No Stupid Questions, Part 2

Once again, I stopped to reflect on the idea of there being no stupid questions, except maybe the one you didn't ask.

If you ask me, that person just doesn't hang around with 6th graders.

Some gems I have recently heard:

"Who had the highest grade on our team?" - Why on earth would I remember that?

"Can I use my extra credit on the standardized test?" - Um... no. But thanks for thinking that my classroom stuff is so important as to affect the huge standardized test we do every year. I think.

"Does the word 'reign' mean the same as the word 'rain'?" - This was mere seconds after they had just answered (correctly, mind you) my question about the meaning of the word.

"Do I have to read this book?" - As they were signing up for their book for the project. Um, I guess you don't have to read it. But I also don't have to give you a grade for what you are not going to do.

"What did he say?" - Interrupting me to ask what another student said, who was already interrupting me to talk across the room.

"Can I have my cell phone back?" - This after one of the other student's phone rang in my class, because he had called him from my class, two rows over. Um, no, you cannot have your phone back. You'll get it eventually. When I have gotten over being mad. Eventually.

"Do I have to use a pencil?" - After I said, for the fourth or fifth time, you must use a pencil on this test.

"Am I really going to fail?" - This from a child who has not done one single homework assignment this year, and by year I mean this school year, not calendar year, and who fails every test. Um... yes. I am afraid you'll fail, unless you actually do something.

Why do they ask such ridiculous things?

Oh, well. At least they keep me on my toes.