I am sometimes tempted to joke around with the students, but it is a very slippery slope. You can’t just partially uncork a champagne bottle or invite the genie out of the bottle for just a few minutes. I am reminded of this whenever I get a little loosey goosey in the classroom. If I crack a joke, get a little silly, or throw caution to the wind and answer a tangential question, they are off to the races.
My natural inclinations are to tease, be teased, and above all, to laugh. What more hospitable environment for this than middle school? Alas, I have a job to do, which would be nearly impossible if I gave into these whims. It would be chaos. The trick is maintaining a balance we can live with: a quiet undertone of humor with clear boundaries. The occasional uproar is inevitable and acceptable.
My Corner of the Village 