Moted.

I have a math support class, and under the orders of a District mandate, during this class our students are supposed to use the computer lab for a little program called EPGY.  EPGY is a web-based piece of computer adaptive software that supposedly scaffolds itself to the skill level of each individual student.

Now, I say supposedly, but that's not totally accurate because the program does do OK, you just have to tweak it a lot to get it there.  Anyhow, as per the district EPGY czar, our students are supposed to log approximately 100 minutes per week on this program - and as the district peon, I am lithe to obey.

As one might expect, if the district demands us to do something, naturally, the students are going to hate it.  And as far as EPGY goes, they do.  They will do ANYTHING to get out of working on EPGY, and due to this fact, my time in the computer lab is more spent as a policeman than a teacher.  It drives me nuts, because not only do I get to fill the role of a babysitter on a daily basis, but now I get to be a policeman.  As a policeman, there are two specific behaviors that warrant consequences.  One is if a student is out of their seat.  They aren't supposed to leave their seat at any time without permission.  The second is that they aren't supposed to visit any other website except for EPGY.  Within the lab, there is a "one strike and you're out" policy, meaning that if you break either of these rules, then I'm kicking you out of class with a referral, and the principal's blessing, and you'll spend the rest of the period in ISS (In-School Suspension).

Rule number one is fairly easy to enforce, but for rule number two, the best tool that I have at my disposal in the lab is some network monitoring software that allows me to view all the activity of the students - I can see each of their screens, what programs they have open, and what website they are on.  It's a great tool, but since I'm never sitting at a computer, and instead walking around the classroom helping students with questions, I don't get to utilize it much.  However, there are instances where it is really useful... like this one.

I walked around the edge of the room, as silently as I could, so that I could catch my students unaware.  There are tell-tale signs that a student isn't doing what they're supposed to be doing.  For instance:

1. The student keeps looking up at you to see where you are in the room
2. The student turns their screen away from you so it is angled away from you
3. The student frantically clicks their mouse as your approach
4. The student has a blank screen when you walk by
5. The student has "guilty eyes"
6. The student minimizes the window they are on right as you approach
7. They call to another student across the room to come look at their screen - honestly, who do they think they're kidding on this one?  HEY DESMOND!  COME LOOK AT MY SCREEN!  I HAVE A REALLY COOL MATH PROBLEM UP!!!
8. And my personal favorite - 5 students are standing behind another student's computer watching them "do math".  Now, if my kids were more "math olympian" status, I could actually see this being a thing.  But at the WB?  We're not quite there yet...

Desmond gave me #5, which drew me to his part of the room, which was quickly followed up by #3 and #6. Gotcha.  I go to the teacher station, and call Desmond over.

Desmond looks up at me, then back at his computer - probably making sure the screen is on EPGY - and then comes to my desk.  

"Desmond, why do you think I called you over here?"

"But I was on EPGY!!! (Note that I hadn't even accused him of anything yet)  Look at my screen and you'll see!"

I look on his screen from my computer, and pull it up.  Sure enough, the screen is showing EPGY.

So Desmond looks at me smugly and says "See?  You moted."  (for those who don't know what moted means, reference here)

One of the great things about this monitoring software is that not only does it show what programs they have open and what websites they are currently on, but it also shows their history, and what websites they've been on.  

So I give Desmond my death stare and say "Sure, now it's on EPGY, but let's check your web history..."  And as soon as I said history, Desmond looks at the floor and says "Damnit." and just walks back to his desk, logs off his computer, and heads towards ISS.  

I didn't have to say a word.  He knew the consequence, he knew he'd been caught, and he probably didn't want to wait to hear me call out after him "You moted!"  

I will forever love Desmond for this.