Julio Iglesias, the aging but still sexy Spanish crooner, delivered one of his finest performances Thursday afternoon -- in a crowded high school classroom. Iglesias, 55, showed up at Manhattan's Martin Luther King Jr. high school not to sing, but to wax philosophical on the importance of education for young people. "For the first time," Iglesias said, "I take the seat of the professor." The fact that the international superstar himself dropped out of school to pursue a career as a professional soccer player didn't stop him from delivering his earnest message: "The most important thing in life is a great education."

Iglesias addressed the mostly Hispanic audience on behalf of a program called Grammy Sessions, sponsored by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Intended to teach students about the music industry and inspire them to stay in school, past Grammy participants include LL Cool J, Melissa Ethridge, and Bo Diddley. Iglesias was invited to speak, says Jon Marcus, executive director of the New York chapter of the Recording Academy, "because he has great credibility with the Latino market. If Julio Iglesias tells you to stay in school and study, you'll remember that."

The students will also remember that the singer has a new album out, "My Life: The Greatest Hits," since copies were distributed after Professor Julio departed. But, hey, the double CD is an educational experience in itself -- Iglesias recorded his hits in eight different languages, including Mandarin Chinese. And we thought he was only fluent in the language of love!