{"id":24049,"date":"2025-07-30T11:34:26","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T15:34:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dvsnightingstg.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=24049"},"modified":"2025-07-30T11:34:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T15:34:31","slug":"data-spreadsheets-sneeze","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nightingaledvs.com\/data-spreadsheets-sneeze\/","title":{"rendered":"Data Doesn\u2019t Have to Start with Spreadsheets. It Can Start with a Sneeze."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I was invited to an elementary school in the Bay Area to introduce kids to the wonderful world of data. A decade ago, I wouldn\u2019t have imagined myself agreeing to do it but doing these data exercises with my own kids, I was less scared. I said, \u201cBring it on!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the day of the event, I arrived 10 minutes before the allotted time, parked my very reliable Honda CRV, and entered the school. The teacher greeted me at the door and we took the stairs to classroom 4-B. Just before entering the class, I said a little prayer and entered the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a different step, very much so from what I am used to in the \u2018corporate world.\u2019 There were no phones, no laptops; these kids were actually talking to each other. As I entered the room, the attention shifted and now all eyes were on me. I could also feel my heart beating a little faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Are you Mr. Gulrez?” one kid asked.
I cleared my throat and said, \u201cYes, I am. Do you know me?\u201d
\u201cI have your book and it has your picture in it. You were young.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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I realized that picture was taken some 10 years ago (even before these kids were born..lol) at Microsoft when our leadership called a professional photographer for a headshot in Building 5. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I laughed (at myself) and thought about shifting gears. \u201cShould I open my laptop and walk through the slides I created?\u201d I asked myself. However, \u201cWouldn\u2019t that be boring for these little kids?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAchoo!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sneeze came from Anas, sitting in the second row.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, two more: \u201cAchoo! Achoo!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I walked to the whiteboard, and wrote\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n

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I turned around and the kids were laughing. Anas looked at me and shrugged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you think this is data?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laughter erupted. One student whispered, \u201cThat\u2019s not data!\u201d

\u201cWhy not?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just then, Anas (enjoying the spotlight) added one very obvious fake sneeze.
I turned back to the board:<\/p>\n\n\n

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More laughter. Now they were hooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I asked, \u201cIs anyone here good at drawing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And everyone raised their hand\u2026. (hmm interesting. When I ask the same question in my corporate workshops, adults often say, I used to draw as a kid.<\/em> What changed?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Little Sara came up and drew a stick figure of Anas mid-sneeze, complete with dramatic “ACHOO!” bubbles.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Then we created\u2014Sneeze Graph, Snore Graph, Crying Baby Graph and so on\u2014the classroom was alive with curiosity, and creativity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I couldn\u2019t capture the video of my session, I recorded this episode to share the topics I covered and how to make it engaging for the kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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