Teachers and tutors, rise up!
No more looking over your shoulder as you keep a lookout for booby-traps and plastic rats.
April Fools’ Day has always been a one-sided affair where we are targets for our students’ mischief. But not this year!
This year will be different. We’ll show these little guys that we’re also capable of some good, old-fashioned fun!
This week, let’s try turning the tables on them and bring the pranks to your students instead! It’ll definitely make for a day for them to remember!
A BIG Disclaimer
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As with the harmless little pranks that our students make, we should also respect the unspoken rule to not take it too far.
Also, it’s best to get the administration on board. When deciding on what kind of joke you want to pull, get the green light from the principal or management before you proceed!
Last but not least, pranks are meant to be good fun. You should know your students well enough to pull these pranks. Are they comfortable enough around you to appreciate the joke? Will they share your sense of humour?
The intention of the joke is for a moment of bonding over tutor and student. It’s something to laugh about over the fact, so do keep that in mind when deciding on what kind of prank is acceptable for your students!
That said, we’re gonna’ lay a few blueprints for some pranks you can pull with the unique position of an educator. Ready?
1. “We Have A Surprise Test Today.”
Oh yes, test paper pranks.
This is a prank exclusively for teachers.
Because teachers are responsible for the grades of their students, fake tests can be a really popular way to do these pranks!
Well, your students are aware of what day it is too, so you’ll have to be really creative with it!
Some teachers stop there. But you can go one step further and print out ACTUAL test papers… with a twist!
Have the test paper printed with REALLY difficult questions, and say it’s going to be part of their grades. The only way to answer the questions “correctly”? Read the instructions for the test paper! This also doubles as a lesson for our students to always read the directions of their test papers!
You can get creative under the instructions! Maybe hide the condition under the last point that tells the students not to answer any of the questions.
Or you don’t want to sit your students through such a long set-up for a joke, you can have funny instructions like “do a handstand every time the invigilator coughs to receive one extra mark”. Let’s see how many of them actually do it!
Remember to finish the prank properly! Have someone read the instructions out loud, and end it off with a well-timed “Happy April Fools’ Day!”
2. “Don’t Use Your Phones in Class!”
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Phones are always a problem in every learning environment.
You can tell your students off about it. But somehow, somewhere out of sight, they’ll continue using them as if nothing’s happened.
Since you’ve warned them once, it’s hard to take hard-headed action if they don’t listen. But within the stretches of a prank, what if you try “sending a message”? How about… going a little ballistic and (safely) smash one of your student’s phones the moment you see one getting used?
(Remember, do keep your pranks age-appropriate! Some students are sensitive about the treatment of their phones, so try not to pull this one on your younger students!)
The phone will be a dummy model, but your students watching won’t know that! Then, you’ll need a student who’s in on the joke (and doesn’t break character easily) and have her act out the part like they’re using their phone right in front of you.
After that, well, go a little crazy with it and put on a little show for your students! Toss it on the floor, stomp on it. Having a tutor who’s usually more reserved losing their temper like this will turn them into a silent audience! Have your student accomplice act the part as well, yelling out and calling you crazy!
End the prank at an opportune timing, with the words “April Fools!” to send off the class into a wave of laughter (and relief). A good prank can relieve all that tension your student may have over their stressful exams. And more importantly, it’ll become a good story that you’ll share forever with them!
3. “…”
Let’s end off the article well with the best one!
Are you good at miming? This next harmless prank works great with the younger crowd! When your students are seated well in the room, you begin the lesson normally.
Here’s the catch! You open your mouth to say words… but no sound comes out! It’s a childish prank that can be pretty hilarious when you keep at it for some time. Move your mouth in the shape of the words that you would be speaking, and your students will start thinking that they’re the ones with plugged ears!
Well, it’s just you being silly though!
Conclusion: Having Fun Through a Shared Memory
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Remember, you don’t have to pull off large-scale pranks in order to have fun with your students. The act of sharing laughter is in of itself the highlight! It shows that even teachers and tutors have FUN!
Plan the joke well, and surprise your students! Happy April Fools’ Day!
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