Ellie, the Math Teacher

Ellie was a happy young woman who loved math a lot and wanted to be a math teacher. She got her first job teaching at a school where the kids were known for being full of energy—but sometimes they were too energetic and didn't listen well.

Every day, Ellie walked into her classroom with plans to teach fun math stuff, but the kids would rather throw paper planes or look at their phones than listen to her talk about numbers. The kids would groan and ignore her when she tried to show them how cool math could be.

There was one boy, Lucas, who was always playing tricks and making jokes instead of learning. Ellie saw that Lucas was very smart, and she wished she could get him interested in math.

One day, the noise and mess in her class made Ellie sad, and she wondered if she was really supposed to be a teacher. She decided to ask for help from Mr. Johansson, an older teacher who was good at handling loud classes. He told her to find out what the kids liked and connect it to math.

Ellie thought hard and came up with a new plan. On Monday, she surprised her class. She told them they were going to make video game characters using math. The kids went quiet because they were surprised and interested. She talked about how math is in video games, and Lucas got excited because he wanted to make games.

Ellie started using things like music and sports to explain math. The kids began to have fun learning, and even Lucas started to like math. He helped Ellie by getting excited about math challenges and helping to keep the class fun.

Ellie’s class was not always easy, but she didn't feel unsure anymore. She learned that teaching is about making lessons that are exciting and help each student be their best—even if they sometimes act out. Teaching this way made her dream of being a math teacher come true in ways she hadn’t thought of before.

Answer these questions 

1. What was Ellie's dream job?

2. Where did Ellie get her first teaching job?

3. How did the children in Ellie's class behave during lessons?

4. What did Ellie want to teach her students about?

5. Who was Lucas and what was he known for in class?

6. How did Ellie feel when her class was noisy and messy?

7. Who did Ellie go to for advice on handling her class?

8. What advice did Mr. Johansson give Ellie?

9. How did Ellie get the students, including Lucas, interested in math?

10. What did Ellie learn about teaching by the end of the story?

**Quiz over the Story**

1. What subject does Ellie love and teach?

    A) Science

    B) Math

    C) History

    D) English

2. What was the problem Ellie faced with her first class?

    A) The kids were too quiet.

    B) The kids were too shy.

    C) The kids were very energetic and sometimes would not listen.

    D) The kids were always absent.

3. What would the kids in Ellie's class prefer doing instead of learning math?

    A) Drawing

    B) Reading books

    C) Throwing paper planes and looking at their phones

    D) Sleeping

4. Why did Ellie wish Lucas would take an interest in math?

    A) Because he was the principal’s son 

    B) Because he was always absent

    C) Because she saw that he was very smart

    D) Because he was good at drawing

5. Who did Ellie seek help from when she felt sad about her noisy class?

    A) The school counselor

    B) Mr. Johansson, an older teacher

    C) Her parents

    D) Lucas

6. What advice did Mr. Johansson give to Ellie?

    A) To be stricter with the class

    B) To find out what the kids liked and link it to math

    C) To give more homework

    D) To ignore the bad behavior

7. How did Ellie plan to capture her students' attention on Monday?

    A) By giving them a surprise test

    B) By teaching them to make video game characters using math

    C) By canceling the class

    D) By showing them a movie

8. What topic did Ellie use to make math exciting for Lucas?

    A) Space exploration

    B) Cooking recipes

    C) Video game development

    D) Fashion design

9. After trying a new teaching method, how did Lucas contribute to the math class?

    A) He became more troublesome.

    B) He helped Ellie by getting into math challenges.

    C) He left the class.

    D) He became silent and didn't participate anymore.

10. What did Ellie learn from her experience of teaching this particular class?

    A) That she shouldn't be a teacher

    B) That teaching should be about creating lessons that engage students

    C) That math is not important

    D) That making video games is more fun than teaching

Match the Words with Their Definitions:

1. Stuff - ____

2. Trick - ____

3. Groan - ____

4. Ignore - ____

5. Handle - ____

6. Supposed to - ____

7. Come up with - ____

8. Act out - ____

Definitions:

A. Behave badly, especially when unhappy or stressed.

B. To deliberately pay no attention to or disregard something or someone.

C. Make a sound to express pain, dissatisfaction, or annoyance.

D. A clever or deceitful action or device intended to deceive or outwit someone.

E. To develop or produce an idea, or plan by careful thought.

F. Physical material or items collectively

G. Manage a situation or problem.

H. Required or obligated to do something.