Chill Bump Moments

LSEM > stories > Wow Story > Chill Bump Moments

Chill Bump Moments

  • March 4, 2026
  • Posted by: Emilie Flynn
  • Category: Wow Story
No Comments

As the LSEM Resource Teacher at Trinity Lutheran School in Tinley Park, IL, I push into math classes to support our students. In one particular 8th grade class, we had just started learning the process of converting larger numbers into Scientific Notation. Our Jr. High Math teacher had expertly explained the steps to converting a standard number to Scientific Notation. The students completed a fill-in-the blank worksheet as part of the lesson and followed several examples led by the teacher. When asked to do one by themselves, I could feel a little student tension in the room. When called on, many of the students got the answer wrong. Then the Math Teacher said, “Remember, you count the digits from decimal to decimal to determine the power of 10, not just the zeros,” showing them the steps that they had filled out on the worksheet. Suddenly, there was this collective, “OOOH!” from almost every student in the room. The energy in the room went way up, and there was a smile on their faces as if a light bulb had lit up!  

I love light bulb moments! It signals that understanding has reached a student’s brain and given them confidence! I live for these moments when all the hard work and support has paid off! Even though it wasn’t just my hard work, it was a joint effort with two teachers supporting students that brought it about! It was definitely worthy of a chill-bump moment! This is what makes me want to keep teaching day after day! Look for a chill-bump moment and rejoice that you may have played a part in creating that moment for a student!