When I was 10 or 11 (I think), there was a girl in the class who couldn't grasp that division by 0 wouldn't work. The teacher was impressively patient with her, but she still didn't grasp it. The teacher then did something which I thought was brilliant.
He called the girl up to the front, then asked 10 of us to bring our textbooks up and place them on the desk. He then asked the girl to create a single pile out of the books. She did, and the teacher told her, 'Ok, that's 10 divided by 1, and it gets us 10 books in one pile. Now, divide the books into two even piles.' She did, and he said, 'That's 10 divided by 2, which gets us 5 books in each pile. With me so far?' She was, and he had her divide the books into five even piles, explaining, 'Now, we've divided the 10 books by 5 piles, which gets us 2 books each. Now, divide the books into zero piles.' She looked at him for a second or two, and I swear I remember seeing the light dawn on her face.
With the right teacher, anyone can be taught.
Boru
He called the girl up to the front, then asked 10 of us to bring our textbooks up and place them on the desk. He then asked the girl to create a single pile out of the books. She did, and the teacher told her, 'Ok, that's 10 divided by 1, and it gets us 10 books in one pile. Now, divide the books into two even piles.' She did, and he said, 'That's 10 divided by 2, which gets us 5 books in each pile. With me so far?' She was, and he had her divide the books into five even piles, explaining, 'Now, we've divided the 10 books by 5 piles, which gets us 2 books each. Now, divide the books into zero piles.' She looked at him for a second or two, and I swear I remember seeing the light dawn on her face.
With the right teacher, anyone can be taught.
Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax
