I was struck speechless, really.

It's no lie, I have excellent sophomores this year. For whatever reason, I struck the jackpot in the kid pool for my classes. They look smart, they act smart, they smile a lot, they thank me on their way out the door and say things about how they're "reading this really great book...not for school, just for fun" and generally, I couldn't be happier with them.

These last few days, the sophs have been researching topics for a class debate in the computer lab next door to my classroom. Any time spent in a computer lab is usually filled with me reminding students to stay on task (wonderful students or not) and redirecting kids back to their work and assignment. I like to fancy myself creative and kind in my redirections and reminders to get back to work. Only twice today did I have to say, "For the love of God, will you at least ACT like you're working on something."

But I was struck speechless, really, when I turned around today to find Molly wearing huge, white sunglasses with reflective lenses, swirling round and round and round and round in her chair while balancing a stuffed toy dragon on the top of her head.

"Molly!" I barked.

Her swirling chair came to a slow stop and honest to God, I could see my reflection in her sunglasses as she said, "What? Why are you LOOKING at me like that?!?"

"Are you kidding?"

"God...it's JUST a dragon."

W. T. F. people. I just did not have a response to that one.