Quote of the Day (rounding)

“Mister, are you sure there’s no way you want to round my 56% to something like a...75%?” - Question from a student on the last day of the semester. (12/21/17)

Quote of the Day (100%)

Student [upon receiving her graded test back]: “Yeeeeeee! I’m so happy. Mister, I love you...in this class, I mean.”
Me [watching Student take a picture of her test]: “What are you doing?”
Student: “I’m just taking a picture of my test.”
Me: “You can’t do that.”
Student: “Yeah, but I only took a picture of the score.”
Me: “But you also took a picture of the first two answers.” (12/20/17)

Quote of the Day (school spirit)

“I voted you for most school spirit.” - Comment from a high school student regarding her farcical vote for the yearbook’s teacher section. (12/19/17)

Quote of the Day (thinking)

Student: ”Ugh. I just can’t think today.”
Me: “You said that for the last three days.”
Student: “I know. I hope it won’t happen during the test.”
Me: “...” (12/14/17)

Quote of the Day (Inspiration)

Student 1 [to Student 2, a former student who stopped by to visit]: “You know why I’m staying in this class and trying to pass it?”
Student 2: “No, why?”
Student 1: “Because of you.”
Student 2: “ME?”
Student 1: “Yeah, because you posted that you got an F in the first quarter, but ended the class with an A.”
Student 2: “Um...I don’t think I posted anything like that. I barely passed this class.” (12/13/17)

Quote of the Day (learning)

Student 1: “Mister, this is like the only class where I feel like I learn a lot. I mean, I learn in my other classes, but I feel like I learn so much more in this class.”
Me: “Thank you. I hope you’re...”
Student 2: “Oh wow [Student 1]! You’re really trying to get an A in this class, huh?” (12/12/17)

Quote of the Day (Florida)

“That’s all they have down there: alligators and old people.” - A high school student’s assumption about the state of Florida. (12/11/17)

Quote of the Day (Kailua)

Student: “Mister, do you live in Kailua?”
Me: “No.”
Student: “Are you sure? Or were you just in Kailua?”
Me: “No, I haven’t been there in about a year. Why?”
Student: “Oh, I was there and saw your car pass by. I guess it wasn’t you.”
(12/8/17)

Quote of the Day (tutor)

Student 1 [waving her hand in the direction of a few of her peers]: “Hey Mister! Look at me. I’m like a math tutor over here.”
Student 2: “Shut up! How many times did we have to help you yesterday?”
(12/7/17)

Quote of the Day (puzzle)

“That was fun. It felt kinda like a puzzle.” - Comment from a high school student after completing one of the hardest assignments of the year, simplifying trigonometric identities. (11/29/17)

Quote of the Day (collusion)

Student: “I think my new favorite word is ‘collusion’.”
Me: “That’s a great word. Wasn’t that named Word of the Year this year?”
Student: “I’m not sure, but I... [sees two students whispering to each other] COLLUSION!” (12/5/17)

Quote of Day (headphones)

Student 1 strolls into class with some headphones on.
Student 2 [to me]: “You know what? Half the time his headphones aren’t even plugged in.”
Student 1 [lifting a headphone cup off his ear]: “What?”
Student 2: “Nothing.”
Student 2 [to me]: “And they’re not even Bluetooth.” (12/4/17)

Quote of the Day (squirrel)

A student walks in after lunch looking a little down.
Me: “Is everything OK?”
Student: “No. [Student name] just called me a squirrel.”
Me: “That’s not ri...”
Student: “It’s only because I went around asking all my friends for food.” (11/30/17)

Quote of the Day (mumps)

“Is this about [student name]?” - Question from mutiple students as I handed out an official school letter detailing the anonymous confirmed case of the mumps at our school. (11/30/17)

Quote of the Day (R U OK?)

The following is from a student’s recollection of an incident in his class during a suicide prevention presentation that revolved around the theme of  “Are You OK?” that was spelled out “R U OK?”
“So Mr. [Teacher Name] shows the slide with R U OK? on the screen and says, ‘This is what our presentation is about. You all know what this is, right?’ And someone in the back says, ‘Rue-Ock? What does that mean?’ ” (11/29/17)

Quote of the Day (hoarder)

Student 1: “Hey! Are those my pants?”
Me [to student 2]: “Did you steal [Student 1]’s pants?”
Student 2: “No. These are the pants that he traded to me for a hamburger.”
Student 1: “Oh yeah, now I remember.”
Me: “Wait! You traded a pair of pants for a hamburger?”
Student 2: “Yeah, he has lots of clothes.”
Student 1: “I just collected a bunch of clothes over the years.”
Me: “Are you a hoarder?”
Student 1: “No. I just don’t get rid of stuff.” (11/21/17)

Quote of the Day (Cyber Monday)

“They should just make Cyber Monday a holiday too.” - Opening greeting from a high school student after Thanksgiving Break. I don’t know who “they” are, but they need to get on this. (11/27/17)

Quote of the Day (revelations)

Student 1: “Hey [Student 2]! Are you still working on your test?”
Student 2 just nods.
Student 1: “Me too! Are you done?”
Student 2 shakes her head.
Student 1: “Are you done, but too afraid to turn it in?”
Student 2 nods.
Student 1: “Me too! I’m sitting here praying for revelations, but it’s not working.” (11/22/17)

Quote of the Day (homey)

“When [Former Student] found out that I was taking Trig, she said, ‘I hope you get in Hwang’s class.’ Then she said that you were friends.” - Comment from a current student telling me about a student I taught a couple years ago. She continued, “No, wait. She didn’t say that you were friends. She said, ‘He’s my homey.’ Whatever that means.” (11/21/17)

Quote of the Day (weekend)

“I’m sorry, Mister. It was the worst weekend of my life.” - Apology from a high school student for his lethargic performance in class. He played for the school’s football team that lost a heartbreaking State Championship game on Saturday. Before he left, he got in a slight dig on some of his teammates, “But at least I came to school today!” (11/20/17)