
You never want to share your private business. It can be really embarrassing. But if you're caught disrespecting the teacher by passing notes in class, you may just have to air your dirty laundry for all to hear.
u/Just_Floatin_on_bye asked:
Teachers of Reddit, what is your best "read the note to the class" story?
Here were the best answers.
Cries For Help
I don't know if this is the best but it's pretty profound. I usually ignored note-passing. If a student didn't want to pay attention but wasn't bothering anyone else I was cool. In the age of cell phones notes were kind of outdated anyway. So I had this student who could do origami like a boss and he was always making all kinds of animal figures and cool shapes that I would put on the cork board behind my desk. This one day he is getting his fold on and is completely focused and not paying attention. Before I know it, class is over and it's on my desk. He stops on the way out of my class and says, "You're gonna wanna read that." I read it and he asking for lunch money cause his mom took off and he was hungry. It hurts being a teacher some days.
Weather Wonderings
I was in eighth grade and it was a hot, sunny day in mid May. I wrote "it's snowing" on a piece of paper and showed it to my friend sitting next to me, who immediately looked out the window. We both laughed because obviously it wasn't snowing. Then he and I laughed when I showed it to another student and they immediately looked out the window. And so on until most of the class is in on the joke, and watching as I show the piece of paper to the next unwitting fool. Almost every student knows what's going on, when my teacher sees that I'm showing this piece of paper to everyone and making them laugh. She walks over to my desk, looks down at the piece of paper that says "it's snowing" and instinctively looks out the window. The entire class bursts out in laughter.
From Lol To Yikes In Ten Seconds
When I was teaching college classes, I caught two of the girls whispering, so I told them "If you're going to tell secrets, you need to share with the rest of the class." (I taught preschool before this). She looked right at me, and said, without the slightest embarrassment, "I was just telling her that I think you have a cute butt."
I was teaching a Communications class, and we were discussing communications in the workplace, and I looked down at the textbook. After seeing what the next section was, I said "Ok, moving on to the next section, titled 'Sexual Harrassment'." Everyone roared with laughter.
A couple weeks later, at a baseball game paid for by the school, she came on to me really hard, with my fiancee right there.
Moral Compass Strong
Another non-teacher here, but my 7th grade teacher typically always wore a dress shirt to class and looked very presentable but this day he had his sleeves rolled up. Now, everyone loved this teacher but my immediate though was to write a note to my friend sitting beside me that his arms were super hairy, and that note was passed back and forth with us cracking jokes about it. Nothing malicious or overly mean, just that we didn't think he'd have such hairy arms.
We eventually got caught, and between classes he took us aside and warned us to not pass notes, and since this was the first time this happened he would toss it out without reading it and let us go. Well, a couple months go by and he decides to wear short sleeves again, and his arms were noticeably less hairy. I know 12 year olds don't have the greatest moral compass but to this day I still feel so bad that my dumb*ss little note might have made him so self-conscious about something so unimportant. I'm sorry Mr. Fifield, wherever you are now :(
When You're The Best Of Friends
I taught for a decade in a really rough area. I intercepted a lot of notes and was pretty shameless in public humiliation of my kids. I read a lot of a bad stuff out loud.
However, one really nice moment that stands out was when the super popular bubbly latina girl sat next to the stereotype depressed weird white theater band girl. I see them passing notes which is really uncharacteristic. The band girl seemed off and upset, but I let it go because it seemed like there was something going on more, and the latina girl was a really nice kid. I didn't think she was bullying or anything.
I had the girls stay after for a second, and asked them what was up. The latina girl said, "I was worried about her, she looked sadder than usual. So I wanted to make sure she's cool." I asked the other girl if that's what was happening and she said yep, and showed me the notes, which was a really heart felt convo about boys, relationships and feeling lonely. It was so damned sweet.
I asked if they needed more time, and they both said yes. I could get them excused from their next class and they asked if they could chill and talk more? I said sure, because you bet your ass wellness and mental health is a fuck-ton more important than curriculum.
They really had a moment, and it seemed to help them both. This was as 10th graders. I got to see them really develop a nice friendship over the next few years.
Go girls! Wherever you are now, I hope you're still friends and I'm glad I could help facilitate that.
Dictionary Definitions
An anonymous question to the class - In health class in freshman year of high school, we had to anonymously write questions about sexuality and the reproductive process--and the teacher would pull out a random card, read the question, and respond with a textbook answer.
Said teacher was very religious, and very open about her faith in a way that almost seemed patronizing. So I was surprised when she pulled out and read a card that said "what does the word c*nt mean?"
She look at the card, looked at us all calm, and then proceeded to pull up Wikipedia and other web media to inform us of the origin of the word, it's connotation, and how it's used differently around the world. I was kind of shocked that she just wanted us to know what it meant, as if to say 'don't look like a dumb *ss if you want to use this word in a sentence.'
Cool Dudes
One day in middle school right around when the Nintendo Wii came out, you could add other friends online for certain compatible online Wii games by sharing a serial code of like 16 numbers or something around there. Sitting in the back of our 7th period science class, 3 of my friends and I started to exchange and write down our Wii serial codes on a small piece of paper. We'd pass it down and share it as we passed it and copy them in our notebooks.
Our teacher pauses his lecture as he looks at us, he just gets up from the front of the class, walked to our row where the 4 of us sat, put his hand out to my buddy for the paper with all of our serial codes on in, takes a moment to glance at it only to see a matrix of random numbers followed by the first letter of our names. He then glances up at us and then to my buddy with the most dumbfounded stare, squints, and asked "is this some kind of joke? Cause I'm clueless on this one..."
My buddy that had to explain ourselves saved us all the embarrassment and said I'll explain after class as he blushed.
Luckily our teacher was a really cool dude and was fine with that answer and told us to just put it away. We told him after class and he understood but also said he was expecting some sort of elaborate code that we were encrypting messages in haha
Meta
Not a teacher but there was one teacher who was really cool, but still took his teacher job seriously. One lesson there is a note being passed around. Because of the giggling he sharpened his senses and honed in on the note's location and intercepted the handoff. Did that getting ready for a speech cough, opened the note and laughed. The note said, "giggle and pass it on."
There was another time he intercepted a note that said, "Happy Birthday Mr. _____"
Donut Pact
Student, not the teacher. In my college thermodynamics class the professor said that he didn't care if we got a text message in class, however he did care if we had our ringers on. So his rule was that if you got a text message and your phone went off loud enough for the whole room to hear it, you had two options. You could either read the text out loud to the whole class, or you could bring in donuts for everyone at the next class (there were about 20 of us).
Of course everyone keeps their phones on silent, so it never happens... until smack dab in the middle of one of the exams, when the Professor's phone gets a text message and rings out loud and clear in the middle of the exam. Professor freezes, takes one look at his phone as we all start giggling, and says "Guess I'm bringing you guys all donuts on Wednesday". (They were delicious).
Homonym Lesson
My Freshman year of HS, we had a student teacher for Algebra. This poor dude was terrified of public speaking. I don't think he made eye contact with any of us. Anyway...one day he catches someone passing a note. He demands that it be handed over. He unfolds it and reads it aloud:
"My dick's erect."
The whole class busted out laughing. The supervising teacher was horrified. But this guy was perplexed. He had a strange, puzzled look on his face. He read it again, with conviction.
"My dick's...ERECT!"
By now, people are crying and choking from laughing so hard, but not him. He was still confused. Our normal Algebra teacher snatched the paper out of his hand, probably fearing a lawsuit or something. She managed to crack a smile and then join the laughter when she read the note, which had 3 words scrawled on it:
My Dixie Wrecked
Mr. Kirkpatrick, where ever you are, thank you for one of my fondest high school memories.
Bless
Not a teacher. Someone in my class had a cold and wiped their snot into a scrap piece of paper, as they didn't have a tissue. They then scrunched it up and left it on the side of their desk. Teacher saw this, thought it was a note and grabbed the paper, going through the usual fanfare of 'the importance not passing notes around'. The look on her face when she opened it was priceless.
XYZ
Not a teacher, but when I was in high school, I started a note from the back row of the class, which was passed and read by nearly everyone in the class. The teacher grabbed it as it went past him, when there was only 3 people left who hasn't read it. I think he was going to read it out to the class, but he looked at it before he read it. All the note said was that the zip on his pants was down. With all respect to him, he calmly zipped up and continued teaching.
Best Wishes
My then-fiancee was a high school math teacher.
One day she thought she saw a note being passed, but she wasn't sure, so she waited. Then she thought she saw it again. Finally she saw it, walked over, and took it.
It was a wedding card, signed by half of the class before she took it.
She cried.
Edit: Yes, she's now my wife.
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Life is worse than fiction.
We as humans can be witnesses to the most brutal things life has to offer, sometimes by accident.
That's why therapy bills are so high.
You think you can handle the rough stuff.
You watch TV, someone dies horribly, and the day goes on.
But when you see it live and in person?
Your life changes.
Redditor wetbumgirl wanted to hear from people who were willing to share their real life nightmares, so they asked:
"What was the most disturbing thing you saw in person?"
Worst thing I ever saw was a dead body on the side of the road.
Never again please.
Shredded
"I saw a guy's leg shredded by recycling truck that didn’t see him. It was something out of a human anatomy text book. You could see every muscle and bone from thigh to shin. The poor dude was still alive in extreme pain. As the ambulance came to get him he looked so pale and cold. I found out he died shortly after."
alfonso010676
A Gut Punch
"ER nurse, trauma code on a middle aged gentleman who wrecked his car, basically dead on arrival and didn’t make it. The ambulance that dropped him off had to do a speed clean of the bloody gurney to rush out to another call immediately. 30 minutes later it brings in an old lady who had fallen at home."
"She kept saying she can’t get ahold of her son and he was suppose to take her to the hospital. Turns out her son was the one who wrecked his car on his way to take his mom to the hospital, and she was brought in on the same gurney that her dead son was just laying on moments earlier."
"That was a gut punch having to tell her the bad news."
"(This was in a rural community with limited ambulance service)."
TheTallerTaylor
At the Bottom
"When I was about 9 years old our family was staying at a campground on a river in northern Michigan. A 2 year old boy had wandered off and was missing. The entire park was looking for him. After about two hours with no luck some of us began looking in the water at the ends of the docks nearby. When I dove down in about 4’ of water I found him floating just off the bottom of the river."
"I pulled him to the surface and shouted for help. The EMTs made an effort to resuscitate him. To no avail. As horrible as that was, the thing that I will never forget was the sound his mother made when I carried him ashore. I still enjoy boating and swimming, but I have a very healthy respect for the water."
upshot
So much blood. So sad.
Limbs
"Human body parts moments after they got hit by a semi truck… an arm about 35 feet from the head."
Careless-Sky-8409
SHOOKETH!!
"Entering a friend’s place for the first time without prior knowledge that he was/is a hoarder at age 40. total shock. Dude has normal job, friends etc. But an absolute hoarder. Dead mice in the flat, trash in the kitchen reaching almost to the ceiling, mould everywhere on one wall of the bedroom. I didn’t dare to use the bathroom… Utter shock."
Revolutionary-Mud194
Bikers
"I was waiting at a bus stop, and on the other side of the rather tall divider were three bikers waiting for the light behind a bus, at a major intersection. Moments later, another bus came up behind, but realised too late it had no brakes. Several people injured, but two of the three bikers were squished to pulp. One was thrown to the pavement on the far side of the road, and survived with injuries. I never dared cross the road and look on the other side of that divider. It was in the papers the next morning."
BlatantJacuzzi
No Contact
"I was no contact with my abusive addict mom for many years. She passed in 2020; a sheriff's deputy found her during a wellness check. It was declared that she had been dead for a couple of weeks in July heat with no utilities. My father and I drove to her house the day after they removed her body. You could smell the decomposition from a block away."
"She had cancelled trash services and had 3+ years of garbage bags piled to the ceiling in her garage. There were rats running all over the house. 99.9% of our family pictures were pissed on or eaten by rats and not salvageable. Both of her toilets were out of order and full to the brim with crap. Everything I saw in her house was absolute nightmare fuel."
lady_guard
Hands Off
"I watched a guy get sucker punched outside a club (not uncommon where I used to live) but he fell back and hit his head and a pool of blood started spreading from the back of his head. I always wonder whether he died/had long lasting damage."
bishsticksandfrites
If only we could take out our eyes and wash them of some of these sights.
Do you have any similar experiences? Let us know in the comments below.
People Explain Which Things They Wish The Opposite Sex Understood Better
Whether it's in family, friendships, or dating, we've all felt misunderstood at some point. But it seems especially common to feel misunderstood by the opposite sex.
Here are some key points that people wished those of the opposite sex would just understand already.
Redditor idontplayhockey asked:
"What is something you wish the opposite sex understood better?"
Compliments Go a Long Way
"A good chunk of the men who need reassurance are most likely not getting enough compliments in the relationship."
"This isn't always the case, but I always felt insane dating certain people, and then with the right person who complimented me, is genuinely attracted to me and initiated things, and who ACTUALLY loves me (I now think others weren't that attracted to me, even ex-fiance), and I have never felt more confident, and safe in a relationship."
"Looking back, my intuition was correct with the other people I dated, and that's why I never felt secure."
- TinyDrug
Food Secrets
"If you wanted fries, you should have asked for fries."
- podrick_pleasure
For the Love of LEGO
"I don't drink, smoke, gamble, do drugs, go to strip clubs, or play video games... My vice is LEGO (yes, I'm a f**king dork) and my wife just can't stop complaining about the LEGO."
- lazyFer
The Dating Game
"Wish both sexes better understood biased selections. F**kboys, f**kgirls, arrogant egotistical people, and deplorable tw*ts will be overrepresented in the pool of people you encounter in a dating setting."
"Normal people form relationships, get tired of all the bulls**t, and 'age out' of the dating pool, all of which makes them underrepresented."
- 5e884898da
Stay the Same
"When I say, 'Just like that,' I don't mean speed up to 100 miles per hour."
- Unlikely_Anywhere464
Not Perfect
"For both sexes, we are flawed people and we are not perfect. Stop expecting everything to be perfect 100% of the time. I'm far from perfect, but I strive to make myself better. I'm married guy."
- ThrowAway97283917
Okay with the Friend Zone
"This might be specific to me, but... If I ask you out, and you say no, that's it. Like there's no lingering weirdness or anything. If you're not interested in me romantically, that's fine."
"I'm perfectly cool just being friends. I won't be awkward or anything about it, won't bring it up, won't bring it up to mutual friends, it was just a question."
"The friend zone isn't a bad thing all the time. Sometimes it's where the best friends come from."
- bstyledevi
Feeling Clueless
"I genuinely have no clue about 99% of the mind games taking place around me."
- SolitaryDumpster
Be Direct
"It's not as romantic, but plainly saying, 'I want the D' would fix so many issues in the communication department."
"Don't come to my place claiming to be interested in my hobbies but really after the D, because I will museum guide you through all that s**t that is my past time, and the idea of unzipping will scarcely occur to me."
- ZenEvadoni
Individualized Emotions
"Just because you keep telling me it's okay to have emotions doesn't mean I'm going to burst into tears. I have emotions, they're just quiet and don't bother people."
"I'm not emotionally distant or unfeeling. I'm just not going to burst into tears because the dog died in 'Marley and Me.' I'll cry when my dog dies in 'My Dog and Me.'"
- DanteWolfe0125
Menstruation Woes
"How bad period pain can get for some women."
"Have you ever been WOKEN UP from pain at 3 AM that didn’t go away for at least a couple of hours so you just stayed awake because going back to sleep was definitely not happening?"
"Painkillers only work for me if I catch it BEFORE it gets bad."
- BluWaff_x
Boundaries, Please
"Just because you think I’m pretty, doesn’t mean I need you to send me a photo of your junk. Come on now."
Connect First
"As a guy, I don't always want to have sex. Wanting to get in your pants isn't an indicator of liking you or not. Sometimes I just want to laugh and see how I enjoy being around you because most people turn out disappointing."
- Vapes-DB
Happy to Help
"We're honestly happy to help you lift stuff and carry stuff and put things away on high shelves. We like being big and strong. But please don't take it for granted. Show your appreciation."
- Fuzzpot
No Means No
"'No' doesn’t mean 'convince me.'"
- prosecutie05579
Some of these examples were heartening, as they apply to both genders, but others, like no meaning no, are disappointing, as it feels like it's a concept all people should understand by now.
Things That Are Considered Basic Knowledge That Many People Don't Know
Once we're "all grown up," we like to think we know all there really is to know in life.
But sometimes it's startling how much a person still has to learn.
Already cringing, Redditor ej1273 asked:
"What's considered basic knowledge that many people don't know?"
Road Safety
"I feel like it is a common sentiment that all semi-drivers are good drivers because they have to get licensed and whatnot."
"This is not true anymore. I mean, they still have to get licenses but the industry is in such dire need of drivers that they're just kinda hand waving a lot of s**t and now we have a bunch of idiots driving huge murder trucks."
- CopeH1984
Car Signals
"When your turn signal starts blinking at 2x speed, it's a warning that one of your turn signal bulbs is out."
- gbarfoot
Car Health Checks
"Check your tire pressure. Every time you get your oil changed, you need to check all five tires. Yes, all FIVE! The average car on the road has five, the four on the ground and a spare."
"That spare will do f**k-all for you if you have a flat, and it’s been at 2 PSI for a year."
"While we’re at it, make sure your jack, wrench, lug nut key, and possibly some gloves are always in the car."
- pauliep13
Building Things
"Measure twice, cut once."
- ahughes918
Paying Taxes
"Not everything is a tax write-off. I'm convinced 99% of people have absolutely no understanding of tax credits and just parrot what other people tell them."
- ShawshankException
More Taxes
"Tax brackets, oh my god. The number of times I've heard some mal-educated idiot act as though earning more money will result in less money in their pockets because they'll go into a higher tax bracket is scary. And to think these people vote, and sit on juries... Absolutely terrifying."
- TerritoryTracks
Healthcare
"Antibiotics don’t work on viruses."
- Trick-Grade-9164
Staying Warm
"Drinking alcohol makes a person FEEL warmer but you're much more susceptible to freezing to death."
"The reason that it was given to people when they were found freezing was actually because they had been found. And opening up the blood vessels to get blood into the extremities helped prevent frostbite."
"So you could say that alcohol decreases your chance of frostbite, but increases your chance of dying. If you know how long you have until help arrives, you can use this to your advantage."
- Picker-Rick
Shopping Etiquette
"It is very easy to not block the whole aisle with your cart at the grocery store."
- AnaisGiovanna
Public Transport Manners
"That forgetting your headphones doesn't mean we want to hear you scrolling through TikTok on the bus."
- maddog232323
No Money Back
"How not to fall for a very obvious scam on the internet."
- FlashTheorie
Attitude
"Yelling louder doesn’t make you more correct."
- Longjumping_event_59
Essential Home Care
"Where their water shutoff is in their house."
- MakennaTalia
Healthy Diet
"Low-calorie food doesn't mean healthy food."
"Vegan doesn't mean healthy."
"Fats aren't unhealthy."
- david_bragg
For the Love of Grammar
"How to use there, their, and they’re."
- paulboyrom
While these were all basic concepts to some people, it was surprising how many people did not know some of them. And ironically, some of them could really make someone's life easier.
All relationships are complicated–including the ones we're related to by blood.
No family is perfect. In spite of always presenting picture-perfect appearances, you never know if your neighbors have skeletons in the closet, and it's none of our business to pry.
While unconditional love can be the bond that holds a family unit together, sometimes that's not enough, as evidenced by those who have become estranged.
But we don't talk about Bruno, right?
Curious to hear from families that have experienced drama from within, Redditor Electrical_Ant6630 asked:
"Why don’t you talk to 'that' family member anymore?"
Criminal activity would certainly divide family members.
The Con Artist
"Stole our grandpa's identity (his dad) and ruined him financially. Then when his brother died, tried stealing money from his sister (my mom) and conning his way into things that didn't belong to him."
"When my mom passed, he asked for her SSN, told me it was for an old insurance policy their brother (referenced above) worth like 400 bucks. I told him I wanted more info, looked into it and it was 76k that he was trying to claim entirely for himself instead of me and my sibling getting my moms share."
"F'k that guy."
– chompytown
Alcoholic And More
"Abusive alcoholic/ forged documents using my moms identification."
– THEONLYMILKY
That's Not How This Works
"Because that family member stole my money and blamed it on me. lol."
– mblaze111
Maternal Arsonist
"My wife's mum. Among other things she attempted to burn down my house. Whilst her daughter and grandson were inside. She's a POS who's going to die bitter and alone and that's just fine by all of her kids."
– SpudGun312
As if grieving over the loss of a family member wasn't enough, these happened.
Pointing Fingers
"Accused me of stealing all our dad's money when he died. There was a will and we all got the same amount. I pointed this out and she blocked me. 🤷"
– One_Has_Lepers
Scene At A Funeral
"When at my sister's funeral they told me I had no reason to cry because I wasn't really family because I was adopted. I was adopted within my own family. We were still biologically related."
– ThisIsNotTex
Eyeing Gran's Cash
"tried to steal my grandmother's money after she died."
– bigtex2003
Toxic Brother
"my brother(a toxic dangerous narcissist) robbed my mom into poverty, she sacrificed literally every penny and went even in debt to cover for his lifestyle."
"every time i bailed her out i knew i was funding her toxic relationship with him.when she was finally dying of cancer, ( and having a million other issues and struggles) both my sister( total different long story) and my brother where f'king nowhere to be seen."
"i stepped in and stepped up to help her out of her misery making huge sacrifices career wise, financially getting in debts myself (medical bills through the roof, and her house basically needed entire renovations), let alone mentally of being constantly exposed to extreme hardship and misery of someone you loved the most.even my big loved one, just left me 6 months into this rough situation, nothing as unsexy as a man struggling,bleeding and suffering to help out a loved one i guess"
"anyway i carried my mum alone on my own shoulders till her very dying breath holding her hands while people close to your heart just turned their backs and left you regardless i showed them nothing but care and loyalty through my entire life"
s"ince the funeral almost day to day now 3 years ago ( died first week after new year), i haven't spoken to any of them.may they all go f'k themselves in eternity, to me they simply do not exist any longer"
– Lord-Legatus
The nightmare wasn't over for these divorced Redditors.
Unwanted Reunion
"When the ex-husband got released from jail for spousal abuse and restraining order violations, she gave him my new home address."
– Texandria
Don't Underestimate The Young
"My first marriage broke up after five months; before the divorce was final a police lieutenant said if the ex had succeeded in kidnapping me, he would have killed me. The police believed me and the judge believed me but my mother didn't."
"If there's one useful thing to draw from this, please don't dismiss a young person who wants to confide in you that one of their parents isn't normal. So many people brushed it off with, 'You'll understand when you're older' and 'She's trying her best' that I kept trying. Would have been better off if I'd followed my gut and estranged from her sooner. She's a very angry person."
– Texandria
While it's difficult to comprehend a situation that doesn't involve you, it can be frustrating when you don't have the answers regarding an estranged family member.
I recently discovered that my mother's cousin has a son who left the family as soon as he became an adult because of the misery he endured at home.
The son fled on his own because his mother always doted on and favored his elder brother while his father stayed silent.
The poor treatment of the youngest son–from what I understand–stemmed from a terrible and outdated cultural notion that the first-born son was always revered over any other sibling. For no reason.
Anyway, my mom's heart broke knowing about this family history, and she has no idea how the estranged son is doing.