Steve is a fellow blogger and a school crossing guard in western New York state.  I have to tell you what he does with children.  Obviously the best teachers are not always teachers in the classroom.

Last January he wrote a blog post, “How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck…?”  It has not left me.  It sticks to me.  I can’t let it go.  Steve decided to ask interesting questions to the students at his crossing, like “Who is Pavarotti?” and “Who was Francis Scott Key and what did he write on this day (Sept 14) in 1815?” and “What direction are we facing while wanting to cross?  Forward doesn’t count.” and “Why did Frosty the Snowman tell the kids not to cry?”

Steve did this to strengthen the daily dialogue with students, and stimulate their thinking skills.  That became a big deal; children expected his question of the day…