Susan Lemke told us once about trying to lead her first grade student Julius to the conclusion that 1 + 2 = 3. Somehow drawings, fingers, hash marks and arrangements of painted sticks weren't quite enough.
“Now, Julius, 1 + 1 is 2, right?”
“Yes.”
“So 1 + 2 is 3, right?”
“Doesn't have to be.”
If he had just said “no” that would have been one thing. But to suppose that 1 + 2 is sometimes 3 and sometimes not 3, what is a teacher going to do with that?
Sometimes when the weather permitted, some staff and students would play volley ball. When Julius played, he was fierce about defending his territory. If a ball came his way, he would handle it thank you and would the adults please butt out.
Julius commanded a lot of respect around the school yard because he willed it to be that way. An object lesson for us all.
Copyright Ken Harris 2009
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