Safety second

I'm struggling to find the humour in it all this week. Half term can't come quickly enough. This is the longest term of the whole year and I can really feel that it's just gone on too long. I'm running on empty.

So amusing moments have been few and far between this week. However a year eight of mine really cracked me up/almost made me weep yesterday in the workshop.

They were making a flexible product from MDF. Its a great project and I enjoy teaching it. The students get to use a Hegner saw (pictured) to cut out their work and a Bandfacer to sand it down. They cannot use the machine if they do not have Safety goggles on however and I noticed a girl doing just that in my class.

So I stopped the machine and told her to put on her goggles. She looked at me blankly and asked:

"What are they sir?".

Now bearing in mind that I have told them what these things are about fifty times in these first few weeks I took a deep breath and said sweetly:

"Safety goggles. To protect your eyes."

Blank look.

"Those things on that table over there" I said pointing.

"Oh right" she said and proceeded to walk over to the table and pick up a cardboard box.