I recently spent a bunch of time realizing that memorizing multiplication tables, formulas, and random numerical facts about the world is a really good idea. (fermi estimation). I notice you need some theory to actually connect the memorized facts to reality, though.
What use is 5*5 = 25 is you don’t know how to use numbers and recognize when multiplication is appropriate?
Maybe the trick is to get students to solve mostly complete world-connected problems so that they develop the skills of connecting the memorized procedures to something useful.
Still, as you say, at a sufficiently early stage in development, the students might not even be cognitively capable of connecting the facts to reality, but they need to memorize them for later.
I certainly learned “six times four is twenty four” before I learned anything approaching actual practical use of math.
I wonder what the simplest actual-practical-use-of-math is? Balancing a checkbook? Counting sheep? (I really ought not cite an essay I dislike so much).
P.S. At least math has basic facts that are worth memorizing. I’m still confused on what can usefully be learned in elementary school history class.
I wonder what the simplest actual-practical-use-of-math is?
Despite the rambling nature of that “essay” the counting sheep thing is a really good example.
Might want to make it connect to their reality. I wonder if there is a way to use math on becoming popular or whatever elementary kids care about.
Pokemon was an epic driver of (nonuseful) study for people in my generation. It was an RPG, too, so you could squeeze a lot of math out of it. I wonder if the schooling establishment has the ability to keep up with what kids are doing?
I’m still confused on what can usefully be learned in elementary school history class.
Propaganda and indoctrination? You might be able to tell them that the past really sucked and most of the world still sucks, and it’s their destiny to grow up to make the world awesome.
Probably, as well as attempt some really quick immunization against fascists or whatever. Also, you might drill into them that things are complicated and happen You also could give a really quick outline of the world. I know that in 5th grade I did not know any of the following:
The world is really, really big.
A lot of the world outside of America has a standard of living similar to America, but even more of it doesnt. Its getting better.
Not sure about Pokemon or making studying fun. Attempts to make educational games often fail miserably, and children quickly learn that things that adults tell them will be fun won’t be. Some of these were basically just ‘guess the teacher’s password’ games.
Democracy has been around for a long time and most countries are democracies, or pretending to be.
Teaching people that the struggle of awesomeness is on their shoulders is easy to sound ridiculous, may seem absurd to people who are about to go into low-status or even just unglamorous jobs, and tends to get really trite really fast so I am not sure how to deal with it in a to-be-mainstream school.
I recently spent a bunch of time realizing that memorizing multiplication tables, formulas, and random numerical facts about the world is a really good idea. (fermi estimation). I notice you need some theory to actually connect the memorized facts to reality, though.
What use is 5*5 = 25 is you don’t know how to use numbers and recognize when multiplication is appropriate?
Maybe the trick is to get students to solve mostly complete world-connected problems so that they develop the skills of connecting the memorized procedures to something useful.
Still, as you say, at a sufficiently early stage in development, the students might not even be cognitively capable of connecting the facts to reality, but they need to memorize them for later.
I certainly learned “six times four is twenty four” before I learned anything approaching actual practical use of math.
I wonder what the simplest actual-practical-use-of-math is? Balancing a checkbook? Counting sheep? (I really ought not cite an essay I dislike so much).
P.S. At least math has basic facts that are worth memorizing. I’m still confused on what can usefully be learned in elementary school history class.
Despite the rambling nature of that “essay” the counting sheep thing is a really good example.
Might want to make it connect to their reality. I wonder if there is a way to use math on becoming popular or whatever elementary kids care about.
Pokemon was an epic driver of (nonuseful) study for people in my generation. It was an RPG, too, so you could squeeze a lot of math out of it. I wonder if the schooling establishment has the ability to keep up with what kids are doing?
Propaganda and indoctrination? You might be able to tell them that the past really sucked and most of the world still sucks, and it’s their destiny to grow up to make the world awesome.
Probably, as well as attempt some really quick immunization against fascists or whatever. Also, you might drill into them that things are complicated and happen You also could give a really quick outline of the world. I know that in 5th grade I did not know any of the following:
The world is really, really big.
A lot of the world outside of America has a standard of living similar to America, but even more of it doesnt. Its getting better.
Not sure about Pokemon or making studying fun. Attempts to make educational games often fail miserably, and children quickly learn that things that adults tell them will be fun won’t be. Some of these were basically just ‘guess the teacher’s password’ games.
Democracy has been around for a long time and most countries are democracies, or pretending to be.
Teaching people that the struggle of awesomeness is on their shoulders is easy to sound ridiculous, may seem absurd to people who are about to go into low-status or even just unglamorous jobs, and tends to get really trite really fast so I am not sure how to deal with it in a to-be-mainstream school.