Teacher by Day. Rock Star by Night.

Recently, students have been attempting to copy each other's classwork in order to avoid doing it themselves. Their recent "teamwork" endeavors inspired me to come up with a scheme that only could have come from a Full House episode.

At an appropriate point in the day, I asked the students, "Do you guys want to hear my band?" I grabbed a CD and popped it in the boombox. I came up with this long and grandiose story that my true passion is music and I teach as a side gig. I convinced the class that I'm the lead singer for a pop-punk band called Hit the Lights. I played the song "Three Oh Nine," but the students were skeptical. They're no dummies, even if they are in summer school. "Is this really you? No way!" I stepped it up a notch and sang along to the song, attempting to match my voice to the lead singer's. It worked; the kids are floored. "When you make it to MTV, will you remember us?" "What other instruments do you play?" "Oh my god! What's this song about? It's so good."

I smirk and take it all in before I destroy their fantasies of a summer school teacher who moonlights as a rock star. I tell them the truth and explain, "Did you feel betrayed or angry that you were tricked?" Heads nod. "That's how I feel when you try to turn in work that isn't yours. If you won't lie to me, I won't lie to you. Do your own work." For the rest of the day, I couldn't get the cheesy Full House-you've-just-learned-a-lesson music out of my head. Eat your heart out, Danny Tanner.