Lent

I got this letter handed to me halfway through spelling class today:

Mrs. Webb,
I heard about this program, I don't know what it's called, but it's where people give up something for forty days. I have chosen talking. Please don't call on me.
Mary
P.S. I started at 11:05.


So apparently I was not supposed to call on Mary until EXACTLY 40 days from 11:05 today. I said I needed to see her after class. Can I also mention that she is one of my most talkative girls? She wouldn't make it 40 minutes without talking, let alone 40 days, but alas. I have to take all of my students seriously. So I had this conversation:

Me: Mary, this "program" you are talking about...do you mean Lent?
Mary: *shakes head yes*
Me: Are you even Catholic?
Mary: *looks confused, shakes head no*
Me: Okay. Well, usually Lent is a religious thing. If, for religious reasons, you feel that you cannot talk for the next forty days, then we will need to have a conference between your parents and all of your teachers to discuss accommodations for this.
Mary: *looks alarmed*
Me: I don't think talking is the best choice of something to give up for Lent. I hope you reconsider. Get back to me on that.

Halfway through Social Studies class, Mary raised her hand. I called on her, and in perfect sign language she asked to go to the bathroom (I know she used correct sign language thanks to Laura Wilson and Katie Masters!!). Anyway, I obviously pretended I had no clue what she was trying to say. Finally one of her friends said, "Mary has to go to the bathroom." I shot a determined glare at Mary and said, "Then Mary's going to have to tell me that."

As class progressed, Mary got increasingly more uncomfortable as she really, really had to go to the bathroom. Finally, toward the end of class, she raised her hand and spat out, "Mrs. Webb, can I go to the bathroom?!?!?" I said that certainly she can. Ha. I win.

After Social Studies, Mary came up to me and said, "Mrs. Webb, I've thought of a new compromise. How about I will talk when it comes to answering questions in class or talking to teachers about school stuff, but other than that I don't talk." FINE with me...she isn't supposed to be talking during class other than that anyway! So I congratulated her on caring about her education enough to bend her Lent resolutions....and then I came home and laughed my head off about it and wrote this blog.