priorities

I teach an advanced class with hairy math.

From day one, I have told them to buy a calculator. The math classes have them, but I don't. We have tried to get them but my attitude is, "you buy the shoes I see you wear the clothes I see, you can get a calculator."

Test.
with hair trigonometry.

"I don't have a calculator."

"sucks, been telling you all year to get one."

"can you lend me yours?"

"nope I'm out of batteries and I need the calculators I have for the semester test. the calculators hook up with your the equipment you need for the lab test."

"can I use the calculator option on my cell phone?"

"nope, you can afford a cell phone, you can buy a calculator."

(sparky what do you think will happen college you want to go to...you looking for a no math degree?"

one student could not get the trig functions on his borrowed calculator to work (didn't understand how that calculator worked)

I"m not helping a lot, you were supposed to get them to work right during practice assignments.

"can we go to the math department to borrow some?"

"nope they need them all for the ACT test tomorrow and are not letting them out of site"

One student accused me of enjoying their discomfort..."a little, you know I have a dark side to my soul."

buy a calculator they are 13 bucks

(okay I have some students who honestly do not have 13 bucks to spare I know who they are and would loan them a calculator, not the one with the 20 thousand dollar car her grandmother bought her)