Off his students’ distraction, TMAO pulls his unit assessments back in, tells his students not to worry, they’ll do it some other day when they’re better prepared for the challenge, except, one by one, they ask him for another shot.

Now nearly every hand is in the air, delivering the line with increasing rigor and strength, taking their tests and working now for real. One kid chokes on the words; another giggles. They do not receive a test. These are serious words spoken by serious people, people who want to do serious work, I say. Another student tries to wait me out. I ignore her and her short-lived rebellion, and eventually the hand hits the air: “I am ready to step up.”

Ascendéte, Jaguar.

I swear if I saw the same scene in a movie I’d double over laughing. This guy is the real deal, though.