Lucie In The Sky With Scissors

In the first two weeks of the school year, Lucie presented herself as sweet, reserved and meticulous. Her mask decoration was uniquely original, painted with an eye for detail. I wondered whether she had family members who were artists, as is often the case with children who demonstrate a propensity and facility for rendering. Yes, she confided, her grandmother had illustrated a book. I think Lucie's inherited the genes.

Another side of Lucie revealed herself on Friday during the Elephant Ring activity. Students were challenged to create, from a single sheet of paper, a unbroken ring large enough that an elephant could walk through; or that the classroom could pass through; or the planet. Was it possible?

For the young physicists in the room, this thinking/construction exercise can lead in interesting, mind-stretching directions. What is the thickness of the largest possible unbroken ring? Can we imagine a ring the width of a molecule? How large would that ring be? How do we calculate it?

Lucie, and her partner Marietou, struck on a solution early on, and Lucie was ecstatic. I got it, I got it, I got it! This otherwise shy young lady bounced, and flapped, and giggled, and twirled, like a penguin on caffeine. Marietou, I asked, you must help your partner, she's going nutz!

We inhabit many sides, many moods, conditioned, drawn to center stage by the milieu. Over the course of the school year, we have the opportunity to observe this in our students, and they have the opportunity to observe the many sides of Mr. Spedding.

In this way, teaching is a kind of psychotherapy. I spend my days with a classroom of analysts who, at this grade level, are generous with their assessments.