I've ranted a lot lately about accountability so today I will try to steer my thoughts elsewhere for a change :) It is easy to get into the complaining mode and forget the fun part of teaching middle school. Usually, it is the kids who are out of control and wound a little too tightly, but today, it was me.....

My social studies class has been working on their Life in the Sahara projects for the past week or so. Today was presentation day. Some partners had worked to create board games, others had posters, and still others had dioramas depicting desert scenes.

Two young ladies have been working to get their diorama and accompanying informational posters done. They wanted miniature camels to include in their display but the closest they could find in our town (where shopping consists of Family Dollar or the grocery store) were those little animals you put into water to expand. Unfortunately, the animals did not include a camel, but luckily, 7th graders have imaginations and they decided to use giraffes instead. The camelraffs, as we named them, have been expanding in plastic cups in my window for about a week. The girls have changed the water faithfully, even experimenting with hot water to see if that would help them grow more.

Things were moving along fine. One of the girls with the aforementioned project had been whining all morning that they wanted to go last. But me, being the mean teacher I am, just went straight down my list calling on groups. Some students had good projects, some had great ones, some, well, they were embarassed to be in front of the group sharing. Finally, time for the camelraff girls. For some reason, I started giggling as they started their presentation. The whole camelraff suddenly struck me funny. Well, you know how the more you try NOT to laugh, the you DO laugh??? It didn't take long and I was snorting and crying and out of control. THe poor girls were trying to present, but there I am, in the back of the classroom, laughing and lauging and tears are running down my cheeks and snot is running out my nose.

Finally... I get a slight grip on my sanity.... but the boy sitting next to me whispers, "camelraff" and I start again. Every time I would manage to stop, the little whisper comes from him, "camelraff, camelraff".

It was epic....

Thank goodness spring break is coming next week for I think I have almost lost my grip on reality....

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