This Brilliant Math Teacher Has a Formula to Save Kids' Lives

A few weeks ago, I went into Chase's class for tutoring.

I'd emailed Chase's teacher one evening and said, "Chase keeps telling me that this stuff you're sending home is math -- but I'm not sure I believe him. Help, please." She emailed right back and said, "No problem! I can tutor Chase after school anytime." And I said, "No, not him. Me. He gets it. Help me." And that's how I ended up standing at a chalkboard in an empty fifth grade classroom staring at rows of shapes that Chase's teacher kept referring to as "numbers."

I stood a little shakily at the chalkboard while Chase's teacher sat behind me, perched on her desk, using a soothing voice to try to help me understand the "new way we teach long division." Luckily for me, I didn't have to unlearn much because I never really understood the "old way we taught long division." It took me a solid hour to complete one problem, but l could tell that Chase's teacher liked me anyway. She used to work with NASA, so obviously we have a whole lot in common.

Afterwards, we sat for a few minutes and talked about teaching children and what a sacred trust and responsibility it is. We agreed that subjects like math and reading are the least important things that are learned in a classroom. We talked about shaping little hearts to become contributors to a larger community -- and we discussed our mutual dream that those communities might be made up of individuals who are Kind and Brave above all.

And then she told me this.

Every Friday afternoon Chase's teacher asks her students to take out a piece of paper and write down the names of four children with whom they'd like to sit the following week. The children know that these requests may or may not be honored. She also asks the students to nominate one student who they believe has been an exceptional classroom citizen that week. All ballots are privately submitted to her.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glennon-melton/this-brilliant-math-teacher-has-a-formula-to-save-kids-lives_b_4899349.html?utm_hp_ref=good-news&ir=Good%20News

It's brilliant when you have a great teacher.   My chemistry, maths, technical drawing and english teachers were exceptional and helped many children during their teaching lives.   They weren't all like that, my physics master stank of pipe smoke and I did all my physics work out of class.   Got my GCSE though.

This one I hold my hand up to more than most, she sought to make that much more of a difference, hold my hat off to her Sassy

PhilDidge wrote:This one I hold my hand up to more than most, she sought to make that much more of a difference, hold my hat off to her Sassy  

And me.   But mine were the same.   As I went to a boarding school the really good ones acted like surrogate parents and looked out for you.   My chemistry master was fantastic, funny, clever, interesting, but he knew every child and would make sure things were good in their world.    Best teachers are like that.

Seen this before it is really good, is it true though or an internet myth?
It's a good way to be and tbh, most infant schools take this approach anyway.