Students Perform

April Fools at its Finest

Have you ever been the victim of a harmless prank? April 1st is full of full of them. From mayonnaise filled Oreo to more extreme pranks like putting the furniture on the ceiling. To perform the perfect prank it takes thought, dedication, and knowing the person you plan on pranking.

College students in Grand Rapids may have just pulled off the one of the more clever pranks I have seen. Not only did they think of something they could look back and laugh at, they used a teachers rule and turned it around on him.

Professor Stephen Barrows teaches macroeconomics at Aquinas College. One of his rules is that if your phone rings in class, you have to answer it on speakerphone. Normally this rule it used to embarrass the students. On April 1st, it was reversed and used on Professor Barrows.

One student planned to have her phone ring in class with an unexpected call from a Pregnancy Center. When she answered her phone Barrows quickly realized this had taken a turn for the worse. The student played it perfectly. Hanging up, she explained to Barrows that she had already planned the name, "April Fools". 

"I was thankful that they had enough confidence in my temperament to even risk the joke." Barrows stated. 

Personally, I think this is what can help make learning fun. Not embarrassing others but making the students feel comfortable. This little prank wasn't designed to hurt anyone and it didn't. It gave all the students something to talk about and bond. Teachers need to create a classroom where their students feel comfortable. Giving them an environment that doesn't make them feel less but an equal. 

I can bet that a majority of the students after that didn't mind coming to class. Obviously they probably didn't appreciate the class considering it is Macroeconomics. They probably didn't mind going to class only because they were looking forward to the possibility that something new and exciting might happen. 

Take a look for yourself and see how this harmless prank lightened the mood of the classroom. Whether you think it's appropriate is up to you.

For more information click below
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140407/SCHOOLS/304070115/0/SCHOOLS/April-Fools-prank-teacher-by-Grand-Rapids-students-draws-big-laughs-online