Sunday, February 21, 2010

word of the day

Occasionally students present a word of the day for extra credit. A few days ago, Zach presented one, and I have to admit I was only half listening (reading under my desk has never ceased to be a problem for  me) as he sounded out a word that ended with "my-ee-oh-lie-tis." Defined as something about paralysis (see, I really am a poor listener) "marked by inflammation of nerve cells in the anterior gray matter," gray matter, I thought, I know what that is. "...in each lateral half of the spinal cord." Funny, I thought, that he would pick some obscure disease for his word of the day. These kids are weird. Funny how there is this super-long name for something really specific that many people don't even have to know about. 

"Polio," Zach announced. 
"Really?" my supervising teacher asked. "That's the full name of Polio?"
"Yup. Poliomyelitis." And Zach tacked his word of the day on the bulletin board.

Funny, that the threat is so far gone, I don't recognize the word for polio anymore.

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