Treasure Trove
Author: Educational Journal
Education is the essence of peace!
All about time and environment
In a world of a technological way of living, where Internet shopping is the most convenient in our fast living world, I see it as our responsibility, the responsibility of the adults/teachers that we protect and preserve the true essence of education,… reading and learning through experiences and the exchange of thoughts and ideas.
One needs to be careful to forelive this attitude to the children that will be our future leaders.
How can we accept, that knowledge starts to sit exclusively within machines that show us the way, in physical direction or mental self-understanding?
How can we accept that children are classified according to the ability of learning?
We need to stop, letting other people tell us what a child needs, when often the one element that is needed is ‘giving the time’ yet that is neglected and seen as non-existing?
How can that be?
I think and believe that all children have the same ability to learn. Everyone is different and according to that, time, environment and approach needs to be adapted, prepared and respected. If we allow ourselves to respect and cherish these three factors, that are omni-present, globally existing for everyone, and most of all for free, would change a fair amount of fore-said, decision-made, prejudices and pre-conceived ideas.
Places like little book shops, offering additional writing and reading sessions are getting lost hence to big corporate companies, that give you all the happiness you need for the price of stripping your personality with or better for them.
My book shop goes against this way of living. My team and I know the people, we share a moment together through the process of making the decision, choosing the book that one wants. It is important to have the personal contact. That needs to be and is forelived in this environment. Children see and hear these conversations, wonder and ask questions.
Once again it is the environment that sets the mood and openness of oneself. It is the prepared environment that gives a sense of security and compactness.
WORK OF AIR
PORTAIT
This portrait was done by one of my students today 🙂 It does fit somehow…
I am one of them: Thoughts …
So why did I apply for the Global Teacher Price?
Reading about the outstanding projects of the other candidates, I need to admit, that I do not have such a big project – yet (except my little bookshop). I am “JUST” a teacher. Sitting in a wheelchair and still being a happy and positive person has an immense impact on students without even needing to talk about it. I represent a cause – just being me.
Teachers don’t have to ‘be perfect’ and do big projects in order to be an important and positive role model to their students. But it is the way they show their students how to handle difficulties, destiny and fate, which is why role models similar to me, have a positive and horizon widening impact within the microcosm of a school.
In a world where perfectionism seems the major key to success, with countless ‘Instagram’ and ‘Social Media’ stars, imperfection seems redundant, but this does not reflect the majority in our society.
Sincerely
Chris
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www.treasuretrove.beBASE 5
I recently worked with the children in my class on BASE 5. I say BASE 5 because that was what I introduced the base work on. I was, once again, surprised how well this abstract concept, of using a different base, became something rather simple and logic for the children. How come?
I think it was the link to their well-known ‘base’ they work on- Base 10.
The sheer knowledge of how to do an exchange (carry over, what they all do on a daily-basis, is implanted in them, therefore, the act of using a different base is a simple logical frame-work.
I need to add that I do, meanwhile, work in 6th grade (elementary) yet 1st grade of the IBMYP programme. These two do overlap yet regarding heir age, 11 to 13, their reasoning mind is well developed (at least on an analytical side) therefore their wider understanding of the concept at hand is given and the time is right o confront them with this kind of lessons.
So I introduced the topic by readdressing the decimal system, making the link to the wooden hierarchical material, the families (simple, thousand, million) and directed them to the all known place values in the decimal system. A nice brief recap of what they know, bringing them back to where they come from. All felt secure and confident, that they remember all of this.
After the introduction was done, we went to the lace vales of base 5. Since the concept was understood within the decimal system, it was logic for them that instead of multiplying each number by ten, we multiply by 5;
1 – 5 – 25 – 125 – 625 = place values of base 5
All that was clear and the links were made.
The concet was understood and hence we established that in base 5, we only have 5 numbers. Vice versa, in base 10 we have 10.
Base 5 = 01234
Base 10 = 0123456789
All that was clear, and the addition exercise in base five presented no difficulty; Instead of exchanging at ten, we exchange at 5. Keeping in mind that five is an illegal number such as 6 7 8 9.
With some we went onto transforming base 5 to base 10.
There, all the knowledge of multiplication and division comes in action and need to be applied.
All in all, I need to say that this lesson was/is a fantastic manner o introduce something new yet all the known need to be applied and repeated; I can recommend to not wait too long to introduce to 11/12 year old children. It wraps it up very nice with something exciting and new.
Yours Chris
HAPPY NEW YEAR
EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL
Geometry as a springboard to math
When there is a first combination … you will find a second combination.
I been thinking that these combinations are ideal ways to introduce a child in primary to various terminologies, words, language. One can apply terminologies found in algebra, explain the concept of variables with the pictures you see on the board. In that case the word sum could be brought to the child’s attention, that this word is linked to an addition, introducing the word quotient and product. For visual children this can be a good tool to give them these words. By experience a 10, 11 and 12 year old can by times struggle with word problems hence to a non-understanding of the terminologies they have in front of them.
These important words are often neglected because of the drive of having the right result or answer.
Of course there are millions of ways to give ‘the words’ to a student, yet within the Montessori material is so much that can be used for things, topics, facts and ideas but one doesn’t dare to do.
Another example…
I can explain (within the chapter of equations) what it means to maintain balance. It is visual, clear and attractive. ‘whatever is done on one side of the equal sign must also be done on the other side’;This board could be my introduction. Later one also can use a scale to let the children explore.
I will continue my investigation of the vabulous variety within the Montessori material, wher and how to apply the given in different topics of mathematics.
Chris
