(a term coined by cognitive psychologist Robert Bjork) suggests that making learning harder—through varied conditions, intermittent feedback, and confounding tests—dramatically improves long-term retention.
Unlike the "cool teacher" who bargained for popularity, or the "strict teacher" who ruled through volume and detention slips, Mary Top ruled through cognitive friction . She understood a secret that modern pedagogy is only now rediscovering: learning that comes easily is rarely remembered. What makes a teacher "tricky" in the Mary Top sense of the word? It is not deception; it is strategic misdirection . Here are the hallmarks of her method: 1. The Reverse Pop Quiz Most teachers announce a quiz. Mary Top gave quizzes before you even knew the subject existed. She would walk into class, write three seemingly impossible questions on the board, and say, "Turn over your paper. Begin." When the groans subsided, she would smile. "Don't worry. You aren't being graded on answers. You are being graded on how you react to not knowing. The tricky part? The real lesson starts now." 2. The Double-Blind Homework Mary Top famously assigned two sets of homework: the one written on the board (obvious, simple) and the one whispered to the three students who actually read the fine print on the syllabus (advanced, creative). The "tricky" twist? The whispered assignment was worth triple points. She didn't reward the loudest student; she rewarded the most observant . 3. The "Mary Top Corollary" to the Socratic Method Socrates asked questions to elicit truth. Mary Top asked questions to elicit thinking about thinking . A typical exchange: Student: "Ms. Top, is the answer 42?" Mary Top: "That depends. Is 42 the answer to the problem I wrote, or the answer to the problem you think I wrote?" Student: "...I don't understand." Mary Top: "Precisely. That is the first correct thing you've said all day. Now, go find the hidden variable." She never raised her voice. She raised the stakes . Part III: The Legend of "The Drawer" Every school has its urban legends. For Hardscrabble Elementary, the legend centered on Mary Top’s large, unlocked bottom desk drawer. tricky old teacher mary top
She walked out. No one has seen her since. A quick look at search trends shows a curious phenomenon: the keyword "tricky old teacher mary top" spikes every September. (a term coined by cognitive psychologist Robert Bjork)
It doesn't matter.
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." What makes a teacher "tricky" in the Mary
