Sparking Interest

NEA Today, Apr 2004 by Hallock, Anna

[ NOBODY EVER TOLD ME ]

As a first-year teacher, I went to a veteran colleague and asked for some advice about keeping my fifth-grade students' attention. "Mr. Barzso" showed me a simple science experiment to perform and told me to dispose of the materials in the school dumpster once I was finished. It sounded easy enough.

THE FOLLOWING WEEK I took my students to the sand pit where I had learned the experiment. I positioned a paper cup in the sand and placed two chemicals in it, just as Mr. Barzso had done. But, just when I thought things were going well, the reaction appeared to stop. So I threw the materials in the dumpster and took the students inside to discuss what should have happened.

Later that day, I attended a staff meeting where the school principal announced that the recycling dumpster had caught fire.

Mr. Barzso and I looked at each other and I sheepishly explained about the botched science experiment. "I guess I threw it in the wrong dumpster," I said. The entire staff, including my principal, burst out laughing. Apparently, the experiment worked after all, and my colleagues now call me, "Sparky."

-ANNA HALLOCK

Fifth-grade teacher, Elgin, Illinois