Back on one wet day in February, on two separate occasions one the same day, the following scenario happened. Of course, I was more prepared when I was challenged by the second class. The kids were 14 years old by the way.
Me: The date is on the board, please copy it carefully into your books.
Several kids: You've spelt February wrong.
Growing crescendo: Yeah, you don't spell February like that.
Me: Well how do you spell it then?
Them: (with scorn) There's no r after Feb.
Me: Yes there is.
Them: Hahaha no there isn't.
Me: Of course there is.
Them: Nobody else spells it like that. All our other teachers spell it FEBUARY.
Me: (overwhelmed the first time by 30 voices chiding me, wondering if I have been spelling it wrong all my life) Well they're wrong. I will prove it.
(I go to Wikipedia and find the entry on February, and display it to the class.)
Me: (triumphant) There!
Them: (several minutes of fussing and bewilderment follow, as if I've just told them the cosmos is made of cheese and biscuits) OMG! F-e-b-R! It's R! (etc)
Me: Well it's good to know that if you've learnt one thing from this lesson today, it's not the Battle of the Somme, but it is how to spell February properly. For the first time in your lives.
FFS. Job satisfaction eh.
added 28/04/07
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