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CHAPTER 4 Members of the Wave

That evening Laurie told her mother and father about her history lesson.

Mrs Saunders looked at her daughter. ‘I don’t think I like it, Laurie.’

‘But we’re learning discipline, Mum. And how to work together. We’re learning to be a team,’ said Laurie.

‘I want you to learn history,’ said Mrs Saunders.

‘You don’t understand, Mum,’ said Laurie. ‘Mr Ross is showing us something important. And we’re not forgetting about history.

We’re doing more homework now.’

‘I think Laurie’s history teacher knows what he’s doing,’ said Mr Saunders. ‘1 think it’s good for the students to think about discipline.’

Mrs Saunders said, ‘Too much discipline is dangerous.’

♦

Christy Ross also taught at Gordon High. That night Christy stayed late at the school. When she came home she found her husband with books all round him.

‘How is your experiment going, Dr Frankenstein?’ she asked.

‘Very well,’ said Ben. ‘The students are much more interested in class. And they’re doing their homework.’ Christy laughed. ‘They can’t be the same students I teach!’ ‘I’m very interested in this experiment,’ said Ben. ‘I want to see what will happen next.’

Christy was not happy. There was something about Ben’s experiment she did not like. ‘You must be very careful, Ben,’ she said.

♦

David and Laurie walked to school together the next day.

‘We need the Wave for our football team,’ David said.

‘I think you need better players,’ Laurie said.

‘We have good players,’ said David, ‘but we’re not a good team. The Wave can help us. I talked to the team about it yesterday. Brian and Eric helped me.’

‘My mother doesn’t like it,’ said Laurie.

‘What does she know?’ said David. ‘Only the Wave members understand the Wave.’

♦

When the students arrived for their history lesson that day there was a big picture of a blue wave at the front of the room.

Mr Ross stood next to the picture. The students went quickly to their places.

Mr Ross walked round the class and gave each student a yellow card. Each card had a picture of a wave on it. Under the picture of the wave were the words: MEMBER OF THE WAVE.

‘What are these cards for?’ asked Laurie.

The room was now very quiet. Ben turned round. ‘Don’t forget our rules, Laurie,’ he said.

Laurie got up and stood by her desk. ‘Mr Ross, what are these cards for?’

‘They show that you are members of the Wave. Everybody in this room is now a member of the Wave. Now we can work together. Students, do you believe in the Wave?’ The students stood up by their desks. ‘Mr Ross, yes!’ they all said together.

‘So now we’re a team. You must always work together. You must never work against any other Wave member. Do you understand?’

‘Mr Ross, yes!’ said the class.

‘Now you go and look for new members,’ said Mr Ross, ‘But every new member must understand our rules.’ Suddenly Robert stood up. ‘Mr Ross,’ he said. ‘I think the Wave is great.’

Then Amy stood up. ‘Mr Ross, Robert is right. I feel the same.’ David was pleased. He stood up. ‘Mr Ross, we’re now a team.’ Mr Ross was surprised. He wanted to stop talking about the Wave. He wanted to teach his usual lesson. But the students wanted more of the Wave.

‘We’ll give our salute,’ he told the class. ‘Then we’ll say our words.’

‘We’re all in the same team. Winners need discipline,’ said the students all together.

Ben Ross looked at his students in surprise. He saw that the Wave was not a game to them. They were the Wave now.