Mathematics

About the Book

Is 1+1 always 2? Well some would say yes and others would ask, “what else could it be?” The answer lies within the understanding of productive struggle. For those educators that lead their students in the direction to the answer they want them to achieve, 1 + 1 will always give you the value of 2. However, if you are the type of educator that believes your students can see beyond the obvious and can discover for themselves that the answer is not always starring them in the face, then you are the type of educator that knows the art of perseverance. It will take some problem solving, foundational skills, getting to know more than just their names, and most importantly, a shift in thinking. Then, you will find that 1 + 1 just may give you so much more than 2. The “struggle is real” when it comes to getting students to see the benefit of working hard. Discover how to concentrate more on the process and the prize will be worth the work!

About the Author

Alvin Allen, has 18 years of experience in the field of education. During his earlier educational travels, he was a middle school and high school teacher, a STEAM coordinator, and district math consultant. Currently, he serves as a Career and Technology Education Consultant for a school district in Columbia, SC. Other notable achievements of Alvin are his degree in Educational Technology from Webster University, serving as teacher of the year twice during his career, and recipient of the Instructional Technology Spotlight Award. Also, he had a 100% passing rate on the South Carolina Algebra 1 EOC for 7 years at three different inner city schools. In his spare time, Alvin has self-published a trilogy of books Capers Middle School, Capers Middle School II: The Saga Continues, and Capers Middle School III: Life Is Not a Fairytale. The trilogy focuses on building relationships with students and the pressures students are faced with in school. He is also the cofounder of an educational consulting company called iLEGACY (Integrating and Leading Educators in Grooming and Cultivating Youth). Alvin feels that all students deserve the opportunity to learn. He goes by the motto, “Hardwork is the Key to Success!!!!”. Alva White, has 24 years of experience in the field of education. She has served as a middle school teacher, curriculum resource teacher, and currently a math consultant for a school district in Columbia, SC. With a BS in Mathematics from Benedict College, a Masters of Education in Divergent Learning from Columbia College, and her experience with overseeing a youth program for girls, the Betty Shabazz Delta Academy Program, for her chapter, Columbia (SC) Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., she always finds herself living life’s lessons while impacting learning for others. Alva has also served the mathematics education profession as an officer and board member for SCCTM (South Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics) and SCLME (South Carolina Leaders of Mathematics Education). Alva was the 2019 recipient of the SCCTM Outstanding Contribution to Mathematics Education Award. Her love is to share her knowledge of math with others, students and teachers alike. She truly believes that “Knowledge is POWER.”