An encounter today with a student in my office:
Second favorite question ever asked of me by a student: Greg, I have a splinter. Do you have some tweezers?
Me: No. I used them on my wife's tick and forgot to put them back into my Swiss Army Knife I carry with me always.
Favorite question ever asked of me by a student: Do you know anyone at school who would have tweezers?
I then named 5 people who first came to mind.
Student: Thanks Greg.
Me: No, wait. . . . Do you really believe that I have a list of tweezer carriers committed to memory? I mean, I know I may seem godlike to you with some awesome omniscience, but . . . I'm not a god and not omniscient.
[pause]
Student: Alright. Thanks Greg!
Often, kids ask questions that seem to presume omniscience on my part, but it's not my presumed omniscience so much as it is the students' real lack of investigative zeal.
Alright. Thanks for clarifying that Greg.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they thought you would know who had a first aid kit. Maybe you should know that!
ReplyDelete