In a sixth-grade science class, Mrs. Parks posed an intriguing question: “Which human body part grows ten times its size when stimulated?” The room fell silent, until little Mary jumped up, her face flushed with indignation. “You can’t ask us that! I’ll tell my parents, and they’ll get you in trouble!”
Undeterred, Mrs. Parks repeated the question, leaving Mary aghast. “Is she serious? She’s going to get fired for sure!”
The teacher’s calm demeanor and refusal to back down encouraged Billy to take a chance. With a nervous glance around, he ventured an answer: “Is it the pupil of the eye?”
Mrs. Parks beamed with approval. “Exactly, Billy!”
Turning to Mary, she offered a gentle rebuke: “It seems you have a vivid imagination, didn’t do your homework, and may face a surprising reality check one day!”
With quick wit and grace, Mrs. Parks turned a potentially awkward moment into a valuable lesson in critical thinking and humility.
