Winding Down

Today is the second-to-last day of Big Giant Tests, and we are all feeling some heavy duty test fatigue.

Which is why my 3rd period class got to watch The Sandlot today. I figure that movie teaches history, communication skills, and critical thinking, so I'm pretty much covered. Also, everybody loves it.

Before I turned on the movie, I let my students know their grades and told them just how much they would have to study in order to pass the class for the year.

"[Chandler Muriel Bing]," I would call from the computer. "Please come see your grade. [Rachel Karen Greene], you're on deck."

Of course we are all a little loopy from the testing fumes, but those kids cracked up when I started middle-naming them. Whatever, it was free entertainment and it didn't require any effort on my part.

Later, after the movie had started and I was sunk down in a sea of ungraded papers, I noticed two girls whispering at their desks.

"What's the problem, ladies?" I asked.

They sort of gave each other the shifty eyes, then one smiled and said, "We were just wondering, Ms. Flower, what's YOUR middle name?"

I looked her straight in the eye and answered: "My middle name is AWESOME."