“Please, Mr. Frog,” he said, “would you carry me across the river?”

 　　“I can’t do that,” said the frog. “You are a scorpion, and you will sting me.”

 　　“No,” said the scorpion. “I won’t sting you because then we will both drown in the river.”

 　　This made sense to the frog, and he agreed to help him.

 　　The scorpion climbed onto the back of the frog, and the frog began to swim. When they reached the middle of the river, the scorpion stung the frog. It hurt the frog very much, and they both began to sink under the water.

 　　“Why did you sting me?” asked the frog. “Now I will die, and you will surely drown.”

 　　“I couldn’t help it,” said the scorpion. “I am a scorpion, and that is what scorpions do. And you knew I was a scorpion when you let me ride on your back.”

        Tourists are often confused in Japan. That’s because most streets there don’t have names; outside big cities, people most often use landmarks in their directions. For example, the Japanese might tell travelers something like this: “Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel with the sushi bar and go past the fruit market. The post office is next to the fast-food place.” 

        People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of directions or distance on the map. Residents there are almost always in their cars, so they measure distance in time. “How far away is the post office?” you ask. “Oh,” they might answer, “I guess it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “Yes, but how many miles away is it?” They rarely know. 

        What if a person doesn’t know the answer to your question about the location of a place? A New Yorker might say, “Sorry, I have no idea” and walk away quickly. But in Yucatan, Mexico, not many residents answer, “I don’t know.” People in Yucatan may believe that a quick “I don’t know” is impolite; they might stay and talk to you—and usually they’ll try to give an answer, sometimes a wrong one. A tourist without a good sense of direction can get very lost in this southern region! 

        One thing will help you everywhere—in Japan, Los Angeles, Mexico, or any other place. You might not understand a person’s words, but you can probably understand the body language—the facial expressions, gestures, motions, movements, and so on. He or she will usually turn and then point. Go in that direction and you’ll find the post office—maybe!

Ellen Glanz lied to her teacher about why she hadn’t done her homework; but, of course, many students have lied to their teachers. The difference is that Ellen Glanz was a twenty-eight-year-old high school social studies teacher who was a student for six months to improve her teaching by gaining a fresh prospect of her school.

She found many classes boring, students doing as little as necessary to pass tests and get good grades, students using tricks to avoid assignment, and students skillfully persuading teachers to do the work for them. She concluded that many students are turned off because they have little power and responsibility for their own education.

Ellen Glanz found herself doing the same things as the students. There was the day when Glanz wanted to join her husband in helping friends celebrate the purchase of a house, but she had homework for a math class. For the first time, she knew how teenagers feel when they think something is more important than homework.