Nia, Ryan and James all received the note they had been dreading. They would be attending summer school with five other students at the Progressive Academy to repeat the sixth grade. When they got off the van in front of the school, Vice Principal Gardner greeted the group of eight.1
“Children I want you to know that this summer we will be teaching with a new experimental technique. Due to cut backs in the budget your teacher this summer will be a robot. You may address her as Miss Robotta.”2
Ryan snickered and elbowed James in his side. “This summer school junk should be a piece of cake with a stupid robot for a teacher.”3
Nia wasn’t so sure. “What if she shorts out or something and catches on fire?”4
“Big deal”, James replied. “We’ll throw a cup of water on her and put her outside to dry.”5
While the students were being led to their classroom, Miss Robotta was being uncrated. When she was activated, her surroundings did not compute. She was supposed to be going on a mission to Mars. “Where is my space module?”6
Her creator Professor Tobin responded to her question as he removed the packing material from around her. “The mission to Mars has been scrubbed due to cut backs. You are reassigned to teach twelve year olds for the summer.”7
“This cannot be, Professor. I was not created for such a small and insignificant task.”8
“Sorry Botta, but there is nothing I can do about it. Here are the coordinates for your teaching assignment. Your modular GPS will take you to room 115. I’ll be back at the end of August to pick you up.”9
Professor Tobin left, while Miss Robotta made her way to the room. She felt betrayed and her sensors were heating up. When she entered the room all the children were milling about and talking. She went to the head of the class and surveyed the room. In a mechanical voice she said, “Take your seats for roll call.”10
No one looked up or paid attention to her. This time a loud shrill whistle blew from her mouth. Everyone put their hands over their ears. “Take your seats for roll call.”11
This time everyone paid attention and sat down.12
“When I say your name respond by saying present.” She went down the list of names and everyone responded present, until she got to a boy named Ray. Ray said, “Here.”13
Miss Robotta corrected him. “You must say present.”14
“Look you bucket of bolts, I can say here if I want to.”15
She understood the insult and searched her programming for what to do with a hostile. The answer came back to eliminate. Miss Robotta targeted her eyes on Ray and then the class watched as her eyes turned red and the beams hit him. He was disintegrated to dust within a few seconds. Now Miss Robotta really had the class’s attention.16
Another girl named Becky tried to make a run for the door. Miss Robotta set her eyes to stun and hit her. Then with a wave of her hand she magnetically locked all the doors and windows. Becky came around and stumbled back to her seat.17
For the next two hours everyone in the class paid strict attention to whatever the teacher said. When she had her back to the class and was writing on the black board, Nia thought of a way to communicate to Ryan. She used sign language that she learned in her Language Arts class. Nia signed, “We have to do something or she might kill us all.” 18
Ryan signed back, “I have an idea that I learned in Science class. I’m going to try and short circuit her and destroy her chip”19
Ryan signed over to James. “Pass me your Swiss Army knife when I walk by.”20
When Miss Robotta turned to face the class, Ryan raised his hand. “Miss I see a bug on your hair. May I come up and debug you?”21
The robot searched her programming. The program said it was essential for a robot to be debugged for maximum performance.22
“Yes, you may come forward and debug.”23
Ryan pretended to stumble by James’ desk and slipped the army knife into his pocket. The class held their breath as Ryan went around the back of the teacher. Carefully he lifted the wig away from her scalp and found the cover to her controls. Quickly he rammed the Phillips screwdriver into the Pozidriv screws at the back. This immediately damaged the target rays in the back of her head.24
“Ryan yelled, “She’s disarmed. Everyone grab hold of her.”25
Miss Robotta started twisting and turning. She flung Nia against the wall and kicked James to the ground. Two other boys held her long enough for Ryan to work up some static electricity by scuffing his feet on the carpet. A second later he touched her main chip and discharged two hundred volts. He hoped the low voltage would be sufficient enough to destroy the chip. 26
Miss Robotta buzzed and stood bolt upright for a moment and then collapsed to the floor. Everyone in the class let out a cheer.27
“How are we going to get out of here?” Becky said.28
Ryan and James were getting ready to throw a desk through the window, when the bell to leave rang and all the locks reopened automatically. Before they left each person took a piece of Miss Robotta and walked out the door. They dropped the pieces at the feet of Mr. Gardner and told him they had learned enough today and wouldn’t be back for the rest of the summer. 29
A contest entry
- Almost Anything Goes... by Cupcake14.
350 points, ended June 17, 19 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest - Show Me What You Got by Marisalyn13.
100 points, ended June 14, 19 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest - Spring Spring Spring by Lady Eventide.
600 points, ended July 13, 28 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest - Give me your best:) by Tragic Harmony.
230 points, ended September 5, 44 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 21 of 21
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When I got to the part where Miss Robota disintegrates the wiseguy kid I said to myself, "The author must be a teacher," but then at the end when the kids short circuit Miss Robota I said, "Nope, not written by a teacher."
This story is a nice change of pace from other stories I have been reading lately. It was light and fun to read.
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Very funny
Love it.
Please write more!
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Oh, wow!
I didn't see that coming. I seriously thought she was going to get them all.
Well done on this. I like Miss Robotta. She was really odd, powerful, but she's definitely in a class all by herself.
I thoroughly enjoyed this piece. My favorite part was the carpet part.
Oh, I cannot stop laughing!
Suggestions and whatnot:
Par 2: "Children [,] I want you to know that this summer we will be teaching with a new experimental technique. Due to cut backs [cutbacks] in the budget[,] your teacher this summer will be a robot."
Par 7: Her creator[,] Professor Tobin [,] responded to her question as he removed the packing material from around her. “The mission to Mars has been scrubbed due to cut backs [cutbacks].”
Par 9: “Sorry [,] Botta, but there is nothing I can do about it.”9
Par 10: Professor Tobin left, [no comma] while Miss Robotta made her way to the room. / When she entered the room [,] all the children were milling about and talking.
Par 12: This time [,] everyone paid attention and sat down.
Par 13: “When I say your name [,] respond by saying present.”
Par 17: Then [,] with a wave of her hand [,] she magnetically locked all the doors and windows.
Par 18: For the next two hours [,] everyone in the class paid strict attention to whatever the teacher said.
Par 19: “I’m going to try and short circuit her and destroy her chip” [."]
Par 21: “Miss [,] I see a bug on your hair.”
Par 25: “ [no quote mark] Ryan yelled, “She’s disarmed. Everyone grab hold of her.”
Par 29: Before they left [,] each person took a piece of Miss Robotta and walked out the door.
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This was very entertaining cause it kept my attentions throughout and it was a different twist in terms of summer school ,
it reminded me of St Elmos Fire , but in the present and you did well with this story and it was neat , how you allowed to silence the students with just a, ray of unkindness , and this was well thought up and thanks was fun to read and actually made me think wow , they always said the kids of the future will have something different to look forward to than I did as a kid , and keep writing this was great
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Wow, I must say you're a talented writer as I enjoyed reading this piece.
My first impression was ok another story about school kids, but one with a twist and I liked it. The fact that the teacher was actually a robot was great. To me she had a kind of evil streak in her too, I liked that too.
I wish the story went longer because I would have LOVED to read more. But anyway. Up to you, great write...
I'd appulad u but there aren't enough claps.
Also I can't appluad cos im using my phone, but just so I know, I appluad u several times for this great write. Keep up the good work!!beginning: 4, language: 5, plot: 4, ending: 4, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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Oh my goodness...
Wow! You disintegrated a child before even reaching the halfway point—nice! I started reading this, not really sure what was coming and *bam* you hit me right in the face with a nice unexpected plot. This piece was funny and I enjoyed reading it. Some more rich details would give the story a little more depth and make it feel a little more real, but that’s really the only main problem I see here. Nice job and keep up the writing!
-Aer
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This amused me.
I liked the idea of a teacher as a robot.
Oh, and the part where she kills the porr kid with her laser!!!
Nice job.
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I smiled at the part where she killed a student with a laser. lol, yeah, sounds a bit mean, but it was great in a morbid way. She must have been programmed for battle with marsians or something. Pretty nice piece.
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I love this... when you find out the the teacher is going to be a robot it's almost funny...like what the heck? It's a great suprise.
Somehow this reminds me of a Simpson's episode or something. "Children do to budget cuts meets your new teacher...Miss Robbotta..." It's hilarious!
"This can not be, Professor.
should have a comma there.
You might add something about how got new programing on what a classroom is and how to teach 6-graders...or poitn out that she's still trying to take Marsian soil samples...just a thought.
I guess It depends on how advanced the "Robotta is"
I love it! She disintegrates a student, and she "has the classes attention..." what an understatement...that's so funny!
Well, that was great. It really held my attention, and was well written. Might just add a few more details about how much she really knows about teaching, like, Is she capable of just improvising...anyhow, what ever...Great Job -
i read recently in a scholastic news that there was a robot teacher Saya, who is a japanese robot teacher and looks like the picture of the person up above!!! this made me laugh, because instantly it reminded me of this story, which I enjoyed very much!!! good work, once again
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awesome job. the other night i had a freaky dream about going to a summer school for math, and i woke up sweating. very odd ... i know. well, good luck, and thanks for entering!!!
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A very original plot, using a robot teacher is quite out of the norm.
I like your story, your characters and descriptions used.
Well done -
;]
It was a little slow at first... but it was really good how the children plotted against the teacher, and it was kinda funny. Great job, keep writting! parts with dialouge were really good. I'd like to read more of your stories.beginning: 1, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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I really enjoyed reading this story. Good job.
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-songbird
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A robot teacher, that's a really good idea. Though i think it would be alot more creepier if you were to make this story a bit more realistic. It seemed like a bit too much of fantasy but it was still a good read. nice job.
beginning: 4, language: 5, plot: 4, ending: 4, dialog: 4, characters: 5.
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Very well done. You portrayed a robot teacher well! I enjoyed reading, though if the story were a bit longer it would have been nice. Keep up the good work!
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Very interesting... it would have been nice if it was a little longer, that way you could get to know the characters better. None the less, I liked the idea of a robot teacher.
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The picture scared me a little but good
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Good.
The picture scared me lol. Made me read the story though. I liked it. Very well done.
beginning: 3, language: 3, plot: 3, ending: 3, dialog: 3, characters: 3.
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good:thumbs up:
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Ha i like it. Good picture at the top
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