That Small Moment

It was the year 2001 when I was in the fourth grade and struggling to understand multiplication. I had always been a diligent student but lacked not only confidence in my ability to learn but also the knowledge. Mr. Greene, my teacher was kind and friendly, but no matter how long we practiced, I just couldn't seem to grasp the concept.

I remember when he’d first introduced multiplication to the class and let each student participate in solving problems by calling us to the board, I stood before the class, explaining to them that they had the wrong sign as I turned the x into a plus before solving it, which is why they couldn’t get the right answer. I remember Mr. Greene smiled before showing me that the sign was indeed correct before explaining how to do the problem. He also announced that he would practice with me until I understood.

Prior to Mr. Greene showing us multiplication, I had no idea that that style of math even existed, so to say the least, it was foreign in my eyes and out of range for my young mind.

We practiced countless hours but nothing seemed to stick. As motivation, he told me that if I could get the answers right, he would give me a pickle, my favorite snack. But still, I couldn't catch on to it.

One day, I was on the toilet, minding my own business, when my big sister burst into the bathroom as she was debating with our cousins on what 100x100 was. She pulled out some chalk to write on the old wooden door as I watched open mouthed, amazed while she solved a multiplication problem with lightning speed.

"How did you do that and how can I do that myself?" I asked, intrigued.

My sister patiently explained the concept to me in a way that finally made sense. She showed me how to count by multiples and how to tackle bigger problems by breaking them down into manageable chunks. And for the first time, I felt like I could actually catch onto what she was showing me.

"So, let's say for example you have 10x3, you would count by 10s three times," she said. She then wrote 10 on the door three times to show me how she'd done it. “You can do it with the 3s as well,” she said while writing ten 3s in the blank space below the row of 10s. She showed me how to write one tally stick for each number that I’d counted out in order to know how many times I’d counted. She then showed me a bigger problem of 50x50, but this time she not only showed me to count by a separate number in each column, but she also showed me that zero was automatically the beginning of the next set of numbers and that one zero would be added to the existing zeros each time we solved a column.

I was impressed by how easy it seemed and it all made sense to me.

‘I would’ve understood it sooner if my teacher had just explained it this way,’ I thought to myself.

With that knowledge, I excitedly began to practice, ready to show my teacher what I had learned. I couldn't wait to show him that I could finally understand multiplication.

The following day, as I walked into the classroom, Mr. Greene greeted me with a smile.

"Are you ready for today's lesson?" he asked. I nodded my head, eager to show him what I had learned.

As the lesson began, Mr. Greene began asking us multiplication questions, and I answered them confidently. I could see the surprise and delight on his face as I answered question after question correctly. I knew I had finally gotten it, and it lit up my world.

Looking back, I realize that sometimes, all it takes is a different perspective or a different approach to learning. I'm grateful for my sister's help and for the patience and guidance of my teacher. They both played a significant role in helping me understand something that I had struggled with for so long. And even now, I'm confident in my math abilities and am grateful for that small moment that changed everything.

That's a memory that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, along with the image of my teacher's face when I told him I was on the toilet. It still makes me laugh, thinking maybe I should have kept that part to myself. But regardless, I am grateful for that moment, it showed me the power of a good teacher, a helpful sibling, and the impact that even the smallest moments can have on someone's life.