"My pupil was a lively child..." - Jane Eyre

En route to making photocopies on packets about Romanticism, Allie screamed my name from the back of the Student Activities office. I love talking to Allie because her sarcasm and dry sense of humor always make me laugh. She has bright blue eyes, and a round face that is constantly making odd expressions at me in the hall for a joke.

Walking into the office, I noticed that she held a clipboard. I peered over her shoulder and saw a computer generated list of faculty names.

"You made the finals for a teacher superlative!" she screamed.

Uh oh.

I wondered what embarrassing superlative I could possibly have been nominated for by my senior classes that would forever encapsulate me in the 2006 Yearbook.

Hmmm. Lets see: Most likely to get stopped in the hallway being mistaken for a student? Most likely to bounce off of the classroom ceilings because she drinks too much vanilla spice coffee from Dunkin Donuts in class? Most likely to allude to a South Park episode during the midst of an in-depth literary lesson?

I stood next to Allie and she pointed to the slot. I am up against Ms. Zarnia for "Most Likely to Brighten Your Day."

I don't need to win. This was one of the best moments in my teaching career.

The irony - and oh how us English Teachers love irony - is that it is my students who brighten my day.