Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/214242
letters Isaac's apple didn't fall While reading the October Educator, I noticed a common error in the statement: "Isaac Newton pondered an apple falling and discovered gravity." I remind my physics students all the time that Newton didn't "discover" gravity. People way before the year 1690 knew that something was responsible for pulling things down toward Earth. It's not that everyone floated around until late in the 17th century, but suddenly fell to the ground when he "discovered" this force! Newton's incredible insight was that the same force that was responsible for pulling the leaves off the trees (and, presumably, the apples as well) was also keeping the moon in orbit around the planet. He called it the Law of Universal Gravitation, and even formulated a mathematical expression for it — although the actual numerical value that made it work had to wait another 100-plus years for Henry Cavendish to come along. GABY SCULLY Kern High School Teachers Association Operations out of order As a math teacher, I take offense at the math puzzle in the October magazine. The top row solution reads: 5 + 2 × 8 = 56. The order of operations should never be changed, even for a puzzle! This only confuses people. The correct solution is 5 + 2 × 8 = 21. Yes, I know the puzzle directions say to work operations from left to right. But once again, order of operations cannot be changed! How many hundreds of elementary school teachers will give this puzzle to their students, never realizing they are teaching bad math. I teach high school mathematics, algebra through calculus. Every year I have dozens of students who still cannot work with negative numbers because during elementary school a teacher erroneously told them they cannot subtract 5 from 3, thus destroying their intuitive concept of the existence of negative numbers. Now the Educator has published a puzzle with a solution that defies order of operations. SHERRY TROCHTA Grossmont Education Association In the September "Witnesses to History" article, Margaret Browne participated in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), not the Southern Nonviolent Coordinating Committee as was stated. Our apologies. In our October issue we ran a submission from John Ladd's article on substitutes as a letter to the editor — including comments by Nina Werchowsky, Harvey Reaves and Fred Keeler — which we inappropriately attributed to Mr. Ladd. We regret and apologize for this error. Educator 11 Nov 2013 v2.2 int.indd 10 UCSD Extension's Specialized Certificate in Gifted and Talented Education offers training for educators who want to teach and develop programs for gifted and talented students. The program meets training requirements for educators, counselors, psychologists, administrators, and others responsible for GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) program services. The online program is designed for those new to gifted education and for experienced educators. The GATE Certificate is: • 100% online • Offers a comprehensive examination of characteristics and identification, curriculum differentiation, teaching strategies, and program development for gifted and talented students • Provides resources to build challenging curriculum and innovative instructional techniques Required Courses include: • Teaching the Gifted and Talented: Differentiating the Curriculum • Teaching the Gifted and Talented: Recognizing Individual Differences • Strategies for Teaching the Gifted and Talented • Program Development for the Gifted UC San Diego Extension also offers accessible and affordable online programs for K-12 and Postsecondary Educators. • New courses begin every month • Most programs can be completed online within 1 year • Interactive, Research-Based Programs with Practical Classroom Application CORRECTIONS 10 Gifted and Talented Education Certificate NOVE M B E R 2013 Programs include: • CCTC Approved Clear Credential • CCTC-Approved CLAD Trough CTEL • CCTC-Approved Reading Authorization • Career and Technical Education (CTE) • College Counseling • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) • Teaching Adult Learners • Teaching Online • Professional Development/ Salary Point Coursework For More Information Please contact Morgan Appel, Director of Education at: (858) 534-9273 or mappel@ucsd.edu extension.ucsd.edu/education 11/14/13 11:47 AM