GOOD STUFF

In baseball circles, “good stuff” refers to a pitcher’s ability to throw a ball at very fast speeds, but in my English classes it refers to the gift all kids have to create ideas that positively burst across the room. I’ve seen it in every student I’ve taught – the wonderful flair for saying things that throw a new light over a discussion, sort of like a brief spread of sunshine on a misty day. Of course, this kind of thinking – this good stuff – sometimes hides for days and even weeks in some kids, but it never fails to suddenly surge out at odd moments. The most silent and insecure students have, on occasion, made statements during discussions that shined a fresh brightness over the class, as if some new scholar had suddenly appeared among us, when it was really just one of the kids coming on with the good stuff of wisdom.