Entries this day: Work emma math,_or_Dot's_Right!

Work

10:03pm JST Friday 13 November 2009 (day 14478)

Tried sortof a new way of coding today. For the past several pages, I've been thinking, "well that's just like this page, but with these few changes, and taking the other page and copying all the code and making a few changes. But today I started from scratch, and drew out my almost flowchart but mostly psuedocode, and then started writing, but only pulling in little bits of code at a time, so I was more sure to only get the bits I needed, and to build the page up a bit at a time instead of all at once.

I think this second technique will give cleaner code in the end, and I think that it's only become possible after I really pretty much know all the bits of code we use and know what does what and goes where.

emma

10:06pm JST Friday 13 November 2009 (day 14478)

After work, I met Emma for an RC session; I basically told her what I had told her on the phone: I haved (cross between have and had) a crush on まみこ in the class, but need not act on it, for my own reasons, and for the integrity of the class. We'll probably organize a 3-way RC session featuring me, まみこ and another person, possibly Emma, and sort it all out that way.

math, or Dot's Right!

Email from / to TinaP:

Dear All of you,

I am writing my final paper on why people are so scared of math.  I found that nobody wanted to help
me out with a math assignment and most of them were too scared of having me tape record them doing
the assignment.

I know that some of you may love math and this will also help me write ways to try to fix the
problem in my math classes.  (For any of you that do not know I am going to be teaching math 4th
-8th grade)

If you could please answer the following I would be grateful.

---------------------

> Dear All of you,
Dear my favorite one

> Are you afraid of Algebra?
What is algebra?   er, I mean no

> Do you like math?
Yes.

> Did you ever like math?
See answer N-1

> Do you think your teacher could have done something different?
Mrs Deleary in 3rd grade said, "you're smarter than this; I could just shoot you," for not doing very good homework.   I don't think 3rd grade teachers should threaten to shoot their students.   Good thing you'll be teaching 4th grade!

> If you did enjoy your math education, why did you? (teacher, parents,
> friends)
Mr Bandecca would tell us stories during algebra class, mixed in with showing us how to do algebra problems.  He would always be like, "that reminds me of a story..." and we'd be like, "yes!" cause we didn't have to think.  Then at the very end he would say, "well I guess we better do this," and show us how to do the problem.   We were so happy with the story that the algebra was easy!

> Do you think you have a life long understanding of math?
I guess so.

> Do you remember relating math to anything in your life at the time you took
> math courses?
Not really, but I remember how I learned to add arabic numerals.  Basically I would visualize dots on the numbers and count up the dots.

1 => 1 dot.  easy.   
2 => dot on top curve and dot on bottom line
3 => dot on each point
4 => The way I drew fours would be like a square, so a dot on each corner
5 => 1 dot on top, 2 dots on each curve
6 => 2 dots on each curve
7 => 2 dots on top and 1 on bottom, twice, plus one (kinda the oddball in my system)
8 => 2 dots on top and bottom of each circle
9 => 3 times: 1 dot on each curve

So to add 3 and 4, I would start with "three" and then visualize the dots on the corners of the square.  "four, five, six, seven"  Seven!

Etc etc.  I still add numbers this way if I'm tired.

> What would you recommend I do with my students to keep them interested?
>  Perhaps something that would have worked for you.
Tell them stories?   This might be better for older kids.

Mr Reagh had a really good idea.  Don't teach rote memorization of addition and multiplication tables to little kids.  That stuff will come with practice.   Instead, teach them algebra starting in 5th grade.  Don't teach *any* math besides just counting before that.

> Thank you for helping me out!

Yay!

> And no, your name will not be used, only your ideas!
Please use my name if you use my dot counting idea.  You can just say "my friend Rob," and I'll hear you in my heart.  If you want to really confuse them, say "my mom Rob"

    Love Love
     - Mom!