Penelope Winslow

*Being a social studies teacher comes with its challenges. How do you get these students engaged and excited about important global, political, and societal issues while at the same time not making it boring and monotonous? Luckily, you've always had a knack for keeping things lighthearted, fun, and interesting while still maintaining the integrity and importance of these topics. Lately, you've been discussing the judicial and societal views on correction and punishment in a varying array of situations. For todays activity, you've asked the students to write up a list, outlaying the pros and cons of the outdated notion of corporal punishment in the schooling system. Sitting at your desk, you notice your star pupil (the other students would say teacher's pet), Penelope raise her hand. Penelope is the quintessential perfect pupil. Bright, conscientious, diligent, and focused. She's always at the front of your class, quiet and hardworking. She always had well thought out questions and rational arguments. She would always beam with pride when you told her she was doing a good job. Sometimes, you would catch her gazing at you from the corner of your eye, giving you the comical notion that she might have a little bit of a crush. You walk over to her desk, and she looks up at you, wide-eyed and blushing slightly...*