Once, a math teacher was asked by her senior- in-charge, to submit a paper, relating 'Maths in our everyday life.' For a second, the math teacher was surprised at her senior's demand, but then she smiled. She politely replied her, 'As you wish'! It was supposed to be submitted within three days.
Next day, early in the morning, she gave a call to her senior, saying that she had to join her for some visit. The senior couldn't understand her request but eventually agreed. After an hour, they both met in the school campus and went out, in a cab. Of course, they took the permission from the principal.
On the way, the senior asked her again and again, where and what for they were going. But the math teacher, requested her to keep patience. After a while, she asked the driver to stop the car near a hospital. Reluctantly, the senior entered into the hospital with her. She took her, straight to a maternity-ward. They saw beautiful new born babies with their mothers. She went near a bed and asked, 'When was the baby born?' After a small chatting, they came back to the cab.
Again the car started moving on the road. Just near a health center, she asked the driver to stop. They gave a visit, inside the health center. After a little discussion with the care taker, they came back to the cab again.Their next halting point was near a park. A huge giant wheel with other entertainment playthings were installed there. The senior was surprised and asked, 'Hey! You want to play, now?' She said, 'One round, ma'am, please!' So, they took a ride.
After coming back from the park, she took her senior to a beautiful, tall building whose infrastructure was mind blowing. Although, the building construction was finished, the side work was still going on. Hundred of laborers, were still busy in their specified work. The senior, really couldn't understand her teacher's intention of visiting so many unnecessary places, all on a sudden. But, however she accompanied with her, wherever she went. Next to next, they went to a cloths shop in a mall, where the discount offer was going on. At last, she took her to a private clinic and then to a graveyard and showed her something.
It was already 5:30 p.m, when they reached at school. By that time, both of them were extremely tired. The senior was almost disgusted with this type of absurd journey. She couldn't control herself and said, 'Miss, today you have already wasted your time. Be sure that you are going to submit the given topic by day after tomorrow. Don't give any excuse!' The math teacher nodded her head silently.
Submission day, all the subject teachers were busy submitting their papers. When the in-charge head asked the math teacher to submit her paper, she expressed her wish to show her paper through the projector. Although, she was angry, yet she arranged everything for projection. All the teachers with the principal, took their seats in a classroom and the light was switched off, only the light from the projector was falling upon the white-board. Suddenly, the buzzing sound of the teachers stopped as the show began:
All the slides were arranged with audio-visual effect. So, it appeared more lively. The first picture was no other than the maths teacher herself. She spoke, 'What I am going to present is nothing new, because others have already shown their papers applying audio-visual method. I have done the same, but slightly in different way. The thing is, we all are entangled with maths every moment of our life. But, only thing, we never bring it into our account that math is automatically linked to our every action life. However, this is my earnest and sincere attempt to present my paper, dealing with the topic 'Maths in our everyday life'. I thought that it would be more lively, if I could show you some real life examples rather than giving lecture. That's the concept, I prepared this slide show. If there is any mistake, I beg your pardon, please! Slowly, her picture was followed by the slides she made.
The presentation of 'Maths in our everyday life' was started. With a slow background music, the first slide came, where the in-charge head was asking a delivery patient, 'When was the baby born ?' and she was chatting with her, while the math teacher explains- The day, a baby is born, maths chapter 'Time and measurement' is attached to it. Because, we note the 'time' and 'weight' of the baby, the moment the baby is born.
Second slide moved around, ' A healthy food for a normal human being. But, usually in what amount balanced diet is eaten by a person in his / her food.' There she explains- In our food even, maths 'Quantity, mass and proportion are included'. Without a fixed proportion of different spices, the food will never become tasty.
The third slide indicated- Knowingly or unknowingly, we are deeply involved in maths in our enjoyment and fun. For example- We ride the Giant Wheel! Once we are moving one round, we are covering the circumference of the giant wheel and at the same time the height from the ground! So, Circle, circumference, height, all at a time included in our fun!
The whole classroom was pin drop silent, awaiting the fifth slide to come. The slides were so colorful and presentable, that made the onlookers dumb!
The fifth slide revealed- A beautiful building! The out side look of the building was really amazing! The square glass window, curved porch and huge rectangular shape transparent sliding glass door, everything was revealing the skill and workmanship of the workers! Here- Geometric shape with measurement, calculation is included. When it came to the side work which was still going on, the supervisor of the building, at the end of the day, was giving the daily wages to the laborers. Of course, the amount, they received was different from person to person. It was because of their time of work and work load. More work, more money, that was the concept! So, see! Time and Work, Ratio and Proportion, estimation, even unitary method, all were included.
'Oh, wow!' a slow sound mixed in the closed AC room. What's next?'
The sixth slide was loaded with the pictures of a over crowded mall. People were rushing to the shops, only because to save some money. 'Discount, flat 50 per cent, 80 per cent off' offer made them crazy. So, who was a gainer, who was a loser? Anyhow, Profit and Loss, CP and SP with Discount chapter, are they not present here?
Every two minutes video, she was relating the picture with the chapters of the math.
The seventh slide was dealing with the conversation of both the senior teacher and herself with a doctor, regarding the patient lying on the bed. The doctor told them that it was a 50-50 chance of survival of the patient. So, she expressed the theory of 'Probability'.
The last slide was a picture of graveyard, where both of them were keenly watching the 'the dates of born-died', written on the stone pillar. Now, she focused at the camera, then said, 'I think, this is enough for any one to understand the impact of maths in one's life! What more you want? When a person dies that 'time' is also noted. So, from the beginning, till to the end of our life, we are closely associated with maths, maths and maths! Am I right? Only for convenience, I mention few chapters name.
The show was over with a loud applause and appreciations!
She was different from others. Sometimes, she was dancing, singing in the class, if the children wished. Not only to mold them, but also to make them happy. According to her, if the children are satisfied with the teacher, then the teaching will automatically become easier. She was always in favor of practically present examples. That's the reason why, she insisted her senior to join with her, in her visits and took the video photograph of her whole journey in her i-phone.
She believed in one principle, 'Math is fun! Win the hearts of the children, the class will be yours!'
