I told a lie today. At school this morning I was greeted enthusiastically by a couple second graders with, "How big did it get?" I was glad to see them, but my smile must have flagged a bit as I struggled to think what on earth they were referring to. Apparently recognizing the question mark above my head (after all they are second graders now) one added, “The bean plant.”
"Uh, it got big," I offered lamely, vaguely; still searching through my mental files for a reference. Then the bell rang and I opened the classroom door to let more students enter the room. It was like some kind of mental epidemic had taken hold of the group. Rather than crowd their way in as usual, they remained rooted in their line and more kids began to ask me about the plant. Finally, I remembered what they were talking about. This was the class that I had spent a month with last spring when their teacher was on medical leave. The plant in question was actually several plants that sprouted from a variety of beans that we planted together and took care of until I left.
"Oh, I planted it in the ground and it got this big!" I said with more exuberance, gesturing near my knee. It grew some beans on it, too." Eyes were big and "ohs" and "ahs" were breathed with admiration as they finally began filing past.
It was a lie, of course, but I don't feel bad about it because I really did mean to plant the sprouts and that is truly what would have happened if I had. This is why being a full time teacher would be cool. We could have watched the beans grow to maturity. Even though I told them what would happen, I don't think they have really grasped the fact yet that bean plants, which grow from beans, will produce more beans. It would be nice to discover that together.
"Uh, it got big," I offered lamely, vaguely; still searching through my mental files for a reference. Then the bell rang and I opened the classroom door to let more students enter the room. It was like some kind of mental epidemic had taken hold of the group. Rather than crowd their way in as usual, they remained rooted in their line and more kids began to ask me about the plant. Finally, I remembered what they were talking about. This was the class that I had spent a month with last spring when their teacher was on medical leave. The plant in question was actually several plants that sprouted from a variety of beans that we planted together and took care of until I left.
"Oh, I planted it in the ground and it got this big!" I said with more exuberance, gesturing near my knee. It grew some beans on it, too." Eyes were big and "ohs" and "ahs" were breathed with admiration as they finally began filing past.
It was a lie, of course, but I don't feel bad about it because I really did mean to plant the sprouts and that is truly what would have happened if I had. This is why being a full time teacher would be cool. We could have watched the beans grow to maturity. Even though I told them what would happen, I don't think they have really grasped the fact yet that bean plants, which grow from beans, will produce more beans. It would be nice to discover that together.
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