I hear a voice and raise my head.
I pass a teacher look to the student, usually that's enough to stop the chatter during the read aloud. After all, most of the class wants to hear the story. (They really do love it.)
But the voice continues.
I walk closer to the student's desk. It still continues.
I say the student's name in the middle of the book. '"That's my pencil!" Mia shouted. ***Insert student name here, said sternly*** Mrs. Douglas replied, "There's only one way to find out."'
A few moments of silence pass. Victory. But then... purposeful skritching of a pencil, coming from that student's direction. I look up. I walk closer and stand next to the student. I wait for them to finish the note they are obviously writing to their table mate. The table-mate looks on, amusedly. The table-mate knows what is about to happen. Upon the note's folding, I retrieve it. All while continuing to read aloud. And they say multi-tasking is a myth.
"AW COME ON!" The student shouts.
Now I have to stop. "Did you seriously think that after talking while I was reading, you were going to just pass notes without me noticing? This is like... basic logic, my friend. Just stop and listen."
"YEAH STOP INTERRUPTING!" a chorus of voices rings out in various iterations of the same sentiment.
"Okay, okay, that's enough," I continue reading.
Then, a hand raises. The same student. I know it is not to ask a question. I do not acknowledge the hand.
The student coughs, on purpose. We make eye contact. The student re-raises the hand, pointedly.
"I'm ignoring you on purpose," I say, and continue reading.