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Re: manipulatives/ parents' role
Posted:
Apr 13, 1995 2:26 PM
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Sjpeaking of kids and museums....this year I cosponsored a math club for
fifth and sixth graders. In March, which is a grey, inbetween, nothing kind
of season here in New England, we planned a FAMILY day trip to the museum
about 1 hour away. We had use of the Hands'on geometry exhibit room for the
morning. Every one brought a sack lunch and we planned a few a la Family
Math activities for the period after lunch and then we turned folks loose to
enjoy the rest of the museum. We have 14 kids in our club...12 came with
their folks. Very positive feedback.
Perhaps we can help facilitate FAMILY visits to places and things by
planning these trips on weekends instead of during school hours.
>
>Dan,
>We wish all parents were like you say. But many parents
>are just a mom or just a dad (or just a grandma)
>or are working 3 jobs
>or don't have a car
>or don't live within a day's drive of a museum or a zoo or the opera
>or weren't brought up that way and never even think of doing these things
> (though they *would* take the kids to Disneyland)
>or are drunk or on drugs
>. . .
>Lots of kids in my area have never played in the snow.
>Granted, I live in Southern California, but the snow
>is a mere 18-mile drive into the mountains.
>A college student I talked to had "heard that there is a desert
>on the other side of these mountains". Yes, the Mojave. It's
>about a 30-mile drive. So I hate to think of how many
>have never been taken to a museum.
>
>The U.S. is very diverse, and we can't count on kids having
>Cleaveresque experiences growing up. Schools may have to
>provide these background/enrichment experiences or kids may miss out
>completely.
>
>Susan Addington (addington@gallium.csusb.edu)
>Math Department, California State University
>San Bernardino, CA 92407
>World Wide Web: http://www.math.csusb.edu/
>
>
>On Wed, 12 Apr 1995 DKier@aol.com wrote:
>
>> First of all I don't mean that life's experience will necessarily teach you
>> to think algebraically. Life's experience gives you the background to
>> formally learn to think algebraically.
>>
>> As to what kind of experiences, It could be any thing one does that
>> stimulates thinking and curiosity. Example: Kids playing cowboys and indians
>> ( I know, politcaly incorrect but I'm thinking back to my younger days when I
>> played cowboys and indians). One kid has made a make shift bow and arrow,
>> when he shoots the arrow he notices that the arrow does not go far . He/She
>> may question why. The child might also notice the "arc" of the arrow's
>> flight. Extend this idea to playing baseball or softball.
>>
>> How about Mom and Dad taking their children to museums? or to the zoo? or to
>> a state park?
>>
>> More later if you want it.
>> Dan
>>
>
>
--
Linda Dodge
Math Consultant
Frontier Regional High School
South Deerfield, MA
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