April Fool

#1 Some word problems are impossible.

April Fool's Day. Can teachers join in? Is it permissible to fib to your class for one morning, for the sake of entertainment? Well, we do it for Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy, so on that basis, I decided to set my top set maths class an impossible question:

My maths set love a challenge. I convinced them with some 'Higher Order Thinking Skills', it could be done. Every one of them started writing calculations on whiteboards. Various strategies and methods were used. One table were convinced that it was to do with the area and perimeter of a compound shape. Only one child, a Chinese boy with a keen eye for maths and an even keener eye for logical thinking, didn't attempt it.

After fifteen minutes of hard work, my bright maths set explained their answers in great detail. Several of them had got the same answer of 28. A few others chose 3. A handful had gone into algebra. When I revealed the true answer, I was greeted by blank and confused faces. Only then did it twig with one of them. The others laughed. I laughed. The Chinese boy continued to look confused. It took me another fifteen minutes to explain the concept of April Fool's Day to him.

Despite my amusement, I felt slightly bad that I had exploited the good nature of my maths set. It did make me think though, that teachers get away with telling a fair few lies in the nature of their profession.

Here's one example: My eldest daughter, 5 years old, came home from school last week and said, "Daddy, Mrs A can see through walls."

My ears pricked up. "Really?"

"Yes," she replied. "She can see into the cloakroom and outside."

"Does she see good things as well as bad things?" 

"Yes. But mostly bad things."

Lesson of the day: Tell the truth in all circumstances. But remember that a little bit of creative embellishment can make for a happier - and more entertaining - classroom environment.