math (was "subjects")
[email protected]
Here's that article, and its new semi-permanent home is
http://sandradodd.com/timestables
King's X from the Math Monster
---------------------------
-"What about times tables?"-
The fascination some parents have with the magical power of knowing times
tables amazes me each time I hear that question.
I stopped counting up around the fiftieth time.
"Do your kids do times tables?"
What does "do" mean in relation to a table? Discover it? Too late. Write
one out? This "table" of which they speak is a block of data, a pattern of
numbers, involving relationship and function. What's to do? It's done.
My kids can "do it."
What my kids can't do is to answer speed quizzes like "What is six times
nine?"
Meanwhile, they can calculate 6% (local sales tax) and 30% (the discount
Kirby gets on gaming supplies) in their heads.
Once a much younger Kirby wanted to walk to the corner store for a Dr Pepper.
he asked what he could do to earn money. I whipped up a blank table with
1-9 across and 1-9 down, showed him what the multiplicatory deal was, and said
I'd give him a penny a square.
"How much money will that be?"
"Same as the answer in this square," and I indicated the 9x9 square.
Marty was only four or five, but he wanted in on this money-making puzzle, so
I made him one too.
They helped each other, filled theirs in, figured who was right when there
were discrepancies, LOVED finding the patterns, and nearly forgot about the
sodas.
When they got back from the store (with change, as it hadn't occurred to them
to stop when they had reached the price of the soda), they were still excited
about that chart.
We had a big new concrete patio, and one night the whole family and some
friends were playing outside. When a spinning, jump-roping, free-for-all game got
old and they were tired, I chalked out a chart about 8 feet square, and the
kids started filling in the easy parts—2's, 5's… soon there were only six or
seven squares left, like 7x8 and other intuition-avoiding combos.
I have never before or since seen such total –doing- of times tables.
Jody Hegener once told me a tale of having been challenged by kids from a
Waldorf school who waited until they had an eleven or twelve year old Jody headed
out on horseback at a ranch with them to ask the big question: "Do you know
your times tables?"
Jody told them she didn't know if she did or not, since she didn't know what
"times tables" meant.
Ooh, they had her good. But they told her what it was that she knew so
little about, and they demonstrated, zipping on up to the times TWELVE they knew
(way better than the nine or ten limit of public schools).
So Jody was up with them and getting the pattern on the elevens and twelves,
and said "What about 13?"
They didn't have to know 13. It wasn't so fun anymore. Jody told me she was
multiplying by 14 when they finally got her to stop.
I imagine she was thinking of how very easy fifteens would be.
But "times fifteen" won't be on the test.
This summer Kirby was overheard explaining to some other teens at the gaming
shop how to multiply by 18. Do it by 20, and subtract two for each one you
have. No pencil, no paper, and the school-labeled "learning disadvantaged"
friend totally understood.
The adults who overheard this expressed amazement.
The other homeschoolers who heard about it were amazed that adults had been
amazed.
Perhaps knowing the times tables, "doing" the times tables, is a magic safety
from further math trauma. "I know my times tables" is like "King's X" from
being tagged by the math monster. My kids think math is a tool and a toy and a
game. Why would they want to be saved from it?
"We don't have to know that" isn't anything I have ever heard my children
say. Because there is nothing they –do- "have to learn," there is nothing that
is off their learning list either. In artistic terms, without the object there
is no field. In math-lingo, they have the infinite universal set. In a
philosophical light, they avoid the dualism of learning and not-learning.
If you are new to math in the wild, I have some recommendations of things
that worked well for us. First, don't be teacherly about any of this. Don't use
the talking-to-a-poodle voice (and if you don't have one or don't know what
I'm talking about, GOOD!). Then, gradually gather some subset of this sort of
math stuff, plus other things it might remind you of:
- two or more matching geoboards and colored rubber bands (you could get just
one, but then you can't copy each other's designs)
- pattern blocks, even if your kids are older (we have the wooden ones with
the yellow hexagons being the biggest), because there are angles to mess and
because it's very soothing
- Cuisenaire rods if you can get them for less than full price (or if you're
rich), but don't worry about the "real" exercises
- Yahtzee, Bazaar, Master Mind for Kids(cuter, friendlier, simpler version
than adult Master Mind), playing cards, poker chips (not necessarily for playing
poker, just for messing around with, making patterns), and Clue (Kirby says
there is a new D&D Clue game out. We have the Simpsons version.)
- real money to spend
- computer and video games like Zoombinis, KidPix, Harvest Moon, Mario, Link
& Zelda
- don't discourage Magic, Pokemon or other "CCG's" (collectible card games);
D&D and other dice games involve much math and strategy
The other day in my kitchen I said, "Hey, Kirby, I might make $100 for an
article on you teaching someone to multiply by 18, and you didn't even know I
overheard you talking about it, so I'll give you $10."
"Cool. 10%. I'm like an agent or something."
His 23-yr-old first-time visitor got big eyes and said, "You were teaching
someone to multiply by 18?!"
http://sandradodd.com/timestables
King's X from the Math Monster
---------------------------
-"What about times tables?"-
The fascination some parents have with the magical power of knowing times
tables amazes me each time I hear that question.
I stopped counting up around the fiftieth time.
"Do your kids do times tables?"
What does "do" mean in relation to a table? Discover it? Too late. Write
one out? This "table" of which they speak is a block of data, a pattern of
numbers, involving relationship and function. What's to do? It's done.
My kids can "do it."
What my kids can't do is to answer speed quizzes like "What is six times
nine?"
Meanwhile, they can calculate 6% (local sales tax) and 30% (the discount
Kirby gets on gaming supplies) in their heads.
Once a much younger Kirby wanted to walk to the corner store for a Dr Pepper.
he asked what he could do to earn money. I whipped up a blank table with
1-9 across and 1-9 down, showed him what the multiplicatory deal was, and said
I'd give him a penny a square.
"How much money will that be?"
"Same as the answer in this square," and I indicated the 9x9 square.
Marty was only four or five, but he wanted in on this money-making puzzle, so
I made him one too.
They helped each other, filled theirs in, figured who was right when there
were discrepancies, LOVED finding the patterns, and nearly forgot about the
sodas.
When they got back from the store (with change, as it hadn't occurred to them
to stop when they had reached the price of the soda), they were still excited
about that chart.
We had a big new concrete patio, and one night the whole family and some
friends were playing outside. When a spinning, jump-roping, free-for-all game got
old and they were tired, I chalked out a chart about 8 feet square, and the
kids started filling in the easy parts—2's, 5's… soon there were only six or
seven squares left, like 7x8 and other intuition-avoiding combos.
I have never before or since seen such total –doing- of times tables.
Jody Hegener once told me a tale of having been challenged by kids from a
Waldorf school who waited until they had an eleven or twelve year old Jody headed
out on horseback at a ranch with them to ask the big question: "Do you know
your times tables?"
Jody told them she didn't know if she did or not, since she didn't know what
"times tables" meant.
Ooh, they had her good. But they told her what it was that she knew so
little about, and they demonstrated, zipping on up to the times TWELVE they knew
(way better than the nine or ten limit of public schools).
So Jody was up with them and getting the pattern on the elevens and twelves,
and said "What about 13?"
They didn't have to know 13. It wasn't so fun anymore. Jody told me she was
multiplying by 14 when they finally got her to stop.
I imagine she was thinking of how very easy fifteens would be.
But "times fifteen" won't be on the test.
This summer Kirby was overheard explaining to some other teens at the gaming
shop how to multiply by 18. Do it by 20, and subtract two for each one you
have. No pencil, no paper, and the school-labeled "learning disadvantaged"
friend totally understood.
The adults who overheard this expressed amazement.
The other homeschoolers who heard about it were amazed that adults had been
amazed.
Perhaps knowing the times tables, "doing" the times tables, is a magic safety
from further math trauma. "I know my times tables" is like "King's X" from
being tagged by the math monster. My kids think math is a tool and a toy and a
game. Why would they want to be saved from it?
"We don't have to know that" isn't anything I have ever heard my children
say. Because there is nothing they –do- "have to learn," there is nothing that
is off their learning list either. In artistic terms, without the object there
is no field. In math-lingo, they have the infinite universal set. In a
philosophical light, they avoid the dualism of learning and not-learning.
If you are new to math in the wild, I have some recommendations of things
that worked well for us. First, don't be teacherly about any of this. Don't use
the talking-to-a-poodle voice (and if you don't have one or don't know what
I'm talking about, GOOD!). Then, gradually gather some subset of this sort of
math stuff, plus other things it might remind you of:
- two or more matching geoboards and colored rubber bands (you could get just
one, but then you can't copy each other's designs)
- pattern blocks, even if your kids are older (we have the wooden ones with
the yellow hexagons being the biggest), because there are angles to mess and
because it's very soothing
- Cuisenaire rods if you can get them for less than full price (or if you're
rich), but don't worry about the "real" exercises
- Yahtzee, Bazaar, Master Mind for Kids(cuter, friendlier, simpler version
than adult Master Mind), playing cards, poker chips (not necessarily for playing
poker, just for messing around with, making patterns), and Clue (Kirby says
there is a new D&D Clue game out. We have the Simpsons version.)
- real money to spend
- computer and video games like Zoombinis, KidPix, Harvest Moon, Mario, Link
& Zelda
- don't discourage Magic, Pokemon or other "CCG's" (collectible card games);
D&D and other dice games involve much math and strategy
The other day in my kitchen I said, "Hey, Kirby, I might make $100 for an
article on you teaching someone to multiply by 18, and you didn't even know I
overheard you talking about it, so I'll give you $10."
"Cool. 10%. I'm like an agent or something."
His 23-yr-old first-time visitor got big eyes and said, "You were teaching
someone to multiply by 18?!"
joylyn
This is amazing, Sandra. Amazing.
Joylyn
SandraDodd@... wrote:
Joylyn
SandraDodd@... wrote:
> Here's that article, and its new semi-permanent home is[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> http://sandradodd.com/timestables
>
> King's X from the Math Monster
>
> ---------------------------
>
> -"What about times tables?"-
>
> The fascination some parents have with the magical power of knowing times
> tables amazes me each time I hear that question.
>
> I stopped counting up around the fiftieth time.
>
> "Do your kids do times tables?"
>
> What does "do" mean in relation to a table? Discover it? Too late.
> Write
> one out? This "table" of which they speak is a block of data, a
> pattern of
> numbers, involving relationship and function. What's to do? It's done.
>
> My kids can "do it."
>
> What my kids can't do is to answer speed quizzes like "What is six times
> nine?"
>
> Meanwhile, they can calculate 6% (local sales tax) and 30% (the discount
> Kirby gets on gaming supplies) in their heads.
>
> Once a much younger Kirby wanted to walk to the corner store for a Dr
> Pepper.
> he asked what he could do to earn money. I whipped up a blank table with
> 1-9 across and 1-9 down, showed him what the multiplicatory deal was,
> and said
> I'd give him a penny a square.
>
> "How much money will that be?"
>
> "Same as the answer in this square," and I indicated the 9x9 square.
>
> Marty was only four or five, but he wanted in on this money-making
> puzzle, so
> I made him one too.
>
> They helped each other, filled theirs in, figured who was right when
> there
> were discrepancies, LOVED finding the patterns, and nearly forgot
> about the
> sodas.
>
> When they got back from the store (with change, as it hadn't occurred
> to them
> to stop when they had reached the price of the soda), they were still
> excited
> about that chart.
>
> We had a big new concrete patio, and one night the whole family and some
> friends were playing outside. When a spinning, jump-roping,
> free-for-all game got
> old and they were tired, I chalked out a chart about 8 feet square,
> and the
> kids started filling in the easy parts—2's, 5's… soon there were only
> six or
> seven squares left, like 7x8 and other intuition-avoiding combos.
>
> I have never before or since seen such total –doing- of times tables.
>
> Jody Hegener once told me a tale of having been challenged by kids from a
> Waldorf school who waited until they had an eleven or twelve year old
> Jody headed
> out on horseback at a ranch with them to ask the big question: "Do
> you know
> your times tables?"
>
> Jody told them she didn't know if she did or not, since she didn't
> know what
> "times tables" meant.
>
> Ooh, they had her good. But they told her what it was that she knew so
> little about, and they demonstrated, zipping on up to the times TWELVE
> they knew
> (way better than the nine or ten limit of public schools).
>
> So Jody was up with them and getting the pattern on the elevens and
> twelves,
> and said "What about 13?"
>
> They didn't have to know 13. It wasn't so fun anymore. Jody told me
> she was
> multiplying by 14 when they finally got her to stop.
>
> I imagine she was thinking of how very easy fifteens would be.
>
> But "times fifteen" won't be on the test.
>
>
> This summer Kirby was overheard explaining to some other teens at the
> gaming
> shop how to multiply by 18. Do it by 20, and subtract two for each
> one you
> have. No pencil, no paper, and the school-labeled "learning
> disadvantaged"
> friend totally understood.
>
> The adults who overheard this expressed amazement.
>
> The other homeschoolers who heard about it were amazed that adults had
> been
> amazed.
>
> Perhaps knowing the times tables, "doing" the times tables, is a magic
> safety
> from further math trauma. "I know my times tables" is like "King's X"
> from
> being tagged by the math monster. My kids think math is a tool and a
> toy and a
> game. Why would they want to be saved from it?
>
> "We don't have to know that" isn't anything I have ever heard my children
> say. Because there is nothing they –do- "have to learn," there is
> nothing that
> is off their learning list either. In artistic terms, without the
> object there
> is no field. In math-lingo, they have the infinite universal set. In a
> philosophical light, they avoid the dualism of learning and
> not-learning.
>
> If you are new to math in the wild, I have some recommendations of things
> that worked well for us. First, don't be teacherly about any of
> this. Don't use
> the talking-to-a-poodle voice (and if you don't have one or don't know
> what
> I'm talking about, GOOD!). Then, gradually gather some subset of this
> sort of
> math stuff, plus other things it might remind you of:
>
> - two or more matching geoboards and colored rubber bands (you could
> get just
> one, but then you can't copy each other's designs)
>
> - pattern blocks, even if your kids are older (we have the wooden ones
> with
> the yellow hexagons being the biggest), because there are angles to
> mess and
> because it's very soothing
>
> - Cuisenaire rods if you can get them for less than full price (or if
> you're
> rich), but don't worry about the "real" exercises
>
> - Yahtzee, Bazaar, Master Mind for Kids(cuter, friendlier, simpler
> version
> than adult Master Mind), playing cards, poker chips (not necessarily
> for playing
> poker, just for messing around with, making patterns), and Clue (Kirby
> says
> there is a new D&D Clue game out. We have the Simpsons version.)
>
> - real money to spend
>
> - computer and video games like Zoombinis, KidPix, Harvest Moon,
> Mario, Link
> & Zelda
>
> - don't discourage Magic, Pokemon or other "CCG's" (collectible card
> games);
> D&D and other dice games involve much math and strategy
>
>
> The other day in my kitchen I said, "Hey, Kirby, I might make $100 for an
> article on you teaching someone to multiply by 18, and you didn't even
> know I
> overheard you talking about it, so I'll give you $10."
>
> "Cool. 10%. I'm like an agent or something."
>
> His 23-yr-old first-time visitor got big eyes and said, "You were
> teaching
> someone to multiply by 18?!"
>
> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> <http://rd.yahoo.com/M=259395.3614674.4902533.1261774/D=egroupweb/S=1705081972:HM/A=1524963/R=0/SIG=12o885gmo/*http://hits.411web.com/cgi-bin/autoredir?camp=556&lineid=3614674&prop=egroupweb&pos=HM>
>
>
>
> "List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this group.
>
> To unsubscribe from this send an email to:
> [email protected]
>
> Visit the Unschooling website and message boards:
> http://www.unschooling.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service
> <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>.