ABC7.com Green Content - Powering School Buses Is A Natural Gas

ABC7.com Green Content - Powering School Buses Is A Natural Gas

They're not as dumb as they sometimes look.

I get lots of surprises on the bus, not all bad. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised, like when eighth graders (who keep me very wary, for good cause) say something that is either genuinely amusing or profound. It isn't every day that it happens, as evidenced by the number of times I have written about it. Today was one of those days. And these are not belly busters or statements that will make you ponder for days so don't get your hopes or expectations up too high. Remember, these are eight graders. Two boys were getting off the bus and one had a sucker in his mouth. His friend said, "I don't know why they call them suckers, they should call the ones you get lickers". OK, it doesn't take much to entertain me on the bus, but I thought this was hilarious. This being just two days before fall break, another boy said to me, "I'll bet you are really looking forward to five days off". Not that he was looking forward to it but that he amazingly deducted that the bus driver would be looking forward to it. I would like to meet his parents. They are teaching him well.

Is it my job?

(continued) The following morning the young man who first claimed the wallet as his then admitted it wasn't, brought the wallet back. He handed it to me as he boarded the bus and said it's all there, go ahead and check it. I told him to hang around after all the other students got off and we would talk. When it was just he and I, he wanted to know if he was in trouble. I proceded to lecture him about integrity, honesty, character, et al. He assurred me that he had learned his lesson and wanted me to appologize for him to the other student, who actually owned the wallet. Perhaps I should have had him do it himself but the logistics of that was somewhat daunting and would have elevated the issue beyond where I desired it to go. When I presented the wallet to the rightful owner, he took it and started to walk off. I said Hey!, as I am wont to do, and he came back to me as I proceeded to tell him that I wanted to see some appreciation for the effort I put into this. He smiled sheepishly and said thank you. Is it my job to teach these students to be honest and grateful? Evidently it is.

Digging a deeper hole

(contunied) This morning I challenged the boy who first claimed the lost wallet as his. He immediately began by digging himself a deeper hole than the one he already found himself in. He made the increduluous statement that he alternated carrying 7 or 8 wallets and he may have indeed mis-identified this particular one as his, being unfamiliar with the details of all those wallets. He finally admitted that the wallet may not have been his. He was nervous as a cat and clearly identified himself as a novice thief, which is probably what will save his hide in the long run. I am of the opinion that if this is the best story he can come up with then he is indeed not very experienced or accomplished as a thief. I told him to bring the wallet and the money and give it back to me in the morning. He said he would and got off the bus. Later that afternoon I told the boy who really did lose the wallet that I was in the process of retreiving his wallet and would keep him posted on the progress. We will see what happens tomorrow. To be continued...

The Lost Wallet

This morning I had a student bring me a wallet he found on the bus. A few minutes later another student came forward to claim it. He was able to describe it as having no identification inside and that it contained some amount of cash that included a five dollar bill. He was wrong about the exact amount of cash it contained but I decided to let that slide and presented him with the wallet. That afternoon a third student got on the bus and asked if I had found a wallet. Yes I replied, but I gave it to someone else who claimed it as his. However the third student's totally accurate description of the wallet along with stating the exact amount of cash it contained has led me to rethink the entire episode. In the morning I will challenge the first wallet claimor and see where it leads. To be continued tomorrow.

Sometimes it's the bus driver who's the nincompoop

The term nincompoop is one my late father used to describe someone who demonstrated unusual incompetence. Today I was the nincompoop. Half way through the morning eighth grade/high school route, one of the students yelled from the back of the bus "Can you turn the heat on? It's cold back here!" I was somewhat perplexed because earlier I had turned the heater fans on low which is usually enough to satisfy everyone even on a cold morning. It really wasn't that cold, high 50's. But closely following days in the mid 80's, it probably seemed much colder. So I turned the fans on high. Another student shouted back, "Not the air conditioner!" I mistook that for sarcasm and ignored it. Nothing else was said for the duration of the ride. Later that morning I discovered that I had not turned the valve that circulates hot water through the compartment heaters. So the fans were in fact recirculating cold air, which no doubt felt like air conditioning. I was so embarrased, even though I was the only one on the bus. The students surely must have labeled me a nincumpoop, and rightfully so. Sometimes it is the bus driver who is the problem on the bus.

Singing happy birthday

I have maintained a tradition on my elementary route that involves everyone on the bus singing happy birthday to any student who has a birthday either on that day or on the weekend. They get the biggest kick out of doing that. And of course the lucky birthday boy/girl enjoys it most of all. It is an easy way of giving recognition and bolstering self esteem to all students, many of whom do not get a regular dose of that. It is easy, fun and well worth the effort.