Posts tagged SOLARO

Platinum-selling recording artist Danny Fernandes, who recently launched his sophomore album, can’t credit luck with his successful career. He credits hard work, dedication, and a solid education.

Danny was fortunate enough to attend an arts-oriented school. Specialized schools exist in most jurisdictions. Many, like Danny’s, cater to the arts, while others are specialized for sciences, mathematics, or sports. Even though spaces are limited in these schools, Danny doesn’t think that should prevent anyone from following his or her dreams. What’s Danny’s solution? Watch the video to find out!

I was looking at the common core curriculum for Grade 5 mathematics yesterday, and one sentence of one outcome got me thinking. The outcome is 5.NF.5.b:

Interpret multiplication as scaling (resizing) by explaining why multiplying a given number by a fraction greater than 1 results in a product greater than the given number (recognizing multiplication by whole numbers greater than 1 as a familiar case); explaining why multiplying a given number by a fraction less than 1 results in a product smaller than the given number; and relating the principle of fraction equivalence
a/b = (n×a)/(n×b) to the effect of multiplying a/b by 1.

The first part of the outcome seems pretty straightforward—if you multiply a number by another number greater than 1, the answer is bigger than the number you started with; if you multiply a number by another number less than 1, the answer is smaller than the number you started with. It was the last sentence about fraction equivalence that stopped me in my tracks.

At my first reading, I could not puzzle out the relationship between creating equivalent fractions and the rest of the outcome. Then I had a flash of insight. It starts like this:

Students may spend their entire student careers blissfully multiplying numerators and denominators by the same number without realizing that they are actually multiplying by 1. This bit of ignorance will never harm them. It will not cause them to make mistakes once they hit more advanced math. It will not incur the wrath of the math overlords, if they do indeed exist.

That said, there is a kind of beauty in including the last sentence in this outcome: multiply by a number bigger than 1, the product is bigger; multiply by a number less than 1, the product is smaller. And when you multiply by 1, boys and girls, the product stays the same, even if it looks a bit different.

Feedback is critical to educators, and here at Solaro, we think feedback is a really useful tool to help us give our customers the best possible experience. We know that education is one of the most important jobs in the world, as the type of education we impart on the younger generation impacts the future we all share. That’s why it’s so invigorating to receive positive feedback, like this tidbit from Chelsea Edwards from Timmins High (Attawapiskat First Nation and Timmins, Ontario).

Chelsea isn’t just any 16-year-old student. She was also a delegate to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, speaking before them in Geneva in February 2012. A winner of the J.S. Woodsworth award for her outstanding commitment to eliminating racism, she hopes to attend Carleton University to study human rights.

D.B., a valued contributor to SOLARO explains how his life was changed completely by a suggestion by his teacher in grade 12. Thanks to great teachers across the world!

SOLARO loves great teachers.

May 7–14 is Teacher Appreciation Week in the United States.  One of SOLARO’s editing masterminds shares her thoughts on a very special teacher in her life.

SOLARO loves great teachers.

May 7–14 is Teacher Appreciation Week in the United States.  One of SOLARO’s teacher-writers describes how a computer teacher inspired her.

SOLARO loves great teachers.

May 7–14 is Teacher Appreciation Week in the United States, and here at SOLARO we wanted to take a moment to honour great teachers who inspired our staff members and gave them a love for learning that we hope, in turn, to pass onto students who use SOLARO.

SOLARO loves great teachers.

May 7–14 is Teacher Appreciation Week in the United States.  SOLARO editor kp put a comma in his work day to show us how one teacher showed him the way.

SOLARO loves great teachers.

May 7–14 is Teacher Appreciation Week in the United States, and here at SOLARO science writer and chemist M.A.P. fondly remembers a teacher who taught her that a little literature can take you at least as far as logic.

SOLARO loves great teachers.

A very special content administrator at SOLARO wants to thank a teacher who pushed some six graders out of their comfort zone, and into living life to the fullest!