There was once a small country school, a teacher named Alice, who was highly appreciated by her students.
Indeed, every Monday, she gave her students leave in the morning. Wednesday afternoon, she offered a dessert. On Fridays, the school ended at noon. Nothing to do with all these teachers from other schools, which in turn complained of lack of time and imagination to cover the program of the Department of Public Instruction and to compensate for stuffing children work and homework at home.
One day, Alice fell ill. We thought at first it was a cold, flu, coughs, but do not let go. She canceled her classes for two weeks. Then, his health deteriorated as she had to accept to be replaced: a place waiting for him at the sanatorium.
As the replacement could not arrive for two days, Bertha, a former schoolteacher who had to stop teaching when she married, which took place one day.
Before leaving, like any good teacher, Alice had prepared a series of exercises for his students.
- I've already seen all the theory, it is understood, here are some exercises who should occupy the children while I return.
Bertha who had long taught the first grade students found very surprising in mathematics, Alice offers exercises for adding fractions very complicated. How Alice, even missing several days of class, she had managed to teach her cubs so complex concepts? As Alice was perceived by students as a great scholarly, Bertha began to doubt itself.
- How is it that my students had so much trouble learning to add fractions? How is it that I had to spend so many weeks on this concept, when Alice arrives at them to do exercises as difficult as
2 / 5 + 3 / 7 + 1 / 2? How to find the common denominator of these three fractions multiply without knowing?
Bertha came to class without too much insurance on Wednesday morning.
- Hello Madam, how do you bring dessert?
- Are we able to leave early tonight, large classes are a tournament ball and we would like to attend?
Berthe asked them if they understand their math lesson.
- Yes!
- I would still review the matter before you leave to exercise, if you wish.
- We prefer to do the exercises right away.
- Oh ... but still, I think you've seen very quickly. You know, usually, the children of your age find these very difficult problems.
(Silence)
- Let's review anyway. So to add fractions, you must first find a common denominator. For example, if you make 1 / 2 + 1 / 8, well 1 / 2 is equivalent to 4 / 8 ... Your lack of attention let me guess it annoys you. Would you rather I let you do exercises?
- YES!
- Very good: exercise!
- Madam, if it is a period of years, is it possible to watch the tournament balls?
- Make me one year and you can go.
- Me, Madam, I'm not sure I understand the addition of fractions. I do not understand this exercise 2 / 5 + 5 / 8 - 1 / 7.
Bertha felt helpless. How to explain how to find the common denominator of this problem to a child who theoretically, is not yet multiply?
- Listen, show me your class notes I see how Alice made these additions with you and I can better explain.
Then Berthe read in the notebook:
1 / 2 + 3 / 4 = 4 / 6
1 / 5 + 9 / 11 = 10/16
25/14 - 21 / 2 = 4 / 16
1 / 5 + 9 / 11 = 10/16
25/14 - 21 / 2 = 4 / 16
Devil ... What to do?
Bertha could obviously not endorse this procedure. She began to explain to children that must find a common denominator, for example, 1 / 2 + 1 / 4, well 1 / 2 is the equivalent of 2 / 4. She was on the edge of exploding.
- When you eat half a pie, it is equivalent to eating two pieces of a pie that was divided into 4 parts. If we add another part, so a quarter more than half of this pie, well, we ate the 3 / 4 of the pie, not 1 / 6! Anyway, 1 / 6 is smaller than 1 / 2. So if, 1 / 2, add 1 / 4, it is impossible that we end up with less than half!
That some saw in the direction of the operation.
Others were shocked to see how indignant Bertha explaining the flaws of the method of Alice.
- Tell us!, suddenly demanded a few students.
- Yes, please tell us with one of our exercises.
...
Bertha did his best.
Many students took advantage of his inattention to leave class and go to the tournament ball. The others sat stunned. Bertha's remarks seemed to them logical, but the process was so complex that they do nothing followed ...
Then they all said it's Alice who write the exam. Alice who is correct. Alice is sending the assessment score determined by it to the Department. So also choose the method that Alice is so much simpler! And this method could not be false, since the last review, the students had all had 3 / 3 for number one, 4 / 4 for the number two and three thirds for number three.
In total, all had 3 / 3 + 4 / 4 + 3 / 3 = 10/10.
And you know, Alice has been for years the highest success rate in the province.
The Minister of Education has even this year, named teacher of the year!
You may be wondering how has managed the official successor, which came the second day? As well, parents have returned. His methods were far too difficult, it was much too severe and the children loved him. The children are then left without a teacher for a month, then Alice came back and said he managed to catch the program before the end of the year, the proof being that all students have their very successful year for the greatest joy of parents and the Department.
