A few weeks ago we read an email on the show from 14-year-old Michael in Buffalo Grove, IL, whose teacher asked his class, "Where else have you heard about surface-area-to-volume ratio?" Without raising his hand, he (correctly) shouted out, "The Sporkful!" Everyone in class apparently laughed, and we encouraged him to make sure his teacher knows he's acing science class because of us. Well, in response to that exchange, we got this letter from another 14-year-old listener, Tom in Seattle:
It was 9:51 and I was sitting in the last row of honors math. The teacher, who's name I won't identify for my safety, droned on. As any tech savvy teen would do, I snaked my right ear bud up my sweatshirt and in to my ear. Of course to save me from boredom I turned on the sporkful. I heard another story from a teen about answering "the sporkful" and getting the question correct, so I attempted to try so. She asked about an equation and I proudly raised my hand and erupted "THE SPORKFUL!" My teacher assumed I was being the snarky jew I am and did not get the question right, but I did get a first class, one way ticket to the principal. Any way thanks for the hours of laughter. I hold no regrets and I am eagerly awaiting the next episode. Eater Forever.
Thanks for your note Tom. I can only assume that your answer was deemed unsatisfactory because your teacher's question was, "When you use the equation to determine the worst podcast on the internet, what podcast do you end up with?" She was clearly dismayed that you would (unwittingly) have suggested that we could be that podcast.
But really folks, Michael and Tom's behavior is no joke. Like The Sporkful itself they are trendsetters to be taken seriously, and we want to once again encourage students to answer "The Sporkful" whenever your teachers ask you any question at all. Then write in to tell us about it. /dan
Photo: Flickr CC / cliff1066
