THE Pink Bow

You know the old saying, "If you don't bend you will break." Well, in education if you don't laugh you will cry. Humor is medicine that tastes like that purple cough syrup we took as children when we got sick. Ya know, the stuff that tasted like grape cool-ade. It always left you wanting more. Well, when a teacher can laugh and have a little fun it kinda works the same way. It leaves the kids wanting more. Sometimes it motivates them to do boring work (there words not mine). So, this story is about how humor helped a "boring" topic become interesting.

I have this student who, in my opinion, has the most gorgeous set of blonde curly locks that I have ever seen on a little girls head. The kind you wished your daughter had. But, and this a big but, this particular day she came to class with it flowing from her head like a freshly ironed shirt. All the curles were gone. Instead, they were replaced by a pretty pink bow clipped strategically on the top of her head. This was now her shining glory.

Math class started as usual...mental math. I called out problems and the students shouted out the answers. It would be nice if they would wait until I called on them, but their enthusiasm for math overwhelms them and they just can't contain themselves (That's what I choose to believe).With every problem, my pink bowed straight haired friend kept shouting out the correct answer."Hmm..." I thought. "She's really on top of her game." Then the lesson continued to the "boring" topic...equivalent fractions (Personally, I love fractions.). Again, Pinky was amazing! "It must be the bow." I concluded. Enter the humor.

Now, you know your class is extremely bored when you see their eyelids start to flitter because they are fighting the desire to doze off. I had to do something quick. The bow! That's it! Let me call out one more problem and get this party started. "Who can tell me an equivalent fraction for 3/4?". Pinky took the bait. "I can! I can!" She shouted (again, with the enthusiastic outbursts). "6/8!"."Wow! Good job! I've noticed that today you have been on top of your game." She smiled. "I wonder why?" I ask (Here we go.)."I like fractions." She responded proudly."Na." I say shaking my head with a smile. "It's the pink bow. I'm convinced." She didn't quite get it, so I elaborated. I shared with her my observations and adimittaly professed the pink bow to be the culprit. Something stirred to the left and then a giggle from the right. "OK they're waking up." I thought. Let's go for the kill. "Mrs.Brown, you're silly." She says. "I'm serious." I said earnestly. "It has to be the pink bow!" More laughs. "Let me prove it to you." I asked if I could borrow the bow for a minute. I know,I know. Lice and such, but I was desperate. She removed the "crown" and handed it to me. Needless to say, she was a little suspicious. I held this power of motivation in my hand and watched while the now alert spectators stared at me with anticipation. "OK." I said as I clip the bow to the top of my head. The laughter gets louder. "Ask me a question about equivalent fractions and make it hard." I can't remember what she asked, but I do know that I got it right. Everyone was now awake and laughing. Then came the point at which I knew equivalent fractions were going to be fun. A little blonde headed boy raised his hand and said, "Mrs. Brown can I try the bow?"

The pink bow is now considered a symbol of genius. In fact, just the other day, Pinky said to me, "Look,Mrs. Brown.I wore my brain today." She laughed and so did I.