Spark!

Holding a box in my arms, I walked toward the presentation table, rehearsing my lines for the hundredth time. Hey guys! Today I wil— I cringed. As I set the materials down, a dozen preschoolers stared at me, and I felt aware of everything—my hands, my steps, even my voice. “Hi guys! Do you want to see some magic?” I asked, unsure.

“Yeah!” they shouted.

Their excitement steadied me. I mixed the ingredients and held up the final one. “Three… two… one…” Foam burst out of the container, and the room filled with gasps and laughter. “Whoa!” They were completely absorbed. One voice called out, “How?”

As I explained molecules with lego analogies and the chemical reactions with cartoons, their hands shot up with more questions. Watching them, I realized how focused I had been on getting everything “right,” but none of them cared whether I stumbled or sounded perfect. I had walked in hoping to spark their interest in science. Fortunately, they also sparked something in me: a clearer understanding that learning and teaching isn’t about getting everything perfect the first time. It’s about curiosity, trying, and discovering as you go.

-Alan Archerman