Researchers know why the Mona Lisa Smiled!

I couldn't help but pass this one along, I find it so amusing. Read how researchers used 3-D imaging to determine that the gauzy shawl that she wore was actually the one worn by women in the Rennaissance who were with child.

It is a fascinating article. But, as the researchers say:

No scientific research will ever figure out exactly what Leonardo was trying to convey, or why exactly she was smiling.

New discoveries “don't take away the mystery,” Menu said. “On the contrary, they merely add another layer to the meaning, which only makes things more interesting.”

I feel like this is akin to the research about best practices in the classroom.

I envision a picture of a teacher standing in the foreground of a classroom of students excitedly working on computers. Why is the teacher smiling?

Perhaps it is because the teacher knows that truly he or she is the most critical element in the classroom that determines whether that classroom will succeed or fail. That classroom is truly his/her domain and the results that are imprinted for years to come can be studied but no one will never truly understand the mystery of a great teacher.

Quietly smile at your classroom today and know that you are christening great minds onto the path of learning and excitement. Smile quietly at your classroom as they get excited and learn.

It will drive everyone else crazy to figure out why you are smiling!

Did you realize that you are so like the Mona Lisa?