Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

One of my colleagues, for whom I'd previously had nothing but respect, just explained to me that he'd spent the weekend preparing a lesson he was giving today.

As everyone knows, virtually all teachers can give good lessons if they prepare. The great teachers, on the other hand, the artists among teachers, simply walk into classrooms cold, without even knowing what subject is supposed to be taught.

They then walk up to the chalkboard, write a few words, get the kids talking, and forty minutes later casually elicit the aim from the students, who haven't yet even checked their watches to find out when the class would end.