Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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September 14, 2007

Making Up the Answers

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 5:48 am

Genius-ry

I've been thinking . . .

about the answers.

When I was a first grade teacher, I thought I’m not going to pretend. Kids have to know that grown-ups don’t have all of the answers.

So, lots of times I said, “I don’t know.”

Then sometimes I said, “But I bet we can figure it out.”

But you know, sometimes the answer didn’t matter, nearly as much as the figuring out did. When that was the case, we would just carefully, thoughtfully, most intelligently make up the answers.

Yep. That’s what we did, and it just worked out.

How many stars does it take to make a sky?

We imagined an answer. Then we tested it to see whether it worked. If it did, we kept it. If it didn’t, we took a new try.

We made up words . . . genius-ry, left-hand leg, beautificent!
Then we drew pictures of them.

We made up a song about sauaage, mashed potatoes, and love.

We sat in a circle on the floor and made up the answers to our problems.

Now I wonder if there are any life answers that are always right for sure.

Maybe all of life is about making it up as I go along.

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23 Comments to “Making Up the Answers”

  1. September 14th, 2007 at 6:05 am
    Alina Popescu said

    I guess you are right. A right answer is sometimes more than just a true statement. It depends on the circumstances. BTW, I wish I had more teachers like you :)

  2. September 14th, 2007 at 6:38 am
    Karin H. said

    We imagined an answer. Then we tested it to see whether it worked. If it did, we kept it. If it didn’t, we took a new try.

    Hmm, you were all scientists? ;-)

    Or statisticians for that matter

    Karin H. (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)

  3. September 14th, 2007 at 7:48 am
    Alex Shalman - Personal Development said

    That’s it, i’ve seen all i need.

    “Liz Strauss is one of the greatest philosophical minds of our time”

    That’s my testimonial and i’m sticking with it.

  4. September 14th, 2007 at 10:04 am
    Mike said

    “Now I wonder if there are any life answers that are always right for sure.”

    Be nice.

    After that we get into that circle and talk…

    Have a safe trip!

    Mike

  5. September 14th, 2007 at 10:44 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Alina!
    I agree, so much about a right answer is the person and the situation. :)

    I wish I had more students and teachers like you. :

  6. September 14th, 2007 at 10:46 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi karin!
    Nah, we’ weren’t scientists . . . we were a first grade class of mostly 6 year olds and a teacher who thought she was one. :)

  7. September 14th, 2007 at 10:47 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Alex!
    Now I have to figure out where to put that on my testimonial page! [grin]

  8. September 14th, 2007 at 10:48 am
    ME Strauss said

    Scientifically proven , , , with the “Mike says so” guarantee!!

    Thank you, Mike!

  9. September 14th, 2007 at 11:22 am
    giddy tiger said

    You’re absolutely right! Sometimes kids just get life’s answers right, and it is through sheer trying. At time, adults need to learn from kids. :D Have a good weekend!

  10. September 14th, 2007 at 11:45 am
    James said

    If only all scientists were so good about the new try part instead of trying to change the facts to fit what they want. Wait. Maybe we all need to do that. :)

  11. September 14th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
    Mike said

    I wish “Mike says so” carried that kind of weight at home! LOL

    Mike

  12. September 14th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
    LaurenMarie - Creative Curio said

    Your students were sure blessed to have you as a teacher! I wish you had been my first grade teacher! How true it is that sometimes the process is more important than the solution. We can learn so much from trying to figure things out for ourselves instead of looking to others for easy answers. Who’s to say their answers are the “right” ones anyway?

  13. September 14th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    Beautificent is a wonderful word!

    You just proved my wife is right. I never grew up. I still make it up as I go along.

  14. September 14th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
    Mike said

    Rick,

    Are you making it up, or are you allowing the universe to make it up through you?

    Just asking.

    Mike

  15. September 14th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Giddy Tiger!
    Sometimes being a kid is the best answers ever! You have a great weekend too!

  16. September 14th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey James!
    I think that we all DO do that, when we’re on our best thinking. :)

  17. September 14th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Mike!
    You have daughters. I can’t help you enforce your guarantee at home. It’s against code. :)

  18. September 14th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Rick!
    Who the heck wants to grow up anyway? [grin} I’m with you. :)

  19. September 14th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
    Mike said

    I’d protest, but the review committee is all female. I’ll be looking for that spoonful of sugar about now…

  20. September 14th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Mike!
    My husband wants to know why women always kick water to splash it. :)

  21. September 14th, 2007 at 11:58 pm
    Rick Cockrum said

    It’s got to be a group effort, Mike. Of course, it sounds more fun to say I make it up as I go along. :)

  22. September 15th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
    Mike said

    Rick,

    You’re right about the group effort, although who’s doing the making it up is an open question. ;-)

    Mike

  23. September 16th, 2007 at 10:20 am
    Sunday Reading 16 September 2007 said

    [...] doesn’t normally lead to instant success. Sometimes we have to try Making Up the Answers. The answer may work. It may not. If it does, you’ve got a bigger box. If it doesn’t, [...]

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