There was an odd snippet of news yesterday when it was reported that a teacher had allegedly placed sellotape over the mouths of some unruly students in class.
You can read the full account of this nonsense here if you like, but my first reaction was that the teacher in question must have asked her girls to be quiet several times before she took action. My second reaction was that sellotape was a poor tool for the job in question. It would not stick too well to the skin and the slightest movement of the mouth would quickly dislodge it. But then the further fact emerged that the teacher at the centre of this storm in a teacup was actually a substitute teacher.
Now there, to my mind, is where the real problem lies. A proper experienced teacher would have used duct tape for its strength and durability and to ensure the unruly giddy students didn’t tamper with the gag, she would have taped their wrists behind their back as well. She would then have had the full attention of her class no doubt.
Experience beats theory every time, doesn’t it?