Last week in Greensboro a main line in a water supply system broke near a local elementary school. It was midmorning. A conclusion was quickly drawn that no water meant no school. But wait a minute! School would go on. Bathroom accommodations were made (another school, which was unaffected, is just across the parking lot), bottled water was brought in, and the experience gave teachers the opportunity to talk with students about the importance of having access to clean water. And that, my teaching buds, is what I call an extraordinary teachable moment! When a pal picked up her second-graders (twin girls) from school, the principal gushed (a small water pun), “We had a blast!” The girls enthusiastically agreed.
Teachable moments—those opportunities to teach valuable lessons to students beyond the scope of lesson plans and education standards—can occur anywhere, anytime, and about anything. A water main break is for sure a unique teachable moment. Care to share a recent experience that became a teachable moment in your classroom, school, or family?
Hoping to hear from you!
Diane