attachlings truism #2
28 Friday Oct 2011
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in28 Friday Oct 2011
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in25 Tuesday Oct 2011
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in21 Friday Oct 2011
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in“Is it reasonable to expect someone to find what they’ll love in the future by doing things they don’t love right now?ย Doesn’t it make more sense that people will discover all sorts of things they love by exploring what intrigues them? In a rich environment where they’re supported in what they love and have swirling around them other things they could pick up and explore to find potential new loves?”
~ Joyce Fetteroll
These days Whinnie is intrigued by letters. She’s a very early reader–but doesn’t know it. She has begun ‘knowing’ simple words by sight.
I got stamp pads & alphabet stamps recently, ostensibly for a Christmas crafting project. Understandably, Whinnie is captivated. ๐
The boys are similarly captivated by their interests — Star Wars, Lego, computers, etc.
Theo & I explored Wild Birds Unlimited recently. He came away with a new bird for his collection as well as new inspiration.
17 Monday Oct 2011
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inNothing fiber-related to share today — with the partial exception of Whinnie’s dress in these photos. I knitted that for her earlier this year when she requested a ‘yellow dress.’ย Yes, I completely and totally geek out when she chooses to wear one of the (many) items I’ve hand knit for her…I admit it freely. ๐
In the above photo the ‘learning stuff’ happened because of a child’s natural impulse to climb — and the wisdom of ‘interpretive history’ planners who understood. At the back end of this ‘old covered wagon without its cover’ is a small step ladder.
No matter what you think you understand there is an element of the real and tactile and tangible that transforms one’s knowing. Being IN this little space and considering how all of a whole family’s possessions would have to fit into it for a long, hard trek across the land — that was something. Theo (rather wisely) observed that it might only ‘just’ hold his Lego collection. ๐
Whinnie in the one-room schoolhouse
…listening to the ‘teacher’…
…talk about this…
As I told Nic later, I have been reading for 42 years. I have long been passionate about reading and learning and researching. I’ve been a homeschooling mama for nearly a decade. And I’ve been to this interpretive history center many times. And yet, with all of that, I’ve never, ever encountered the above photographed math triangle. And I was gobsmacked by its perfection of form, symmetry and use.
As the teacher showed us, it can be used for all 4 main math functions: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. And one can continue the numbers on infinitely (given enough space.)
Ok, so how DOES it work?
1st — multiplication
Look at the 6 row.
Take the row number of 6 look at the first set of numbers 1 over 6.
…then say 6 times 1 equals 6
…next set, 2 over 12 — 6 times 2 equals 12
…next set, 3 over 18 — 6 times 3 equals 18
See?
The sets of numbers give you the answers.
For division, reverse that order:
…18 divided by 3 equals 6
…12 divided by 2 equals 6
…6 divided by 1 equals 6
Cool, huh? ๐
Addition and subtraction, oddly enough, are a bit more abstract for me to explain in this format…but I will give it a go. ๐
Give a look at the 5 and 6 rows.
Next to the row-starter 5 you’ll see 1 over 5 (they look like fractions, no? yes! we’ll get to that later…)
Then look sort of right below that 1 over 5 and see 1 over 6.
Ignore the 1 in 1 over 6. Now say: 1 plus 5 equals 6 and see that play out before you.
Move over one set to the right on the same rows:
2 plus 10 equals 12
Again….
3 plus 15 equals 18
Again…
4 plus 20 equals 24
See?
Subtraction?
As with division, just reverse what you did in addition…
24 minus 20 equals 4 — and so on
Ok — back to fractions…
Look at each row and you’ll see a perfect set of equivalent fractions ๐
Look at the ‘denominator’ of each row and you see the multiples of the number as well as a counting aid for those learning to count by 2’s or 5’s or whatever…
Numbers are beautiful.
Math is beautiful.
There is such a perfect symmetry and beauty in math.
I wish that math had been offered to me as a child as something beautiful and logical.
If this math triangle had been shown to me, it would have been one of those ‘angels singing’ moments and I mightn’t have spent years thinking I wasn’t ‘good at math.’
I intend to make one of these with the boys (if they wish to help) and make it as large as I can. For me the fun in this is exploring whether or not it can be continued infinitely. I do believe it can — but as with the coverless wagon above — it is the doing, the touching that true understanding transforms.
16 Sunday Oct 2011
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in14 Friday Oct 2011
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in“It’s much better to be their partner than their roadblock. If you become an obstacle they’ll find a way around you. Is that what you want for your relationship with your kids?”
โJoyce Fetteroll
11 Tuesday Oct 2011
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inOne day long ago a 2 year old Nic asked for something at a store. I cannot remember what, just that it wasn’t a simple thing like bubbles or a $1 toy.
Out of my mouth popped a simple suggestion that has worked wonders for the following decade–and continues to serve well with all three children: ‘you can put it on your list.’. ๐
It amazes me how well this works. Year round.
It ends whining and pleading. Typically, the questioning child switches from ‘I want’ mode to considering whether to place the item on their birthday list or Christmas list.
It ‘works’ also because I respect their lists. I do not use the list idea as a way to distract and ignore.
Lately though, I have been finding my brain NOT up to the task of remembering the wishes of all three children.
So I’ve started using my cell camera to make photo lists.
My phone is always with me.
The children know this. ๐
When they ask for something to be added to their list, they are delighted to see me retrieve my phone & snap a pic.
Taking the pic with the requesting child in the frame is perfection.
Later I download all the photos to my laptop. There I have a folder for each child.
Now the children know that they will not get everything on their lists. They never seem bothered by that. On the contrary, they seem content to know that their requests were considered & cataloged.
I utilize several other cell camera strategies to help my memory-troubled brain…but I will save those for a later post…
10 Monday Oct 2011
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in08 Saturday Oct 2011
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in07 Friday Oct 2011
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inAh, complete untethering.
Wordpress app for iPhone. ๐
Why does this thrill me?
1- I am waiting for a new adapter for my old iBook.
2- my iPhone is with me always, and it is my tool for photographing all our adventures.
So now I can use my iPhone for blogging & getting these photos up directly. ๐
Google reader
Ravelry
Pinterest
Flickr
Facebook
Gmail
Netflix
It boggles the mind that everything I use a computer for is accessible via this tiny computer that fits in my pocket.
Now maybe I can get back to consistent blogging. ๐