[email protected]

So far I've titled this post "Bad math aid" and "Math phobia production
tools" and even "ACK! ACK! ACK!" ...

<A HREF="http://citycreek.com/">Times Tables and Addition the Fun Way</A>
http://citycreek.com/

The site describes a sytem using stories and visual mnemonics for
memorization of "math facts", comparing results to "traditional repetition
and timed tests."

A long time ago I remember someone writing in a discussion on math that she'd
always thought of numbers as little characters with personalities, running
around doing mysterious things. This system above seems almost custom
designed to completely remove "math facts" from any meaningful mathematical
context. I can't help thinking that it even reinforces the idea that math is
hard, boring, and makes no sense. Replacing drilling with silly stories
starring the numerals as characters (not numbers as an idea) doesn't seem to
me to be any improvement if you care about real learning.

Somebody tell me to calm down...
Deborah in IL

[email protected]

On Mon, 20 May 2002 01:53:03 EDT dacunefare@... writes:
> Replacing drilling with silly stories
> starring the numerals as characters (not numbers as an idea) doesn't
seem to
> me to be any improvement if you care about real learning.
>

When I worked for the charter school for homeschoolers I (briefly, until
I could unload them) had a group of Waldorf families. This is *exactly*
how they did numbers, at least for the primary-aged kids. They all had
personalities... and the "four processes" (addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division) were all characters, gnomes or kings or
something (or maybe it was King Equals), and they would act out various
arithmetical equations with acorns or rocks or glass "jewels".

I was not impressed, but then, I've not been impressed by much of
anythuing from the land of Waldorfia

Dar

susan marie

I'm constantly on a rant that Americans can't do math. It's everywhere
and most folks just tune it out or chalk it up as something mysterious.
Math is so totally cool all by itself, if someone needs to dress it up,
then they don't get it, imho.

My 8yo started out using a math text. When she was six she got a
different answer than the workbook. She explained to me why her answer
made sense. She was right - the question was so poorly explained, that
her answer was more logical. (the diagram didn't match the question, and
she answered by the diagram.) We stopped using that book. She still
likes math books, but we use them as a jumping off point, or to check
things. The more we use math, the better she likes it and the more
interesting it gets. Math is fun, and it isn't mysterious, and it's
everywhere.

Too many of us parents were both bored to tears and terrorized by math
in school, that we think we can't do it. We can, btw, we use it all the
time -- when we cook, go shopping, paint a room, pay our bills, watch
sports, do crafts, in music, and all sorts of places.

Don't calm down -- keep yelling. :-) People need to get it -- anyone
can do math.

Susan Marie

On Monday, May 20, 2002, at 01:53 AM, dacunefare@... wrote:

> So far I've titled this post "Bad math aid" and "Math phobia production
> tools" and even "ACK! ACK! ACK!" ...
>
> <A HREF="http://citycreek.com/">Times Tables and Addition the Fun
> Way</A>
> http://citycreek.com/
>
> The site describes a sytem using stories and visual mnemonics for
> memorization of "math facts", comparing results to "traditional
> repetition
> and timed tests."
>
> A long time ago I remember someone writing in a discussion on math that
> she'd
> always thought of numbers as little characters with personalities,
> running
> around doing mysterious things. This system above seems almost custom
> designed to completely remove "math facts" from any meaningful
> mathematical
> context. I can't help thinking that it even reinforces the idea that
> math is
> hard, boring, and makes no sense. Replacing drilling with silly stories
> starring the numerals as characters (not numbers as an idea) doesn't
> seem to
> me to be any improvement if you care about real learning.
>
> Somebody tell me to calm down...
> Deborah in IL
>

>
>
> ~~~ Don't forget! If you change the topic, change the subject line! ~~~
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> [email protected]
>
> Visit the Unschooling website:
> http://www.unschooling.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
Peace,
Susan Marie

There is nothing so secular that it cannot be sacred, and that is one of
the deepest messages of the Incarnation. -- Madeleine L'Engle





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[email protected]

oh i almost forgot a website i found that explains a lot of the math "rules"
that have us puzzled and we discussed here.....i haven't read any of it but
it sounded like the examples given on this list......apologies if it is not
helpful for unschooling, you decide :0)

<A HREF="http://www.mathforum.com/library/drmath/results.html?textsearch=multiplication&textsearch_bool_type=and&textsearch_whole_words=no">Math Forum - Dr. Math Archives - Internet Mathematics Library</A>

http://www.mathforum.com/library/drmath/results.html?textsearch=multiplication
&
textsearch_bool_type=and&textsearch_whole_words=no


Ang
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