Slugs

This story is not as traumatizing as the title may imply.

If you were to ask me what my personal teaching philosophy is, I would say, without hesitation, "Sometimes you just have to stop and look at the slug."

There is of course a story behind this. It was pretty early in the year, and I had one of my 7th grade classes. I always had this class for a block 1st and 2nd period, and this particular morning was like any other. Meaning that I had a class full of sleepy preteen lazy bums (they really stepped it up later in the year though). At one point, I notice the kids sitting by the window craning their necks and starting to lean out of their seats. I ignore them for a few minutes until they start getting other people to look out the window. Slightly perturbed yet undeniably curious,  I finally ask what the heck they're looking at.

There was a slug on the window. I couldn't believe it. We live in stinking Florida; was a slug such big news? Then one kid up front looks at me as he sheepishly admits, "I've never seen a slug before." I didn't believe him at first because how can you live 12-13 years and never see one slug? But alas, a few others chimed in that they'd never seen one either. I was so shocked that I just stared at them for a second before saying, "Ok, we're gonna take 2 minutes, and everyone's going to look at the slug on the window. Then we get back to notes!"

And we did. We all went over to the window to look at the most mundane slug. But you know what? After 2 minutes had passed and everyone got a chance to look at the slug (with varying levels of interest), we all got back to our seats and had a great rest of class. 

The brief detour of excitement was a small price to pay to simultaneously satiate and ignite curiousity and refocus on the task at hand. Plus it gave us a bizzare and fun memor to revisit for the rest of the year.

So you know what? Sometimes you just have to stop and look at the slug.