Top Ten Tuesday

Well, today I am designating top ten Tuesday and as I'm sitting here in class watching my student teacher teach a lesson I thought of the top ten excuses I hear from my students on a daily basis!

1. This makes no sense to me! Referring to yesterday's lesson after that person had been absent the day before.
2. My cat ate my homework! I got this one today.
3. Are all kids really this horrible? The student who was referring to her baby that was assigned to her in Child Development.
4. I still don't get it! Even though I haven't been paying attention because I was still trying to get last nights homework done.
5. What's the difference between an excuse and a reason? I could find plenty of reasons instead of excuses.
6. Why do I have to graph by (whatever way I said) why can't I choose?
7. My calculator/book bag/book/pencil/brain is in my car!
8. I couldn't do my homework last night because my boyfriend/girlfriend was having a hard night!
9. I didn't know I had to do that! It's been on the board/on paper/on the calendar for the past month!
10. Why don't you do (something) for me that I could have done for myself!

Don't get me wrong I love my students! Always have always will but I get so tired of their excuses! I put the following statement above my board: "Excuses are the nails used to build the house of FAILURE!"