The 6th grade science teacher, Mrs. Parks, asked her class, “Which human body part increases to ten times its size when stimulated?”

No one answered until little Mary stood up and said, “You should not be asking sixth-graders a question like that! I’m going to tell my parents, and they will go and tell the principal, who will then fire you!”

Mrs. Parks ignored her and asked the question again, “Which body part increases to 10 times its size when stimulated?”

Little Mary’s mouth fell open.

Then she said to those around her, “Boy, is she going to get in big trouble!”

The teacher continued to ignore her and said to the class, “Anybody?’

Finally, Billy stood up, looked around nervously, and said, “The body part that increases 10 times its size when stimulated is the pupil of the eye.”

Mrs. Parks said, “Very good, Billy,” then turned to Mary and continued.

“As for you, young lady, I have three things to say: One, you have a dirty mind. Two, you didn’t read your homework. And three, one day you are going to be very, very disappointed.”

Mrs. Parks knew that her question may have raised some eyebrows, but she also knew that it was a great opportunity to teach her students something new. She wanted to make sure that they were engaged and thinking critically, even if it meant pushing the boundaries a little bit.

As she continued with her lesson, Mrs. Parks explained to the class the importance of the pupil of the eye and how it reacts to light. She wanted her students to understand that not everything had to be taken in a negative or inappropriate way. Sometimes, things were just as they seemed on the surface.

After the class, little Mary approached Mrs. Parks with a sheepish look on her face. She admitted that she had overreacted and apologized for her outburst. Mrs. Parks smiled and reassured her that it was okay, but reminded her to always keep an open mind and think before jumping to conclusions.

The next day, Mrs. Parks noticed a change in little Mary. She was more engaged in the lesson and participated actively in class discussions. It seemed that the little incident had taught her a valuable lesson about not judging things too quickly.

Throughout the rest of the school year, Mrs. Parks continued to challenge her students with thought-provoking questions and encouraged them to think outside the box. She wanted them to understand that learning was not just about memorizing facts, but about questioning, exploring, and discovering new things.

By the end of the year, Mrs. Parks was proud to see how much her students had grown both academically and personally. They had learned to think critically, communicate effectively, and approach challenges with an open mind. And it all started with a simple question about the human body.