In my classroom, instead of calling my students guys or boys and girls or students, I tend to call them ladies and gentlemen when I want to get all of their attention, or just friend when I'm talking to one of them. Once in awhile I will call one of them best friend, but I don't want any of them to get "j" so I don't use that one very much.
Well, today as I was having students come up to the board to explain math problems, this whole calling them friend thing came into play. I had asked a girl to go up and do the problem and as she was coming back, I asked her to pick a boy, friend. I heard snickers in the class immediately erupt. I told them they didn't understand what I was asking...and one of the kids piped up saying that he understood. He stated that I was saying she should pick a boy who was her friend not a boyfriend, which lead to more snickering and giggles. I told him no, that she needed to pick a boy and then I had called her my friend. The snickering and the laughter died down and the girl who I was talking to said, "Yeah, I knew that!"
Oh my...guess I better watch my wording more carefully.
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