Moaning Minnie

Having shared Becky's Bloopers with you, it reminded me of another document I kept the previous year (this is one of the great things about having a laptop in the classroom). I had a pupil called Sarah who never stopped complaining. So much so that I renamed her Moaning Minnie. I decided that I would keep a record of all her complaints and then every so often, read them back to her. It worked, she didn't moan any less, but she did laugh as soon as she realised she'd done it again. At the end of the year, I printed them all out and presented her with them as a momento of her French lessons:

Sarah’s complaints
This is too hard!
I feel sick
I’ve got toothache
I’ve got earache
I only had 2 hours sleep last night
There’s a wasp
My eye hurts
I need the toilet
I can’t do the first one though.

I’ve got toothache
I might have to have an operation

I can’t see x4
I’m in a bad mood
I can’t do number 4

You’re going too fast

How come Laura can move and no-one else can?
I’m boiling
I can’t find any of these, it’s driving me mad
I can’t fit them all on
I’m only on number 4, slow down
It’s not my fault if I’m not superwoman
I’m not going to be able to do that now because I’ll be too slow
It’s just not fair
AW! I won’t get to do my monster.

This is too hard!

I’ve got a really bad headache
It’s like the bloomin’ Caribbean in here!

Miss I can’t see
I thought this was only going to be a quick one
I’m so tired

These gaps are too small
I’m sweating cobs in here
Now that word isn’t in here grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
I give up, every word I look up isn’t even in here
I think I need glasses, I can’t see any of the words
And it still hasn’t got it!
What is the matter with me today?
Can’t I sit near a window?
I feel faint, ask my Mum.
I’ve got a bogey nose
There’s not even enough room on these sheets
I’m confused
I’ve got really bad belly ache and I feel sick

I’m freezing
I’m too hot now
I think there’s something wrong with me
I can’t do it
I don’t know what any of the words mean
Hoooooooooooooooooooooooooogrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Horse noise
I don’t know which bit that’s in now
Some consideration for Sarah would be nice
And you can stop laughing an’all

It’s too ‘ot!
I can’t do it , it’s too hard
I can’t do this!

I’m literally gonna be sick
Please can you shut the windows? The birds are really winding me up.
This is too hard.
French is too hard.
I hate French, I really do.
You don’t even ask me when I know the answer

I hate French, it frustrates me
It’s too hard
I’m getting really irritated again
Miss it’s giving me headache I think I’m coming down with something
It’s really stuffy in ‘ere
Do you know what? I’ve got a wedgie now, it’s my worst wedgie ever
Do you understand what this wordsearch is doing to me? It’s tormenting me, It’s turning me into someone from Ward 21.
I can’t find department!
It’s still dead ’ot.
Why is everything so complicated?
Just leave me alone.
And you can stop laughing ‘cos I’ll bite your head off in a minute.
Me neck’s hurting.
Shurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrup!
I can’t keep my head up because it hurts.
I’ve got headache
I’m really thirsty
That water’s gone straight to my bladder and it’s made me need the toilet
Ooooooooooh I’m tired!

I can’t do this, it’s too hard
How am I supposed to know this?
Liam’s distracting me
I’ve got pen on my forehead

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhgrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
This is too hard!
This is really hard
It’s too ‘ot
I’m claustrophobic sitting next to Liam