Stupid Student Tricks, part I

NP: Reel Big Fish -- Where Have You Been?

Ok, so I taught the first day of my new class a couple of days ago. The first day of class was devoted to going over the syllabus (as all good instructors should do), and me getting to know the students. So Im standing there going over the syllabus and I get to the part about the textbooks when the wheels fell off (at this time, please direct your attention to the post entitled "Textbooks, Free Textbooks" for some backstory).

You see, I believed a silver-toungd book hoe who told me that the document reader I chose was retailing for 18 bucks. 18 bucks for a primary source book is excellent, and I liked its structure and dual narrative set-up, so I adopted it. I also structured half of my course around it. On the basis of pure educational value, it is going to work out.

However comma the book costs 42 bucks. That is more than the textbook for the course and 2.5 times the value of the monograph on WWII that the kids have to read. That is NOT a good deal and, had I known the exact price, this book would have remained on the shelf. But now Im stuck with it.

As I am apologizing to the class for the cost of the book, a girl in the back tells me that the Gator Textbooks store has it way cheaper than the official university bookstore. That's great, and its good information the class should have. Then, as I am about to move on to the course rules, this yahoo on the front row interrupts me in mid-sentence and says: "Hey everyone, I've already dropped the class and I have the books for sale."

Stop.

Read that again.

This kid came to my class. Sat down. Took one of my syllabi. Waited for 10 minutes until I got to the books and THEN chose to stop me and hijack my class so he could avoid standing in a refund line.

The conversation then went something like this:
"Excuse me?"

"I bought the books and I need to sell them."

"You can't do that in the hall after class?"

"I figured I could do it here."

"How much are you selling them for?"

"How much should I sell them for?"

"That's up to you jack. Thats really rude too."

"I'll sell them for full price"

(to the whole class, as the expression of anger is growing more and more obvious on my face) "Does anyone want to buy this guy's books?"

(silence)

"Looks like they don't. You can leave now."

"You have a problem with this?"

"Yeah, that's bad to come in and interrupt my class so that you can sell some textbooks back. Hit the road."

(silence until the guy leaves)

ON a positive note, no one will mess with me now, as they know I can back my shit up. I told the class thereafter that Im easy to get along with as long as you don't do anything stupid. I also apologized for it as class ended. On the downside, the guy threw me off of my game and I couldn't get back on the right track. Class went ok, but it wasn't the stellar first class I like to deliver. You see, if you can hook them here, its way easier when you start going over material.

The challenge now is to see how many times I can make him the butt of a joke during the semester. Nothing like the good behavior of the future leaders of tomorrow.