When I was in college, I did some substitute math teaching in my old high school for the head of the math dept. Some classes were to students in the grade 12 math which was the basic math for a high school diploma, the students that did not expect to go to college or were not going to use math in college.

I remember the lessons on fractions. Yes, grade 12 math on fractions. The other grade 12 math was calculus -- for those who could do math.

What I remember is struggling with how to teach these kids since it seemed difficult and then I hit on something that worked and they got it easily and were very proud of themselves. Math is something that they just needed a different way to explain it. Not that they were going to move on to calculus but sometimes they just need a path that works.

Ren