I can not even imagine some explanation to justify this immoderate demand. While the results of the times tables up to 9 by 9 are constantly using when we multiply or divide the numbers expressed by several figures, the other operations appear much more rarely in ordinary computations. So why kids must memorize by heart the results of 13 by 16, 19 by 17, etc.? If they have mastered the times tables up to 9 by 9, all such operations may be easily implemented by "pencil and paper". Maybe just this excessive demand provokes the considerable difficulties when teaching the times tables about which we hear so often.
Myth #2. Many kids do not have abilities to master the multiplication tables.
Indeed, at the present the simple multiplication skills of very many pupils are good for nothing, and our children are getting worse and worse at the skills. If the situation is not changed, then, maybe, very soon we will be forced to say that most pupils cannot perform simple multiplication. However, both my experience (35 years in the classroom) and my investigations (23 years of studies) show that every mentally healthy pupil can totally master all basic multiplication facts within the limits of 100.
Of course, there are kids who cannot learn math because they have not been taught to learn properly. Furthermore, there are persons who do not want to learn math at all. They do not try to memorize results, they do not work at lessons, they do not carry out homework themselves, but it is quite other problem. Nevertheless, I would like to lay emphasis once more – if a pupil wants to learn the multiplication tables, then we can help him/her to do this successfully. Good will of children and teachers is the main required condition for success in mastering the multiplication tables.
Myth #3. There are easy ways to learn the basic times-tables in minutes.
Do not trust educators who promise you easy and quick methods of mastering math basics. There are tips which can help to understand how to find the results of some operations, but there is not a magic potion which can help to memorize the results at once. In the past there was not a royal road for learning math as a whole (and the multiplication tables in particular), there is not one at the present, and I cannot imagine that such a road will appear in foreseeable future. To master any skill a pupil must perform certain quantity of exercises. Mastering the multiplication tables requires zealous work, maybe, arduous work. This work must include not only memorizing the results, but permanent application of them in different kinds of computations too. We can make this work interesting and productive, but we can not manage without it. And such a work requires sufficiently plenty of time to reach the desired goal (not minutes and even hours, undoubtedly).
Myth #4. We can manage without mastering simple mental computations because modern mathematics is a science of ideas, not an exercise in calculation. Being a wiz at figures is not the mark of success in mathematics.
I hardly can understand what some educators imply when they speak about New Math or Whole Math keeping in view reform of school mathematics. We can add new topics, shuffle them as playing cards, move them from one grade to another, but we can not manage without numbers when teaching math. Up to the point I have not seen at list one math curriculum which proclaims needlessness of mastering operations with different kinds of numbers, solving equations and so on. Meanwhile my practice and my long-lasting investigations show that pupils with unsteady simple mental computational skills (addition and subtraction within the limits of 20, multiplication and division within the limits of 100) have great difficulties while learning the other basic topics of arithmetic and algebra. Learning mathematics for pupils who have not mastered totally the skills is similar to learning reading without knowing the letters. Without a doubt, being a wiz at figures is not the mark of success in mathematics, but being an ignoramus at figures is the mark of failure in mathematics.
About the Author
Victor Guskov, a teacher of mathematics, PhD, Pedagogical Sciences
Saturday, February 6, 2010
The Power of Raising Awareness
I came across an article in the CEC SmartBrief that came from the Newton Daily News in Jasper County, Iowa, titled “Teacher writes book to raise awareness,” written by Jessica Lowe. It is about Jennifer Springer, a special education teacher at Delaware Elementary School, who was concerned about the teasing and bullying she had seen her students endure at the hands of fellow students. She was quoted in the article saying: “One of the more unfortunate things I have seen in my experience as a special education teacher are instances where my students are made fun of and rejected by peers. I feel that the issue for most kids is not that they are just cruel children, but that they are not educated and do not understand whey children with special needs do the things they do.”
As a tutor of those with learning disabilities I do not often see the actual bullying, but I have stories recounted to me by my students about their experiences of being teased and bullied. On a more personal level, my son, who is dyslexic, has shared with me his painful struggle with these types of encounters. The one that he remembers most and brings up occasionally is being called “dumbo” by a class mate after he received a low score on a spelling test. Others have made fun of his handwriting, which looks very juvenile with floating letters of different sizes and incorrect spacing due to his dysgraphia. I agree with Springer that these kids are not just cruel children but really do not understand the issues associated with dyslexia and so to them, it does appear as it will to most that these students are simply unintelligent.
I wanted to do something, and so did my son. In the fifth grade he had a wonderful teacher who helped him in many ways—usually stretching him and requiring more than I even thought possible from my son, but with extra work and accommodating options he accomplished a great deal. My son, along with the other students, was required to read a book a month and write a literary response. Most books were student choice but often a certain genre was outlined, and there were numerous options for literary responses. The options were great and allowed my son the freedom to play to his strengths instead of struggle with his weaknesses. One particular month we read the book Niagara Falls, or Does It? from the Hank Zipzer series written by Henry Winkler (a.k.a. the Fonz from the television show Happy Days). The Hank Zipzer series “follows the everyday adventures of a bright boy with learning challenges” (taken from http://www.hankzipzer.com/authors.html) and is based on the experiences of Henry Winkler, who is dyslexic. As we read, my son Tyler and I laughed and cried together as we identified with Hank and his struggles. Tyler kept saying, “This is me, Mom.”
Tyler decided that for his literary response he wanted a guest speaker, me, to come and share with the class what it is like for dyslexics, why they struggle and what they see. We put together what he wanted addressed, and he chose his favorite quotes from the book that he most identified with to explain to his class what it is like for him. On the day of the presentation, Tyler shared the quotes, and then I used the overhead projector to show pictures of the brain—taken from Sally Shaywitz’s study conducted at Yale—to describe to Tyler’s classmates how some people’s brains are wired differently and that it has nothing to do with their intelligence. I showed them a few overheads of what the page can look like for dyslexics and explained why they struggle with reading and writing. I also talked about their gifts and how with the right kind of intervention, particularly reading intervention involving systematic phonics instruction, they can excel in many areas. Following the presentation, I could see that Tyler was pleased, and that was all that mattered to me. But what came after I didn’t really expect. I had a couple of mothers contact me later that week to tell me their kids had come home so excited by that presentation and what they had learned. One kid told his mom, “I will never make fun of kids again who struggle with reading.” Another kid, whose brother is dyslexic, said, “I get it now, Mom. I want to help Chad (his brother) in any way I can.” In these moments, I knew the power of what we had just done. The presentation took a total of 10 minutes, but it was life-changing for Tyler and his classroom experience for the rest of the year. My job is to make teachers aware and to train them in this Orton-Gillingham based program to help their students, but I had no idea how important it could be to educate the students on these issues.
Jennifer Springer knew the importance of raising awareness in students and, as a result, she wrote a children’s book titled My Friend Jade, about a nine year-old girl with special needs who is often misunderstood. At the end of the article, Springer said: “It was important for me to write this book because I feel like the most important aspect of my job is to be an advocate for my students. They mean the world to me and I want others to be able to see their wonderful qualities the way I do. I feel like this book is a step in that direction.”
I echo her feelings and urge all educators to take the gravity of this issue to heart. Spending a few minutes explaining to your class the struggles and gifts of those with learning disabilities, like dyslexia, can save those living with it from harmful, unnecessary teasing and bullying. It could be one of the most important teaching moments of your career.
About the Author
Shantell Berrett holds a B.A. in English and a teaching degree, specializing in dyselxia. She has taught and tutored for over 10 years. She has three children, loves to read and teaches dance and is passionate about raising awareness about dyslexia
As a tutor of those with learning disabilities I do not often see the actual bullying, but I have stories recounted to me by my students about their experiences of being teased and bullied. On a more personal level, my son, who is dyslexic, has shared with me his painful struggle with these types of encounters. The one that he remembers most and brings up occasionally is being called “dumbo” by a class mate after he received a low score on a spelling test. Others have made fun of his handwriting, which looks very juvenile with floating letters of different sizes and incorrect spacing due to his dysgraphia. I agree with Springer that these kids are not just cruel children but really do not understand the issues associated with dyslexia and so to them, it does appear as it will to most that these students are simply unintelligent.
I wanted to do something, and so did my son. In the fifth grade he had a wonderful teacher who helped him in many ways—usually stretching him and requiring more than I even thought possible from my son, but with extra work and accommodating options he accomplished a great deal. My son, along with the other students, was required to read a book a month and write a literary response. Most books were student choice but often a certain genre was outlined, and there were numerous options for literary responses. The options were great and allowed my son the freedom to play to his strengths instead of struggle with his weaknesses. One particular month we read the book Niagara Falls, or Does It? from the Hank Zipzer series written by Henry Winkler (a.k.a. the Fonz from the television show Happy Days). The Hank Zipzer series “follows the everyday adventures of a bright boy with learning challenges” (taken from http://www.hankzipzer.com/authors.html) and is based on the experiences of Henry Winkler, who is dyslexic. As we read, my son Tyler and I laughed and cried together as we identified with Hank and his struggles. Tyler kept saying, “This is me, Mom.”
Tyler decided that for his literary response he wanted a guest speaker, me, to come and share with the class what it is like for dyslexics, why they struggle and what they see. We put together what he wanted addressed, and he chose his favorite quotes from the book that he most identified with to explain to his class what it is like for him. On the day of the presentation, Tyler shared the quotes, and then I used the overhead projector to show pictures of the brain—taken from Sally Shaywitz’s study conducted at Yale—to describe to Tyler’s classmates how some people’s brains are wired differently and that it has nothing to do with their intelligence. I showed them a few overheads of what the page can look like for dyslexics and explained why they struggle with reading and writing. I also talked about their gifts and how with the right kind of intervention, particularly reading intervention involving systematic phonics instruction, they can excel in many areas. Following the presentation, I could see that Tyler was pleased, and that was all that mattered to me. But what came after I didn’t really expect. I had a couple of mothers contact me later that week to tell me their kids had come home so excited by that presentation and what they had learned. One kid told his mom, “I will never make fun of kids again who struggle with reading.” Another kid, whose brother is dyslexic, said, “I get it now, Mom. I want to help Chad (his brother) in any way I can.” In these moments, I knew the power of what we had just done. The presentation took a total of 10 minutes, but it was life-changing for Tyler and his classroom experience for the rest of the year. My job is to make teachers aware and to train them in this Orton-Gillingham based program to help their students, but I had no idea how important it could be to educate the students on these issues.
Jennifer Springer knew the importance of raising awareness in students and, as a result, she wrote a children’s book titled My Friend Jade, about a nine year-old girl with special needs who is often misunderstood. At the end of the article, Springer said: “It was important for me to write this book because I feel like the most important aspect of my job is to be an advocate for my students. They mean the world to me and I want others to be able to see their wonderful qualities the way I do. I feel like this book is a step in that direction.”
I echo her feelings and urge all educators to take the gravity of this issue to heart. Spending a few minutes explaining to your class the struggles and gifts of those with learning disabilities, like dyslexia, can save those living with it from harmful, unnecessary teasing and bullying. It could be one of the most important teaching moments of your career.
About the Author
Shantell Berrett holds a B.A. in English and a teaching degree, specializing in dyselxia. She has taught and tutored for over 10 years. She has three children, loves to read and teaches dance and is passionate about raising awareness about dyslexia
Monday, February 1, 2010
Learn About Systems Administration Education In The Modern Computer Age
No field has witnessed more advancement in the last decade than information technology. With the continual onset of technological breakthroughs, change seems to be the only constant in the vast system of hardware and software that constitutes the modern computer age. The boom in technology has accelerated to such a rapid pace that administrators of database systems are often mired in the wasteland of yesterday's systems analysis while trying to incorporate the inevitable changes of tomorrow.
The educational community has been historically slow to react to changes in the instructional methods by which systems administrators are taught. Now, however, many institutions of higher learning are taking an all encompassing approach to information technology related training by focusing less on the actual protocols in current use and more on the theory that all technological advancements share. The end result seems to be an increased capacity for recent IT degree program graduates to understand the fundamental relationships between old and new technology. This new understanding has allowed many newly appointed systems administration professionals to flourish where their predecessors have failed. As is the case in almost any field of employment, adaptability is the key to survival.
Institutions who offer distance learning programs, in particular, appear to be at the forefront of the new instructional methodologies that are turning out skilled and highly sought after graduates. Perhaps the very nature of online learning has hastened the transition from teaching industry standard curriculum to instruction on the fundamentals of modern IT systems. As online degree programs update their course materials more frequently than their campus based counterparts on average, it may well be economics that has fueled the fires of change. In all likelihood, distance learning institutions have long ago realized that trying to incorporate the myriad of changes to modern IT infrastructures into their curriculum is not only impossible, but a waste of time as well. Those who learn what is current will only have their knowledge become obsolete within a few years, while those who understand the base elements and grasp the concepts which function as the building blocks of systems technology will succeed. The ultimate beneficiary of these curriculum changes will be the students whose knowledge is still viable long after the technology of today is no longer in use.
The educational community has been historically slow to react to changes in the instructional methods by which systems administrators are taught. Now, however, many institutions of higher learning are taking an all encompassing approach to information technology related training by focusing less on the actual protocols in current use and more on the theory that all technological advancements share. The end result seems to be an increased capacity for recent IT degree program graduates to understand the fundamental relationships between old and new technology. This new understanding has allowed many newly appointed systems administration professionals to flourish where their predecessors have failed. As is the case in almost any field of employment, adaptability is the key to survival.
Institutions who offer distance learning programs, in particular, appear to be at the forefront of the new instructional methodologies that are turning out skilled and highly sought after graduates. Perhaps the very nature of online learning has hastened the transition from teaching industry standard curriculum to instruction on the fundamentals of modern IT systems. As online degree programs update their course materials more frequently than their campus based counterparts on average, it may well be economics that has fueled the fires of change. In all likelihood, distance learning institutions have long ago realized that trying to incorporate the myriad of changes to modern IT infrastructures into their curriculum is not only impossible, but a waste of time as well. Those who learn what is current will only have their knowledge become obsolete within a few years, while those who understand the base elements and grasp the concepts which function as the building blocks of systems technology will succeed. The ultimate beneficiary of these curriculum changes will be the students whose knowledge is still viable long after the technology of today is no longer in use.
Character Education Must Be Squeezed Back Into The School Day
In a modern era where our young children are learning their core values from TV, rap music, Britney Spears, video games, and SpongeBob Squarepants it is becoming more important than ever that elementary schools spend a small portion of their week focused on the development of character education skills. Frankly, I refuse to believe that pop culture can do a better job of educating and training our kids than our parents and teachers. For better or worse, those kiddos sitting in classrooms across this country are the leaders and tax payers of tomorrow and I would much rather that they didnt reference Bakugan the Battle Brawlers for their core ethics training!
But many elementary schools dont have time to spare for character education programs because of the increased pressures and demands of standardized testing. Testing standards and accountability are important aspects of creating healthy public school systems, but schools are struggling to keep up with the new rigorous academic testing standards. As a direct result, character education often gets squeezed from the weekly schedule.
Character Education Programs That Require Little Time Investment
Instead of squeezing character education out of the school week, schools must find creative and innovative ways to squeeze it right back in! Honestly, Id much rather have our kids build core values from our teachers and public schools than from Nickelodeons iCarly! In fact, there are many character education programs readily available that require little time investment by the school staff and these programs do a very nice job of reaching an entire campus.
Among the simple, time-friendly, and highly effective ways of reaching a campus with high quality character education programming includes Project Wisdom. This program has been around since 1992 and it focuses on brief vignettes that are read daily during morning announcements over the school PA system. The nice thing about this character program is that it only takes a few minutes per day to implement and requires no additional instruction from the classroom teachers.
Another great way of inserting character education programming into your school week is by playing short cartoon radio shows over the school PA system. Utilized one day a week during morning announcements, teachers arent asked to bear the burden of preparing additional lessons or having to sacrifice time from their academic schedules. Furthermore, character education programs like Achiever Radio allow for a school wide reach with the investment of only a few total minutes per week. The Achiever Radio program also helps build weak student listening skillswhich is a skill that has been horribly lost in this video rich day and age!
If We Dont Answer The Character Call Pop Culture Will
Increased standardized testing and academic accountability are necessary steps for improving our nations schools and shaping this country into a global leader in education. But, we simply cannot allow these increased measures to come at the expense of developing students with great moral and ethical character. And if we fail to answer the call and make time in the school day to build character pop culture will gladly continue to shape those students for us.
But many elementary schools dont have time to spare for character education programs because of the increased pressures and demands of standardized testing. Testing standards and accountability are important aspects of creating healthy public school systems, but schools are struggling to keep up with the new rigorous academic testing standards. As a direct result, character education often gets squeezed from the weekly schedule.
Character Education Programs That Require Little Time Investment
Instead of squeezing character education out of the school week, schools must find creative and innovative ways to squeeze it right back in! Honestly, Id much rather have our kids build core values from our teachers and public schools than from Nickelodeons iCarly! In fact, there are many character education programs readily available that require little time investment by the school staff and these programs do a very nice job of reaching an entire campus.
Among the simple, time-friendly, and highly effective ways of reaching a campus with high quality character education programming includes Project Wisdom. This program has been around since 1992 and it focuses on brief vignettes that are read daily during morning announcements over the school PA system. The nice thing about this character program is that it only takes a few minutes per day to implement and requires no additional instruction from the classroom teachers.
Another great way of inserting character education programming into your school week is by playing short cartoon radio shows over the school PA system. Utilized one day a week during morning announcements, teachers arent asked to bear the burden of preparing additional lessons or having to sacrifice time from their academic schedules. Furthermore, character education programs like Achiever Radio allow for a school wide reach with the investment of only a few total minutes per week. The Achiever Radio program also helps build weak student listening skillswhich is a skill that has been horribly lost in this video rich day and age!
If We Dont Answer The Character Call Pop Culture Will
Increased standardized testing and academic accountability are necessary steps for improving our nations schools and shaping this country into a global leader in education. But, we simply cannot allow these increased measures to come at the expense of developing students with great moral and ethical character. And if we fail to answer the call and make time in the school day to build character pop culture will gladly continue to shape those students for us.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Discovery To Host Free Event on Using Technology in Science Education
Discovery Education has announced the Discovery Educator Network SCIcon (DENSCIcon) 2010, a free, virtual professional development event demonstrating the many ways educators can integrate digital content and educational technologies into science education.
The event will be held Saturday, Jan. 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST and will offer a variety of individual sessions on the topic, including teaching global climate change issues, real-world applications for classroom science instruction; paperless instruction; hands-on activities; challenge-based learning; teaching with video from Mythbusters (Discovery Channel's series that subjects all sorts of myth to hands-on testing); and fun, easy and effective science experiments.
Between educational sessions, there will be 10-minute informational sessions on the company's online media offerings, including STEM Connect and the newly launched Siemens STEM Academy, along with national science contests for K-12 students, including the "We Can Change the World" Challenge and the 3M Young Scientist Challenge.
For more information on DENSCIcon 2010, visit the event Web page. To register for the online sessions, visit the registration page.
The event will be held Saturday, Jan. 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST and will offer a variety of individual sessions on the topic, including teaching global climate change issues, real-world applications for classroom science instruction; paperless instruction; hands-on activities; challenge-based learning; teaching with video from Mythbusters (Discovery Channel's series that subjects all sorts of myth to hands-on testing); and fun, easy and effective science experiments.
Between educational sessions, there will be 10-minute informational sessions on the company's online media offerings, including STEM Connect and the newly launched Siemens STEM Academy, along with national science contests for K-12 students, including the "We Can Change the World" Challenge and the 3M Young Scientist Challenge.
For more information on DENSCIcon 2010, visit the event Web page. To register for the online sessions, visit the registration page.
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