#334: Don’t waste a nonsense moment

Have you heard the one about the 6 year old Cub Scout who was so proud of his scout eating utensil that he took it to use at school? He got 45 days in a disciplinary school all because the practical tool included a little knife.

And then there’s the third grader who was expelled for a year because she brought her birthday cake to school. The problem? Her sensible grandmother had packed a knife to make it easier for the teacher. What did the teacher do? She first cut the cake and then called the principal.

Both were wasted nonsense moments. You see, nonsense moments are opportunities for teaching and learning. Sadly for the little kids, the people in charge don’t understand that. That’s why they turned the teaching moments into punishment moments.

Nonsense is born when places of learning frown upon common sense. And nonsense is perpetuated when you don’t encourage the opposite at work.



I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

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