I Am Something You Should Know!: A Personal Letter from the Number Zero

Numbers Have Feelings, Too

Mr. White is a passionate math teacher who enjoys inspiring his students and making numbers come alive. When he notices that one of his students believes zero is “nothing,” he sees an opportunity to show just how special and powerful the digit zero truly is.

“Don’t refer to Zero that way! It would hurt Zero’s feelings if he were listening,” Mr. White gently explains. To the student’s surprise, a mysterious letter from Zero appears on the desk the next morning.

This heartfelt letter reveals the many ways Zero is essential in math and everyday life, helping the student discover that zero is not just a number—it’s a hero!

Don White is a native of Harlan, Kentucky. He received his BS degree in Mathematics from Georgetown College and his Masters in Mathematics from the University of Tennessee. After owning a data processing business for over thirty years and teaching secondary school mathematics for seventeen years, he is presently enjoying his passion of math tutoring/enrichment for students and professional development/training for teachers. The brand that he uses for his work is PerceptualLearning.

Mrs. Burchette is a retired educator with 39 years as an outstanding math teacher. This is her 11th year serving on her district's school board, where she is currently the board's chair.