Dealing with underhanded comments...

"Boy, did somebody wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" This comment is just one of many wiseguy comments I have heard from my students. Sometimes they are harmless and the student is just showing they are really comfortable with me and feel they can be casual in their conversations. Still, I try to make it very clear to my students the line between respect and disrespect. If this type comment is from a student I know is not intending to be adveserial I would probably just ignore it. But, if this comment was from a student intent on showing his or her bad attitude I would stop what I was doing, walk over to the student, pause again for extra dramatic effect, and simply ask, "Exactly what did you mean by that comment?" Typically, the result is the student is backpedaling at this point, and you have established you as the teacher are clearly in control of the situation in a nonthreatening way. Here's what usually happens next: The student says "I really didn't mean anything by it," or "nevermind," or even "I'm sorry." I'm always prepared; however, for the student who might say "I meant you're in a terrible mood," or "you're acting like a real jerk today." To that I would simply remain calm and ask another question, "In that case, was your comment courteous and polite?" The student will say no, and I will remind them that all comments in class to students and teachers should be courteous and polite. I realize I am teaching more than communication arts, or math, or science, I am teaching them the acceptable behaviors for the classroom.