The Annoying Ones

I have one student (who in a previous post I've named Sam so we're just going to keep on with that) who absolutely drives me nuts.   

He just knows how to push every single one of my buttons and whenever he talks to me, I find the need to constantly  remind myself to remain calm, and that nothing good will come of strangling him.  In fact, I'm pretty sure that would get me fired.

Last week in addition to the lobster boy question, he came up to me after class and started the conversation with "I have a pet peeve with tonight's class."

Here is our conversation in as much detail as I can remember: 

(S = Sam the student, Temp = me)

S: I have a pet peeve with tonight's class.

Temp: Oh?  And what would that be Sam?

S: You never called on me when I had my hand raised to ask a question.

Temp: Hmm, I think I called on you and you asked quite a few questions tonight Sam.

(thinking to self, will you just shut up and go home!  For goodness sake 

its 10:30pm and I want to go home!!!!)

S: I had my hand raised a ton of times and you called on other people.

Temp:  Well, I apologize if I missed seeing your hand raised, I never intentionally avoid calling on you.  

(thinking- even if sometimes I want to avoid your hand, I never do!)

S:  You should call on me when my hand is raised.

Temp:  Unfortunately Sam, you are not the only student in the class who has questions, and if someone else's hand is raised, I might call on them before returning to call on you.  You did ask a number of questions tonight, and sometimes other students need the opportunity to ask questions too.   Now, was there any specific question you wanted to ask me?

(thinking- You egotistical person, I -must- call on you?  No, don't think so.)

S:  No, they all got answered.

Temp:  You mean, other people asked your question so you know the answer?

S:  Yes.

Temp:  So what is the problem?

(thinking- why the hell are you wasting my time, I'm tired and want to go home!)

S:  You still need to call on me whenever my hand is raised.

Temp:  (sigh)  See you next week Sam.

(thinking- can you just drop my class Mr. Annoying?)

And, just to hit home the type of student this individual is these are some other incidents that all happened in the same class period last week!

- He left class in the middle to go to the restroom (i'm assuming) which the whole class knows its okay to do.  However, when he returned I was halfway down the white board from where I was when he left.  He returned to his seat, and then 5 minutes later raised his hand to ask me a question about the notes that were written WHILE HE WAS OUT OF THE ROOM!   I would have had no problem with him coming up after class to ask me a question about something he missed while he was out... but to take up time in the middle of class?   This guy just thinks its all about him.

- He interrogated me about why I decided to let them work on what is normally their quiz as a group and made it into an in-class assignment.  Once in between every exam, I take what would normally be their quiz and let them work on it together, using their books and notes.   It basically guarantees them a full 10 points on it and they seem to learn that material too, so why not?  However, dear 'ol Sam, took it as a result of how badly he thought they all did on the last exam and said to me, "So, you know now that the exam was too hard so you're giving us extra points to make up for it."   Umm--- an fyi Sam--- the average on the exam was a C and just because you got a D, doesn't mean most people thought the exam was too hard.   And if you remember Sammy boy, I did the same thing one time before the last exam.  Nothing new here.

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So dear readers, how do you deal with those students that just grate your nerves?  Please share with me the methods you have used, because I think I'm in danger of losing my cool with him.