Tuesday, November 13, 2007

A Latte of Deep Thinking

One of the reasons I chose to teach high school, as apposed to jr. high, is because I wanted the students to be at a higher level of reasoning. I knew that with higher reasoning skills came more opportunities for deep and meaningful discussions about the various subjects we would be studying. They would not only have the chance to learn the mere facts of history but they would also be able to explore their deeper meanings; the philosophical and cultural ramifications of those facts. Today’s deep conversation was no exception.

Student: Mr. Quinn. Do you know what the weather is going to be like on Sunday?

Me: It’s supposed to be sunny with a 100% chance of rain with a cold front from the west and some snow flurries then a blizzard with freezing temperatures and a heat wave with possible drought bringing in a tropical storm with 175 mile an hour winds which should spur a typhoon followed by ship wreck and 30 days of night and rivers of blood, locusts, plague, pestilence, rabies, murder, male pattern balding, and…

Student: So you don’t know?

Me: No. Why?

Student: Because my mom is taking me for coffee on Sunday and I’ve really been craving a latte.

Me: OK.

Student: Well, I’m hoping it’s cloudy so I can get a latte.

Me: They only sell lattes on cloudy days?

Student: No. It’s just that I only like to get them if it’s cloudy.

Me: Well sure. That makes sense.

Student: If it’s cloudy I like to get a latte and if it’s sunny I like to get an iced coffee. Don’t you drink latte?

(There’s a long pause while I stare at her and contemplate not only the generational, but also the intellectual gap.)

Me: No.

2 comments:

jenji said...

Yes, a generational gap. This reminds me of a time when I had a discussion with a student in film analysis...

Me: So what did you think of the film Sylvia (Plath)?

Student: Well, she was clearly mentally ill and it's a shame that mental illness is so astigmatized in our society.

(collecting my jaw from the floor)

Me: (sigh) What do you mean astigmatized? (When really what I’m thinking is…oh, you mean she’s mentally ill AND she can’t see?”

Student: you know, astigmatized…shunned.

Me: Oh, I see. In fact, I see 20/20.

(Only a few other students picked up on that one).

By the way, this same student insists on using the word (non word) ironical. There are only so many corrections one can make in a day...

Generational? Intellectual? Kind of a hybrid of the two if you ask me.

Not sure if she prefers the latte or iced though.

Anonymous said...

Very funny and very true. By the way, your profile picture is really neat.