In the school where I teach...
... there are three classes studying triple science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, as separate subjects). They are given a boring letter-based code, but nobody refers to them by that code.

One class is larger than the others (a quirk of timetabling) and is known as the 'big triples'. One class has 4 students all called 'Tom', and are of course known as the 'Tom triples'. Can you spot where this is going? In the last, and most unfortunate triple group (triple 'E') there are 6 ginger kids, out of a class of 19, and they are of course known as the 'Ginger triples'.

Handily, science offers many opportunities for these children to be subtly (and less subtly) mocked. The gene that gives people ginger hair and fair skin (the MCR1 gene) is a recessive one, a 'weaker' gene. The 'Ginger Dinosaur' that was found a few weeks ago (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8481448.stm) was a particular favourite.

I should stress that this is entirely consensual ginger-baiting (and there are classes in the school where it would most definitely NOT be). The class have even decided to monitor the ginger jokes made by one teacher: if he reaches 1000 over the 2 years of the GCSE course, he has to reward (compensate?) the class with sweets.

In many ways, I feel perhaps I am not mature enough to be a teacher. In other ways... I mean... what are the odds of 6 of them in 1 class?
(Serotonicity was a naughty boy on..., Sat 27 Feb 2010, 9:23, Reply)