In researching further on this topic, I came across the information about the book: The great mental calculators http://www.amazon.com/Great-Mental-Calculators-Psychology-Calculating/dp/0231056419/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Unfortunately, it is out of print. Maybe someone can find in their library.
YES!! They have it at my library… reserving it now
PokerDad, please share the summary of the book once you complete it. My questions at this stage are:
- Which method of mental calculation is the best: abacus mental math or alorithmic mental math (may be balancing is the key here but still)
- Which method has superior brain work-out exercises.
A little off topic, but I’m going through the Feynman book. I think it’s chapter 3, but he just told a story of how he would do little magic shows and to end the show he would dip his hands into water and then into benzine, and then by “accident” brush up against the bunsen burner and light his hands on fire and then go around yelling.
I had to laugh out loud.
Why?
When I was a sophomore in high school, I secretly put ethanol on my hand and then accidentally reached across the bunsen burner to borrow this girl’s pencil. Of course, she freaks when suddenly my hand catches on fire… I hold it up, looking at it curiously, and then shake it out (getting hot). Ha ha ha…
Did my tactic work?
She asked me to tolo after that, ha ha ha
Pretty funny and enjoyable book. Thanks for the idea Chris!
Totally off topic… just wondering what curriculum you are working on now (looking for all the shortcuts I can find)
Hey Guys,
I really appreciate all the responses!
I thought I’d make a quick clarification: I know I said that there are no shortcuts but I firmly believe that there are more efficient and less efficient ways to achieve a outcome. For Soroban there is a standard efficient algorithm for calculations that I make sure every student learns.
But I consider that analogous to learning the rules of grammer and spelling. It’s what you do with those rules (and the importance of breaking them at the right times) that can create poetry and novels and other art.
As for avoiding the big pitfalls that might really hurt a child’s education, I’d really like to work with you to make sure we can avoid those. So, please ask away and I’ll do my best (sometimes its just my opinion) to help!
Chris1
I didn’t mean to sound defensive sorry if I gave that impression. As for creativity, I agree I think the creativity Soroban promotes isn’t in the variety of calculation techniques. It can promote a form of creativity due to the practice of Anzan stimulating the visual part of the brain, and because of they way I structure my classes where I don’t just give students a method to solve problems. I believe in the process of gamification as one of the best ways to teach. So I keep questions open ended and let kid’s try to solve new types of problems using the techniques they can come up with. What I dont do is leave them to just their own devices. Eventually they will learn the most efficient methods (usually earlier in the process to avoid picking up bad habits).
Maquenzie
I think Soroban’s pretty good at representing quantity as an abstraction. Although I initially teach it using solid references such as " your mom gave you 1 apple, then your dad gave you 2 apples, how many apples do you have?" Students quickly learn that the story doesn’t have to be about apples. I think partly because my workbooks don’t have anything referring to apples in it, just numbers.
As for multiplication and Division, I actually teach the basic concepts as stories just like addition and subtraction. Then when they understand what’s going on I move them onto the Soroban to practice the mechanics of solving problems.
PokerDad
I’m really interested in that book as well, Looking forward to the updates!
The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading, but there are some other suggestions in the thread “What order do you teach phonics” thread, but perhaps you already know about (or posted in) that thread. It looked like there might be some cheaper (free) and/or better resources. I haven’t investigated then because I’m happy with what we have now.
Thanks for that, I had saved it into my wishlist based on that thread but I think I may just have to look at it again based on your recommendation