America's Next Top Model Teacher

Our school has SLCs - Small Learning Communities - little schools inside the bigger school that are designed to specialize in one area of expertise. Mine is the Arts and Entertainment SLC, the idea being that all my kids are into the performing arts. It doesn't exactly work that way, but it's a pretty good system. I still have several kids from the other SLCs, one of which is Fashion and Design.

What's cool about the Fashion and Design SLC is that the kids in the elective classes actually designed their own line of clothing. From concept to production, it was like a high school Project Runway, without all the gay men and the weekly eliminations.

Since I teach some of these kids and the class is right down the hall, they asked me to be a model. Most of the models are kids, but a few of us teachers have been roped in to walking the catwalk. Yesterday I got to see what I'm wearing, and I gotta say, I'm impressed. A slinky emerald green halter evening gown, a casual bohemian burnt orange, floor-length dress and a pair of pink and blue pajamas. The shirt on the pajamas is too long, so they're tying it up in back, exposing my pierced navel and my tattoo. So I told my trainer to work me extra hard yesterday, which he did. My abs are rock solid, baby. I only hope the kids have enough tact to keep their thoughts to themselves.

Walking the catwalk is harder than it sounds. I've been practicing for the past couple of days and I think I'm ready. I've seen a lot of episodes of America's Next Top Model, so I feel pretty prepared to do my angry swagger.

Usually yearbook keeps be behind the scenes. I end up in pictures sometimes, but I have been able to avoid standing up in front of the whole school and showing my ass. Tonight I'll just be showing my midriff.