What Do You Do?
You are at lunch and you have a headache. Two boys at your table are carrying on and tossing food at each other. Both are laughing loudly...
What do you do?
• Leave the table
• Ask them to quiet down
•Another solution?
You are having trouble with your math homework. Should you ask a friend for help?
• Yes if the friend knows the material and is doing well in the class on that section
• No, if the student is not doing well and is also having a hard time with the math homework.
•WHO ELSE CAN YOU ASK?
"You did great" in a happy tone.
What does it convey?
Conveys that the person is actually happy
“Oh, I just love spending hours in traffic.”
What do they mean?
Most people dislike being stuck in traffic, so the exaggeration of “love” is a clue that the speaker is being sarcastic.
"Oh, sure, you're a real Einstein!"
A student says this to a friend who answered a simple math problem incorrectly, but they both laugh.
Sarcastic or Mean?
This sarcastic remark is meant to tease the friend in a lighthearted way, and the laughter indicates it’s not meant to hurt feelings.
You get assigned a group project in history. One member of your group hasn’t done any work on the project. It is due tomorrow....
What do you do?
• Check in with the group member to see what's up
• Help the group member work on the section
• Inform the teacher
• Another solution?
The teacher steps out of the room for two minutes, but has told your class to work quietly on their assignments. Two girls next to you begin talking to each other.
Should you tell the teacher?
• Yes, if they were distracting and being inappropriate
• No, it was not a big deal and could be ignored
"You did great" in a bored tone
What does it convey?
That the person has little interest in what happened
“Wow, this rainy weather is exactly what I was hoping for on our beach day.”
What do they mean?
Rainy weather typically ruins plans for a beach day, so it's unlikely anyone genuinely wanted rain.
"Wow, you're as dumb as a rock!"
A student says this ti a friend who answered a simple math problem incorrectly, but the comment is said with a serious tone, and the friend looks hurt or uncomfortable.
Sarcastic or Mean?
The intent here is clearly to insult, rather than playfully tease. The tone and the reaction indicate meanness.
You are just about to walk into English class when you realize that you left your homework in your locker. Your locker is on the opposite side of the school, and if you go back to get it, you will be late to class, but if you don’t get it, you will lose points...
What do you do?
• Tell your English teacher and ask if you can get it
• Another solution?
You are at your locker after school when you realize that you can’t find your Chromebook. Should you keep it to yourself so that you don’t get in trouble?
•No, start tracking it down to your previous classes or report it missing to office
"You did great" in a skeptical tone.
What does it convey?
Conveys that the person is unsure how the other person actually did.
“Great, another pop quiz. Just what I needed today.”
What do they mean?
Most students dislike pop quizzes, so the phrase “just what I needed” is clearly the opposite of what the speaker actually feels.
"Oh, yeah, because staying up all night to study is so much fun."
A student joking with classmates about the stress of an upcoming exam.
Sarcastic or Mean?
The student is sarcastically commenting on a shared experience that no one enjoys. It's light-hearted and relatable, so no one is offended.
You are walking in the hallway and happen to hear two students calling each other names with bad words in them. They are both smiling and laughing...
What do you do?
• Ignore it
• Tell them they should stop cussing
• Another solution?
Your friend came to school with his hair dyed purple. You thought his last hairstyle looked much better on him. Should you tell him that you don’t like it?
• No, we keep personal opinions to ourselves if it is something they cannot change in 30 seconds or less
"You did great" in a surprised tone.
What does it convey?
Conveys that the person was not expecting the other person to do well.
“This freezing weather on our summer break really makes me feel like I’m on a tropical vacation!”
What do they mean?
The mismatch between freezing weather and “tropical vacation” is a strong indicator that the speaker is being sarcastic.
"Wow, you really don’t care about your grades, do you?"
A student says this seriously to someone who is struggling academically.
Sarcastic or mean?
This comment is accusatory and dismissive, likely making the struggling student feel bad about their efforts.
You are struggling to understand the material you’re learning in history. You studied really hard for the last test, but you ended up getting a C on it...
What do you do?
• Go to support
• Ask questions in class
• Review with directed studies teacher, aide, or parent
• Another solution?
Your best friend has invited a boy from his science class to sit with you both at lunch. Every day, they’re always talking and laughing about something that happened in science, and you feel left out. Should you say something?
• You can let your friend know separately that you feel left out
"You did great" in a sarcastic tone.
What does it convey?
Conveys that the person did not think the other person actually did great.
“Oh, awesome! I totally wanted to fail that test.”
What do they mean?
No one intentionally tries to fail, so the word “awesome” is used sarcastically here.
"Oh, I’m so excited to do this group project all by myself."
A student jokingly says this to their group members who have been slacking off, but in a lighthearted tone.
Sarcastic or Mean?
While the student is expressing frustration, it’s done sarcastically to avoid direct confrontation, showing that they are trying to keep the mood light.