Teaching Elementary, My Dear Watson

32 - Falling for Math

32

Falling for Math

Monday, February 13

Yesterday's thunderstorm had been violent but passed quickly. As Kevin drove to work, some clouds remained, but the sun peeked through. It would be a beautiful day. The first rays shone atop Eagle Mountain, at over 10,000-foot elevation. It looked like a new coat of white paint covered its craggy summit. The warm weather would make short work of the accumulation, but for now, Kevin felt grateful.

Southern California seldom looked more beautiful than after a winter storm. Snow on the mountains reached the jagged peaks, the panorama cutting into the clear blue sky. The rain drove the smog away. Kevin took deep breaths of the clean air as he walked from the school parking lot to his classroom.

Time in the high desert yesterday had healed him some. It would be a process, but he had friends, nature, and music as support. He just had to trust that he would make it.

Funny. I thought I had it all figured out, but then when I saw her on Saturday, I could hardly speak or look at her. I loved Monica so much. I guess I still do. A part of me will love what we once were forever. Gradually I'll look more to the future rather than the past. Time. It will still take time.

It was wonderful to see his students. They got him smiling. Kids knew how to be in the moment and their antics helped Kevin do the same. It was like they were also feeling the blessings left by the storm. They seemed to enjoy the reading groups, USSR, writing activities, and more. After recess, they completed short science and social studies lessons, then headed out to lunch.

*****

The sun's return soon dried the field at Mountain View School. The girls' team won 2-0, with one goal scored each half. Kevin liked the way they played position defense and anticipated their opponents' passes. He had taught them to watch the eyes. Most kids did not control the ball well, so had to look down as they dribbled the soccer ball. But the few who had higher-level skills usually telegraphed the direction of their passes with their eyes. Valle Grande's girls watched, then moved to intercept passes, defense quickly switching to offense. The Mountain View goalie was good, but the Eagles had ten more shots than their opponents and the consistent pressure wore their defense down.

*****

Kevin and the girls returned, feeling great, and the afternoon math lesson began on a similarly positive note. Improved speed math skills had changed Art's attitude. As he got faster and became one of the leaders in arithmetic, his whole demeanor during the problem-solving sessions became much more positive. Art's reading ability made him the best in the class at taking word problem stories and turning them into equations.

Kevin described an example: "Two friends entered the market, but neither had enough money to buy the box of baseball cards, which cost $2.40 for two-dozen packs. Please find the following:

1. How much is the cost of each pack?

2. If Charley has $1.15 and Manuel has $1.35, how much change will they get after the purchase?"

Art broke it down "A dozen is twelve, so two dozen is 24. To find the cost of one out of 24, we could guess and subtract, but it's faster to divide $2.40 by 24, so ten cents each."

"Excellent, Art. What about the next part?"

"Well, first we need to know how much they have together. So that's addition. $1.15 + $1.35 = $2.50. Then to find out how much change, that's what is left over, so we subtract. $2.50 - $2.40 = ten cents. They could buy another pack if they wished, but then it wouldn't be even. So maybe they should keep five cents each and stay friends?"