tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post4770132742967795252..comments2024-03-26T07:07:14.304-07:00Comments on Teacher Tom: This Is What Math Learning Looks LikeTeacher Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14606781724784785338noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-44524177546351007842012-02-19T10:01:01.942-08:002012-02-19T10:01:01.942-08:00Tom, this was posted in good time for me. Thank yo...Tom, this was posted in good time for me. Thank you for the reminder to keep things simple. I am a teacher in a competitive Montessori school and I am often under a silent pressure to "keep the children learning". Your post today reminded me to slow down and observe that no matter how simple the adults find the exercise to be for the child, the children are already learning from that exercise on so many levels. <br />I really enjoy how refreshing your blog is. Thank you againAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-36380229553005270992012-02-18T15:49:14.082-08:002012-02-18T15:49:14.082-08:00great article- all learning may not be fun- but in...great article- all learning may not be fun- but in preschool it certainly should be & as a homeschool mom of 3 boys- I strive to teach them discipline on necessary things which need to be done while creating a learning environment that is FUN, engaging and helps them develop a desire to learn more! balance is important - it's a part of the pattern :) they aren't going to LOVE writing that paper, but they must learn to do it- so we'll make it a paper about surfing ;) same theory for math- right? thank you for this post- very well done! (we do school outside all the time - btw- love it!) nice to"meet" you!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17674599982885673432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-12678516003979319322012-02-17T21:40:03.234-08:002012-02-17T21:40:03.234-08:00This post is really timely for me today... I strug...This post is really timely for me today... I struggle with feeling like I should do formal, pencil on paper math work with my homeschooling 5yo, but the truth is that she really doesn't like to do math that way. She will, however, happily sort ponies, match chocolate chips into pairs, string beads in symmetrical patterns, count cookies and tap a tambourine in time with some music.<br /><br />More play, less rote!Michelle @ The Parent Vortexhttp://www.theparentvortex.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-48078959450901100142012-02-17T19:12:06.345-08:002012-02-17T19:12:06.345-08:00Great post, Tom! Math for young children is all ab...Great post, Tom! Math for young children is all about the discovery process and repetition. You summed it up nicely, patterns, sorting, classifying, repeat! It's interesting that the common core standards for math have scaled back the typical push for more and higher learning, and instead focus on fewer objectives and more functional understanding of basic math concepts.Randi Albertsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08932139255355384152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-68376755041269504532012-02-17T12:51:27.608-08:002012-02-17T12:51:27.608-08:00Thanks for a fantastic post - I am researching mat...Thanks for a fantastic post - I am researching mathematics in early childhood for my PhD and so agree with all you have said.<br />Hope I can express it as eloquently as you have.kathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15889992636853654932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-62902465704090176392012-02-17T09:59:40.280-08:002012-02-17T09:59:40.280-08:00Maths is another tool we have for interpreting and...Maths is another tool we have for interpreting and learning to understand the world around us. Hooray! <br /><br />I think the problem happens later on when we formalise maths and arguably dumb it down. It's all about experimentation, investigation, discovery and play. Mathematicians play like few other professions. <br /><br />Thanks for another lovely post, Tom.Juliet Robertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07035975039896986525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-24958423693983588262012-02-17T09:32:27.139-08:002012-02-17T09:32:27.139-08:00Spot on, Tom. I'll be sharing this post with m...Spot on, Tom. I'll be sharing this post with my student-teachers in the Inquiry-based Math/Science ECE course I am teaching this term. Well done :) Have a great day!Jeanne Zuechhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04937382280710368749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-58900047872894810172012-02-17T07:05:33.742-08:002012-02-17T07:05:33.742-08:00I enjoyed most math from Algeba beyond, exactly be...I enjoyed most math from Algeba beyond, exactly because it was a challenge that I was capable of meeting with effort. I don't see it as all that different from puzzles we seek out as adults, for fun. Now, I can't remember much beyond algebra, but every once in a while, I'll wonder something about space, time, motion, and I'll think *there's a formula for that.* I may not know it, but I like the idea of things I learned a long time ago actually being real and important. <br /><br />@anon There is a big difference between edu-tainment and open ended play which allows constant accidental learning. It's the difference between feeding a child vegetables covered in cheese vs gardening with the child.Meaganhttp://hadesarrow.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-19652454374405342752012-02-17T06:42:05.178-08:002012-02-17T06:42:05.178-08:00I'm not sure I think that all learning should ...I'm not sure I think that all learning should be "fun" since sometimes children confuse "fun" with "entertaining." In fact, when I work with students they often complain that the teacher does not keep them entertained, therefore they cannot "learn." I also think that older students confuse fun with easy. When something is challenging it ceases being fun, therefore they check out. Learning is complex.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com