selvin, you made me believe I could do it."

The students asked if I was still going to dye my hair blond. I said not at this time, but the offer still stands.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh MAN I can't believe they did that!!!! What a bummer, I'm sure it's all in good fun but I have to say I would have been really disappointed too. I felt disappointed just reading it, I was so happy they all tried so hard! It's not even April Fool's, how rude!!! You are just going to have to find a way to get them back...