Living Museum of Learning
Flight Simulator Interlude
During one of our lessons, Leo suddenly switched to his flight simulator and froze the screen at the pilot's-eye view. For a moment, our discussion about mathematics disappeared beneath the cockpit.
Many teachers might have redirected him immediately.
Instead, I watched.
Over years of one-on-one teaching, I've noticed that some students occasionally wander away from the task—but not away from their thinking. They often return with a new question, a clearer idea, or an unexpected connection.
What looks like distraction from the outside can sometimes be incubation on the inside. The challenge isn't to let students drift indefinitely, nor to interrupt every detour. It's to learn the difference between avoidance and genuine exploration.
Attention is not always linear. Some learners think best by stepping away briefly before returning with fresh perspective. Good teaching is knowing when to guide immediately—and when to wait a little longer.
After years of teaching, I've come to treasure these moments. Sometimes students become so absorbed in an idea that they forget I'm there—and for a little while, the rest of the world disappears too.