The computer lab was a large room with a small classroom attached at the back. The lab had two doors, each one leading to a different hallway. The separate room at the back also had a door which led to yet a third hallway. 

 

The lab wasn’t like most labs with rows of tables and computers. This lab had cubicles, one for each student. I tried to arrange my station so I could monitor all the doors, but I was limited to where the outlets and cables were placed. The back classroom was a popular place for study groups, project work, and meetings. At first it was also a convenient place for students to hide, however that ended when I started leaving the light on and the door open. 

 

One particular day, my aide and I were busy helping students with their projects when we heard a strange noise – a buzzing sound. I looked around and saw nothing unusual so we went back to assisting students. We heard the noise again, but couldn’t place the sound. I continued hearing the sound so I turned to my aide and asked her if she thought it was coming from the back of the room.

 

It was not only coming from the back of the room, but from the attached back classroom. Glancing back, we saw the light was on but the door was closed. The closer we got to the door, the louder the sound. Opening the door, we didn’t see anyone – however, walking further into the room there was one of my students giving a haircut to another student. He was running a business during class right under my ears!

 

With a straight face, I asked him why he was giving someone a haircut in my classroom during class time. He proceeded to explain that it was his lunch hour. Upon further questioning, he was indeed on his lunch hour, but the other student had skipped class for his hair appointment.

 

I told him to finish his client and then see me. I had a decision to make. My options were 1)  ignore what I saw, 2) send him to the dean for detention or suspension, or 3) support his business with stipulations. By the time he came to see me I had a decision.

 

The compromise was that he could operate his business before and after school, but not during school or I would terminate the offer. During his lunch hour may be possible but only with prior permission from me and only with students who had the same lunch hour. After he left, I laughed and told my aide that he as an amazing entrepreneur. 

 

He spoke of his dream to be a barber after high school and to someday open his own shop. 

I met him about 10 years later. He had his own shop! To think, I helped to launch a successful business from my classroom. It could have gone a much different way. I could have been the one to stop his dream, to show my power and have him suspended. 

 

Teachers often forget that they can either encourage or discourage, feed a dream or starve it. Do you want absolute power or do you want to put consequences in place without destroying a student. Consequences that will teach a lesson. Consequences that allow a student to still dream. Consequences show a student they have potential and you will be there as a guiding force and not a …..force.