The image above has been posted with permission.  It shows a screenshot taken at the end of an online lesson.  This Y6 student normally attends a weekly face-to-face lesson, but due to other family commitments was unable to attend in person, so an online lesson was arranged.  My student thoroughly enjoyed the lesson and was able to write on the online whiteboard, as was I.  Her final message to me was that she was happy!  Don't you just love that drawing!

If you have ever read GCSE paper and come across the probability questions, you may have seen wording such as, "an unbiased coin" or a "fair die".  Students understand that coins aren't usually biased and dice are usually 'fair'.  Sometimes a question such as 'Well, how can a coin be biased or a die, unfair?'  is asked.

That is when the conversations about loaded dice come in to play.  Having researched 'biased coins', it appears that these are the unicorn of the mathematical world; unless you have a double-sided coin, of course.

After thinking about the question above, I set myself the challenge of sourcing the above items.  I am now the proud owner of a double-headed coin and a loaded die.  Armed with these pieces of equipment I am just itching to tutor my next lesson on probability!  

Before I go though - "Heads I win, tails you lose!"

Some people find algebra really difficult - An influx of letters, where there once were numbers, can be tricky to negotiate.  Algebra tiles help to make it seem far less abstract, so I have invested in a set of them to assist my KS3 and above students.  I am really looking forward to using these to enhance their understanding of algebra.