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My first classroom had windows at the back that could open to let in a fresh breeze. One day when the windows were open, a misguided bird flew in and panicked as it tried to find its way out. Amidst the confusion, a student yelled out from the back corner, “I told you Knitter’s class was for the birds!”
I was coaching the junior boys’ football team and as the game was about to begin, I told our captain that if we won the coin toss, we “want the ball.” I assumed that he knew what that meant. He came back after handshakes at the midfield meeting and said, “Coach, we have the ball, but we’re kicking it to them!”
We often forget that students hear different words and phrases and process concepts differently. On an exam, I was expecting the answer “theorem of Pythagoras” but got “thing of Panthergram.” On another test I was expecting “pentagon” but got “a five-sided triangle.” And to the question, “Does this function have a minimum or maximum value?” I got the answer “Yes.”
When determining the height of tall objects, it is convenient to use the height of a smaller object, say a metre stick, and the shadow length of the metre stick. By comparison, you can determine the height of a tall object like a tree if you know the length of the shadow its cast. I knew that our discussion had stalled when a student asked me, “Yeah, I know how to do it, but how long is a metre stick”?
As the students come to class, I often welcome them at the door. As I say “Good morning,” a few of them return with “Hey, how’s it going, Mr. N?”
However, my favourite story is borrowed from a colleague. A student’s first name was difficult to pronounce. Her middle name as noted on the class register was much easier to say—Nmi (pronounced “nah-mee”), and the teacher used this name to call upon the student. At the end of the semester, this shy and respectful student approached the teacher and told him that Nmi was not really her name. When the teacher asked why Nmi was on the register she responded, “That stands for ‘no middle initial.’”
Henry continues to learn about and teach mathematics at John G. Diefenbaker High School, in Calgary.
Stories and photos wanted
The ATA News is always on the lookout for interesting articles, photos and cartoons. Articles should not exceed 500 words and should be accompanied by a short byline, stating where you work and what you teach. Photos of teachers or students participating in interesting activities are welcome, as are cartoons. Don't forget to include photo captions. Please note: Receipt of material does not guarantee its publication. Send your submissions to Managing Editor, the ATA News, 11010 - 142 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T5N 2R1 or submit electronically to raymond.gariepy@ata.ab.ca.
