Tomorrow I will be taping my first segment for National Boards.  I must say that I am nervous for the obvious reasons--

• I don't like being on a video...adds the weight and my accent really shines.
• I am afraid that my project is not the best that it could be.
• I don't want everything to fall apart in the middle of the lesson.

Now...those are just a few of the reasons that I'm nervous!  Scared....well you haven't met my class.  Needless to say there are several reasons why they have me wishing I could bleep out the parts that show their lack of common sense.

• I am scared that they will wave at the camera.
• I am scared that I will hear the most repeated comment this year...."I don't get it"
• I am scared that they will make a complete mess instead of making a project.
• I am scared that for once this year they won't talk.....and this is when I need them to talk. Hmmm maybe I should have put a camera in the room at the beginning of the year to scared them.
• I am scared that one of them will have a lapse of memory and forget everything that they know.
• I am scared that one of them will start laughing and then it will forge into a massive outbreak.
• I am scared that I may not have one single nerve or ounce sanity when I walk out of the building tomorrow.

Those were just a few.  I know that you think I'm exaggerating, but let me give you an example from a conversation with one of my sweet and funny darlings!

Teacher:  Our word for the day is maneuver.  Everyone say our word for today.

Student:  Manure

Teacher:  Our word is not manure! (Trying not to laugh)

Student:  I thought that was what you said.

Teacher:  Okay....(thinking that she was joking)...what does manure mean?

Student: Looks at the definition for maneuver and reads it.

Teacher:  No...that's not it!

Student:  Then .....I don't know...(smiling), but serious!

Teacher:  Manure is poop! (This answer lead to rolls of laughter!)

Student:  what??!!!???

At least I could use this as a teaching moment.  We talked about manure and how it was using for fertilize and fuel.  The kids couldn't believe that people would actually use it must less move it with a shovel from one place to another.  Quite an interesting conversation!  However, I wouldn't want that on my video!!!!