If you're not familiar with A Midsummer Night's Dream, in Act II the story gets put in a blender and chopped and diced into unrecognizable pieces, all thanks to a mischievous little sprite named Robin Goodfellow (Puck). Also, there is a passage with the word "breast" in it. And that, my fellow Chalk Heads, is enough to make a room full of sixth graders fall apart. It doesn't matter how smart or sophisticated they are or how successful their parents are. It just doesn't matter. A twelve year-old boy can't read the word "breast" without snot flying out of his nose from laughter. One class even received a warning. It went something like this:
Me: "I just want to warn you that Hermia says "breast" in an upcoming passage."
Class: Smiles. Chuckles. Snorts. Annoying little chortles escaping covered mouths.
Me: "I know it's kind of funny, but try to contain yourself."
Boy: "Is it okay if we laugh a little bit when she says it?"
Me: "No. You may not laugh at all."
The girl reading Hermia's part says the word "breast" and what do I do?
I smile and then chuckle a little.
Of course, the boys notice. And then they laugh a little too. But no one says anything, because it's just one of those quiet things that happens and everyone keeps it to himself.
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