Tricky Old - Teacher Mary Top

Finally, the custodian—a man named Earl who had swept her floors for thirty years—stood up and said, "Ms. Top, you never taught us how to say goodbye without a puzzle to solve."

Mary Top was practicing "desirable difficulties" before it had a name. When she gave a test on material she hadn't taught yet, she wasn't being mean. She was forcing your brain to build a "curiosity gap." When she changed the rules mid-game, she was training cognitive flexibility. tricky old teacher mary top

The now lives as a meme, a mindset, and a method. She is the voice in your head that says, "Read the instructions twice." She is the hunch that the obvious answer is a trap. She is the reason you check the fine print before signing anything. Finally, the custodian—a man named Earl who had