The facilitator needs more tissue.

Michelle: Miss? I really think I messed up my rough draft so I threw it away.

Me (horrified): What??!

Michelle: Oh, it's okay. Look. I did it over. And it's even longer.

Me: Oh. Phew. Okay then. I hate when you crumple things up (starting to walk away).

Michelle: No. Wait! I have a question!

Me: Okay. What's up?

Michelle: So I don't know how to organize this at all, and I think this project is just not gonna work. I have all these statistics about pregnancy and I just don't know where they go.

Me: We'll find a home for the statistics. Don't worry. It'll be fine.

(A voice from another part of the room)

Katrina: Miss Huth?

Me (to Michelle): Hang on a sec. I'll be right back to help you, okay?

Katrina: Miss? This is ugly.

Me: What? Your rough draft? It's supposed to be ugly.

Katrina: But it's REALLY ugly . . .

Me: It'll be fine. Don't worry. Just don't throw any of it away, okay?

Katrina (heavy sigh): Okay.

(Michelle is now engrossed in conversation with Samantha. I prepare to say something about how she should use her time wisely even if I can't help her right away but as I get closer . . . )

Samantha: . . . so I think if you start off by explaining that teen pregnancy is a significant problem, that will be a good place to use some of those statistics. And that will . . .

Michelle: . . . help my reader understand how important my point is! And it will make them interested in what I have to say!

Samantha: Right. And then, I think you should move your page three to page two.

Michelle (nodding vigorously): Yeah! I see. That makes sense. So then I'll save the solutions part for . . .

Samantha (looking up from Michelle's rough draft): What?

Me: Um, I dunno.

Michelle: Oh, come on, Miss. You know you want to say something.

(Samantha nods in agreement.)

Me (starting to sniffle and dab at pretend tears): Here I thought you were texting and you're actually working . . . It's just that it's so beautiful to see you two working together to solve a writing problem. Samantha, you just helped Michelle so much (choking up) and it's just . . . the way that . . . (sniffle dab) I'm sorry . . . English class is supposed to be . . . I mean . . . I've been waiting my whole career for this experience . . . I'm sorry but it's just so wonderful (dab dab dab sniff sniff).

Michelle (with a heavy sigh and an eye roll): Oh, Miss. Wow. Okay. You probably have someone else who needs help, right?

Me: Oh, I don't think anyone needs my help today. I think I'll just sit here and facilitate.