Students can do amazing things when they want to annoy their teacher.

I have forbidden two students in my class from bickering, because it makes me crazy.

Last week I hear singing coming from the general vicinity of the normally bickering students. I listen closely. It’s the two bickering students, taking turns singing what sounds to be an improvised song of sorts.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Singing insults at each other,” one says.

“Why?” I ask.

“You told us not to bicker, so we decided to sing at each other when we’re mad. It’s not technically bickering.”

The two were smiling from ear-to-ear, pleased with themselves for this clever circumvention of my rule.

Best of all, these two constantly bickering students put their heads together and devised and executed a plan specifically designed to annoy me.

Naturally, I forbid them from signing insults at each other, but not before taking pride in their ingenuity and ability to come together to defeat their common enemy.