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Home for the Holidays
by Melanie Skelton
One of the things I love most about teaching my children at home is the
morning a big snowstorm hits and we have nowhere to go. We peek out at
public schooled children trudging through the snow, then go light a
fire, stay in our warm pajamas and get the schoolbooks out. Actually, I
have to admit that it gets harder to maintain this lifestyle as they get
older and more involved, so I treasure it when I can.
The holidays can hold the same kind of magic if we are willing to focus
on those things that spark that magic. Think about it. When you are
running around shopping for Christmas, is that magic? How about the
recitals and parties that try to take over the Christmas season, is that
magic? Maybe, but the real magic is in those moments when your
children’s eyes sparkle with the excitement of having created a
“special” ornament for the tree or helped take cookies to a neighbor. ....read more
As home educators we have an expanded opportunity to create more of these
magic moments in our home. There are so many activities and so much we can
learn with our children in connection to the holiday season. I’d like to
share a handful of ideas with you.
We love learning about the holiday traditions of other countries. Last year
our main focus ended up being on Australia. The children were fascinated to
learn that it is a summertime Christmas they celebrate in Australia. They go
to the beach and have barbecues, and according to one book we read, Santa
arrives on a bike. We learned some Aussie lingo and my children still walk
around saying “g’day mate” to each other. The highlight was when we learned
about Christmas Crackers, a tradition that actually came to Australia from
England. A cracker is a small cardboard tube (think toilet paper roll) with
goodies inside and wrapped in bright paper. When the cracker is “pulled” by
two people, there is a pop. We searched the internet trying to figure out how
to make our own crackers for Christmas Eve. We ordered a bundle of
twenty-five cracker snaps for $4.25, found a collection of Christmas jokes and
went to work making crackers. It was great fun.
Have you ever tried a themed Christmas, such as a Colonial Christmas? I’ve
never done this but have a friend who did when they were looking for a way to
keep Christmas simple and inexpensive.
The holidays are a great time to have your children do arts and crafts. They
can make gifts for siblings or grandparents with your help. I’ve seen many
books at the library that offer ideas for gifts children can make. And
handmade decorations are a given at our house. We can’t put up the Christmas
tree without the children deciding to make those red and green paper chains or
string popcorn. Save the metal lids of your frozen juice concentrate and use
a nail and hammer to punch holes forming a simple design. Add trim and hang
it on the tree. Or use salt dough to make little ornaments for the tree.
Sometimes these don’t quite make it to the tree, but it is the process that is
important anyway. Many magazines have a nice selection of ideas for ornaments
you can help your children make.
This is also a great time of year to be in the kitchen with your children.
Learn to make something new, perhaps something to go along with your study of
another culture. Or something that is a traditional recipe in your family.
Above all, enjoy this time with your children. These are days to cherish.
When it seems too hard to buckle down and do math, take math to the kitchen or
pull out the Legos and read Christmas Carol or The Best Christmas
Pageant Ever while they play quietly. And watch for that sparkle of magic
in your children’s eyes.
Melanie Skelton has educated her six children at home for eight
years. She is the co-founder of Utah Families Teaching at
Home and assists in teaching workshops to empower and help home
educators. She is the web designer for the website, found at
http:
http://www.utahfamilies.net/ and is in the process of
co-authoring a book about home education. This book will
help home educators better understand learning styles, personality
styles and levels of learning. It will teach the reader how
to apply this information to their home school and plan out a
curriculum that will meet the needs of their children.
[ hide article ]
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Road Trip to Cultural Diversity:
A Map for Language Learning
by Beth Butler
Who said the road to
understanding your neighbor and traveling through foreign countries
cannot be paved with golden moments of language fun? December and the
Holidays are time for reflection on how important family is, special
moments spent with family and road trips to visit family in places new
and old.
Make the most of
these treasured trips with learning opportunities you and your children
will talk about for years to come. Below I hope to share with parents
several tips for making the most of these December vacations; taking
them from mundane to language learning moments.
...read more
Research your trip prior to
leaving. The internet has made those days of having only AAA Road Maps as our
travel guides long gone. We can now utilize those search engines not only for
convenient holiday shopping but for travel plans extraordinaire! Find the best
prices with your children at your side, teaching them the value of money and
comparison shopping. Discover the native languages of your destination. Even
U.S. locations sport a variety of languages spoken in surrounding communities.
Check out DVDs, CDs and books from your local library featuring this new
language so that your entire family enjoys a jump start on the language
learning.
Plan your pit stops ahead of time with a purpose in mind. Shhhhh! Do not tell
the kids, but put a little method into your madness by finding some cool places
to stop along the way. Perhaps a little historical mound or unique museum of
local interest could just pop into your plans. Or, if you are flying to your
destination, ask friends and locals about some of the great hang outs that will
allow you to feel and taste the local flavors. (When we left for Puerto Rico on
a family vacation this past summer, my Puerto Rican amigas made it their mission
to hook us up with great pueblos to stop by and experience the local life!)
Make meal time a math and practice time. Yes! Ordering an empanada can provide
you with the learning opportunity of the day! When in Rome, do as the Romans
do! Try it! Typically the locals in vacation destinations appreciate and
respect visitors who attempt to speak their language. Encourage your children to
order their lunch in the new language. Then use your knowledge of any money or
conversion rates necessary to incorporate a little math over this
holiday/vacation time.
Visit cultural events, craft shows and local festivals. There is truly no better
way to hear the language, experience the culture and feel the beat of the city
you are in than to attend a fair, a craft show, an artisan market, an outdoor
festival or something free and current during your stay. That internet research
prior to leaving home should have drummed up some free family fun for your stay.
Make the most of this local flair, and encourage the whole family to let go of
their inhibitions as they practice the new language, sample the new tastes and
experience a new way of life. You will notice the younger children embrace these
opportunities while the teens and adults have to work at being childlike in
their acceptance of new experiences.
We are the best teachers for our children and should welcome the chance to make
December a time for continued learning. Let us not allow our children to join
the statistics of lost learning during vacation time. Let us instead use the
latest research that suggests the earlier you introduce a second language to a
young child, the better.
Take a road trip and turn it into a golden opportunity for sharing another
culture, language and life experience. Your children will reap the many benefits
derived from early language learning while you reap the peace of mind that you
are preparing them for a society rich in cultural diversity.
About
the Author:
Beth Butler is the founder of the BOCA BETH Language Learning Series for young
children. Find out how fun and easy it can be to raise a bilingual child. Sample
the BOCA BETH bilingual music and movies for free at
http://www.bocabeth.com
Call toll free 1.877.825.2622 or 1.813.244.1432
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Look Mom, NO BATTERIES!
by Seth Prezant
The holidays are here. It’s an interesting time of
year when childhood memories bloom and thoughts of icy snowmen, hot
chocolate, and family get-togethers fill our hearts, minds, and
stomachs.
Not me…I think of batteries.
And I hate batteries. Batteries cost a great deal
of money, sometimes more than the items you buy that need the batteries.
Batteries come in many sizes, too many, so you can’t just buy a big box
of, let’s say, 9Volts because the remote control helicopter you bought
uses “C’s” and the hand held remote takes two “AA’s”! ...read more
I hate batteries because the kids never shut off the
battery operated keyboard. Now I am no electrician, but I know without eight
working “D” batteries you can’t play even a C note on the battery operated
keyboard.
I hate batteries because they are a choking hazard for
young children and they leak acid when they are left unused. I hate batteries
because they are difficult to install. Today you need a special mini screwdriver
just to open the battery hatch! And after grappling for 25 minutes with the
Teflon coated, Blackwater security wrapped gift, I just don’t feel like
installing batteries with my bloodied fingers.
I hate batteries because they don’t come with the toys you
buy. “Batteries not included” is like a saying, “Here’s a toy that doesn’t work
unless you buy some more things and work some more installing it so your kids
can leave it on so you have to buy more batteries that were not included in the
first place!” It is just me?
I hate batteries because you can’t play with battery
operated toys in the rain, and I like rain. I like the Amish too because they do
not like batteries either.
Batteries also mean less work for a child and I like when
children work. Not sweat-shop work but the type of work and running around that
wears them out and gets them out of the house! Children get exercise by moving
around, kicking balls, chasing butterflies, and building things.
Batteries are also a drain on the environment. A huge
drain. They are not easily recyclable, they do not compost, and they add
dangerous chemicals to landfills and lakes! I am sure Al Gore hates batteries
too.
Here’s a challenge.
Moms, dads, grandmas, granddads, uncles, aunts…I challenge
you this holiday season to buy gifts for your children that do not
require batteries or electricity. Just imagine the possibilities! The wonderful
gifts, games, puzzles, bug catchers, butterfly/insect nets, fishing rods (not
the battery operated ones), magnifying glasses, telescopes, books, and, well
hundreds of other cool toys that are available in the stores or on-line. A
shameless plug - Visit
www.CoolBugStuff.com for some wonderful NO BATTERY OPERATED toys, games, and
way cool Science and Nature gifts!
Stand up. Band together. Let’s fight against batteries this
holiday season! Oh, that’s my cell phone, I have to take this call, have a happy
holiday and as always…
Have a Creepy Crawly New Year!
Seth Prezant is the founder and Bugmaster of
www.CoolBugStuff.com
.
His award winning web site was created to help promote fascination and education
in science using nature’s most abundant creatures…Bugs! Seth is a true EEE
(Education & Entertainment Entrepreneur) providing educational and entertaining
nature shows for schools, camps, aftercare programs and home school groups all
around South Florida. The Bugmaster can be reached @
seth@coolbugstuff.com
You can find many more easy parent/child projects to do together on Seth's
website
www.coolbugstuff.com.
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The Secret Of Praising Your Way to
Self-Discipline
in Your Children
by Diane Spoehr
“I don’t want to. I’ll do it later.”
Ahh, yes, these are the words every parent loves to
hear when they’ve asked their child to complete a task, “Now, please.”
So how do you get an 8 year old to want to clean
her room now? How do you persuade a ten year old to put his baseball
glove where it belongs, and not directly in your path to the front door?
.
...read more
Wouldn’t you love to have your child put away his
clothes without having to discuss it every day? Would it not be a relief
to come home to a tidy bedroom, so your daughter could find her dance
tights without a search through the entire closet? You know the dog
would like to be fed on time, and the guinea pig would feel better in a
freshly cleaned nest. But does your child know and care about that?
Well, certainly he does. It’s just that there are so many other things
to do first; Pokeman, GameBoy, FurReal Friends to be named…
Disciplining a child is almost universally difficult for
parents, but there is a far better solution out there: teaching a child to be
self-disciplined is the real goal, and it is the ultimate answer to so many
common situations.
We all know adults who make excuses and moan about
neglected work. It takes no little effort to do all that is required to manage a
family, and it takes a great deal of energy and dedication to carry kids to
soccer, football, dance class, martial arts class, church school, Brownies, Cub
Scouts, not to mention going to school! That’s only to get the children around;
the parents still have to go to work, the grocery store, drugstore, bank, post
office…it is tiring just thinking about the chores a parent has each day.
The majority of people do it all, with few missed
appointments or lost items. Most parents have the self-discipline to set the
goals that are needed and follow through to accomplish those goals.
So how is it that with these great examples to look upon
each day most kids don’t clean their rooms, feed the cat, walk the dog, and
finish every assignment on time or even early? Ah, well now, that’s a good
question.
Just as we parents set out goals and make our lists, we
must teach the children to do the same thing. Just as we learned that life is
smoother when we do what needs to be done, our kids need to learn their world
flows easier when they do their chores and take responsibility for themselves.
There is a truth that with privilege comes responsibility. However that truth
can be reversed and used to teach; with each responsibility that is accepted,
there should be an accompanying privilege.
This does not mean each action needs a reward; you need not
pay your child every time he cleans his room or makes his bed. Money is great,
candy is dandy, but life does not work that way. Reflect on your own rewards for
driving everyone to their activities; the sense of accomplishment, the joy of
watching the dance rehearsal or the ball game, the smiles on the children’s
faces when they learn to pump their legs and make the swing work by themselves.
These rewards cannot be bought, nor be given to you. You must earn these things
by action, and your child earns rewards the same way.
The challenge that parents face is helping their children
appreciate the rewards that life naturally provides. A child can be taught to
complete a task, but it is even more important to teach her to have pride in her
own work. When they are very young, children are proud of their crayon pictures,
and they run to you to have you admire what they’ve made. As they grow they
don’t always come running to show you everything, but they still have pride in
their work. You need to keep that admiration for their work, and expand it to
include clean floors, beds that are made, and clothes that are hung up. The
problem is that kids make beds crooked, clothes are falling partially off the
hangers, and the closet door is not quite able to be closed since there’s a sock
stuck in the corner of the door. At that point you need to follow the rule our
Mom’s taught us: “Think twice before you speak.”
“That’s great, Timmy, but next time pick that sock up. “
“Oh gee, what’s the point? All Mom ever sees is the stupid
sock, and I miss something every time.”
Far better to continue to observe and comment on the positive, on what the child
has done rather than what they’ve missed. The missed details of a job stand out
only because the majority of the work is correct; ponder on those things.
“That’s great, Timmy. Take a minute to admire your work; it
makes a difference in here.”
“Cool. I can do this by myself. Oh, I better get that sock
out of there.”
Yes, this is reality; yes, this will happen in your house,
too.
If you are trying to learn how to praise children,
remember that they are just young human beings. They will enjoy praise just as
you do, if you bring it into their age-appropriate language. So when you
receive praise at work, or from a family member, or from a friend, take a moment
to consider how that praise was given. Avoid praise that contains hidden
criticism, as the sock comment above.
Be sure that what you commend actually deserves your
notice. Children are very aware of truth, and they disdain false praise. If you
tell them they did well when they did not, kids will just figure you are too
stupid to tell the difference. Reward a poor job, and that’s what you will get
in the future.
Build self-discipline in children by honest appreciation for tasks completed
properly, and in order to gain that approval that matters most, i.e., yours, the
children will come to do their tasks before they are told.
Diane Spoehr is the Head Instructor and Owner of the Hwa
Rang Do School of Jacksonville, located in Mandarin and Julington Creek. She is
a 3rd Dan Degree Black Sash in the ancient Korean Martial and Healing
Art of Hwa Rang Do®, with 10 years of experience teaching children
and adults of all ages. Diane has taught many children and their parents how to
develop self-discipline, demonstrate courtesy, and achieve their goals.
website:
www.hwarangdofl.com
Email:
hrdjax@bellsouth.net
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Working Together- Leaders and Partners
By
Becky Douglas
This is the fourth in a series of articles
about youth bicycle travel. The articles cover all aspects of developing
and executing an overnight bike trip with kids, and are based on
Adventure Cycling Association's
Pedal Pioneers Guide, a detailed handbook for bicycle travel with
kids (www.adventurecycling.org/pedalpioneers).
Bicycle travel gives
you and your child an opportunity to plan and implement an adventure
that will continue to feed you both, mentally and physically, for years.
As you plan your bicycle trip you should consider if your child will be
traveling on their own, with other kids, with parental support or with a
professional touring group. .
...read more
The reasons why your
child wants to go on a bicycle trip may vary greatly – a desire to meet
people from different cultures, the aspiration to travel via their own
physical and mental power, or them wanting to learn the natural history
of our national parks from the source. Each of the options below have
their own learning strengths.
ON
THEIR OWN
We have
seen kids traveling overnight as well as cross-country all on their own. For
example, Sarabeth Matilsky chose to spend 5 months of her junior year traveling
on the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail – Adventure Cycling’s signature bicycle route
across the middle of America. She summed up her experience well when she said
“This trip is quite possible the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life – I
never knew I could do anything so difficult, handle so much adversity, and ride
out SMILING.” The learning does not just happen on the road – Joellen labeled
the preparation that she put into the trip as “the education of a lifetime”.
While on the trail, she learned about the poverty in the Appalachians, found new
friends to go spelunking with in Missouri, and hiked with rangers in Yellowstone
National Park. She met people from around the world, learning from their
passions and professions. She ended up cycling with others 75% of her trip, and
learned a great deal about her own power.
Your
child would need to be independent, motivated and very responsible to accomplish
this feet. It takes a special young person and support network to travel by
themselves on bicycle, but it has been done, and been instrumental in forging
both an education and a sense of empowerment that the classroom just simply does
not provide.
WITH A
GROUP OF KIDS
Your
child may want to embark upon a journey on bicycle in which they work as a team
with other youth. Teamwork can make planning the trip more of a group exercise
and gives them dependable support while out on their adventure. The pre-trip
experience can still be very rich. Casey O’Haire and his younger brother Jacob
embarked on their 500 mile bike tour together. As Casey said “the Bicycle that
I’m riding, as well as my brother’s bike, are entirely my own design and
handiwork.” They learned about welding, gear ratios, derailleurs and cranksets –
building up their bikes frame in the months prior to their trip. “This is my
first sizable tour on any sort of bicycle. I’m loving it!” said Casey. They
learned from professionals and hobbyists, and gained engineering skills that
will help them in the future. Their journey began right from their home and
brought them to a coast hundreds of miles away.
WITH
YOU
Many
parents choose to join home schoolers on their journey. As a parent, you can
choose the depth to which you involve your child in the planning. They can help
choose a route, design the training program, create a meal plan, and much more.
And your options for thematic routes really opens up. We’ve seen a variety of
themes, including the Lewis and Clark Bicycle Route, the Underground Railroad
Bicycle Route and even the Ballroom Bicycle Brigade!
Zoe
Goehring, a 13-year-old, rode the Transam Trail in 2001 with her parents and a
friend. She summed up why big adventures can be key modeling forces in youth “So
even though some of my friends wrinkle up their notes at my plan for summer
vacation and ask, “But what about going to the mall?”. I just laugh at what
they’re missing and pedal away”.
WITH A
GROUP OF ADULTS AND KIDS
Many
folks choose to go with a larger group of kids with parent and adult help.
Volunteers are key to the success of these larger group tours, and parents are
perfect candidates. The depth of their role varies greatly depending on how you
want to work with them in your bike trip. They can act as assistant tour
leaders, cook meals, and increase the student-to-leader ratio. They should have
specific roles that will make your trip safer, easier, and more fun. Always
recruit more volunteers than you need as some will not be able to make it. And
make sure to thank them with food, parties, T-shirts and photos of the trip.
Check out the “Partners” Section below for more ideas.
WITH
ANOTHER GROUP
You and
your child can either choose to organize your own group youth trip, or sign up
for one that is already organized for you. Your can sign up with one of the 400
plus tours companies around the world (visit
www.adventurecycling.org/cyp/tourops.cfm for a listing). Some have age
limits, while others have age specific trips for families. Check out
www.adventurecycling.org/tours/index.cfm and go to Family Fun tours for some
adult/child trips. Two of the many groups that lead educational youth bicycle
trips include Ed Safaris at
www.edsafaris.com/ and Two Wheel View bike trips at
www.twowheelview.org. These trips offer unparalled educational opportunities
with experts in the field.
PARTNERS
Family
and group youth bicycle tours offer a great opportunity to involve a diverse
array of folks from your community, from safety experts to seniors, in athletics
and education. Your relationships with different partners can vary widely. For a
solo trip, partners can help offer you travel suggestions, equipment, and even
lodging. If you want to develop a group bike trip, then partners can assist in
participant recruitment, donating food, and even helping to lead a group.
Establishing these relationships early on in your trip development and
maintaining constant and clear communication is important. Take advantage of
these potential resources as they can save you a lot of time and money, speed
your learning curve, and help you accomplish more. For a group bike trip, you
may even aim for getting your whole community involved.
Whatever way you choose – solo, with parents, or friends, just encourage your
child to get out on their bikes!
Throughout this series of articles, we will be referring to the vast cycling
resources that already exist in North America. The articles should be
supplemented with other resources that address bicycle safety, camping skills,
and group dynamics if you are traveling with several kids. Happy bicycle
travels!
Becky
Douglas is the Outreach and Education Coordinator at
Adventure Cycling Association. Thanks to Kerry Irons for his help in writing
this article. The mission of Adventure Cycling Association is to inspire people
of all ages to travel by bicycle. They help cyclists explore the landscapes and
history of America for fun, fitness, and self-discovery. Becky is the
administrator of the
Pedal Pioneers Program, which aims to inspire and empower adults who are
taking kids on overnight bicycle adventures. She is also the author of
Pedal Pioneers: A Guide to Bicycle Travel with Kids and can be reached at
outreach@adventurecycling.org.
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Taming the SAT Test Monster
by Jean Burk
Taking the SAT and PSAT/NMSQT tests can be a very scary experience.
Stress can be a giant that freezes students in their tracks. But don’t
fear, preparation and knowledge can help alleviate the test anxiety that
many students face. Here are some important steps to help relieve the
fear that seems to lurk in the minds of many students:
...read more
1. Create a similar test environment when
practicing for the real test.
Many students don’t realize that these tests are very long
and require mental endurance to finish them without running out of steam. The
SAT itself is around 3 ½ hours long. One way to prepare for this academic
marathon is to practice just like the real test. By creating a test environment
like the actual test, surprises can be eliminated and test success can be
achieved. Practice like this:
1. Start the practice test around 9:00 am.
2. Take only a five minute break between sections.
3. Use the same watch and calculator that will be used at the real
test.
4. Make sure the testing area is free of distractions.
5. Time each section correctly.
6. Use a watch with a chronometer or set a second-hand watch at
12:00 for each section.
7. Keep several sharpened pencils nearby.
2. Know the rules for each section ahead of time.
The rules for all three sections of the tests are always
the same. Make it a point to learn them long before you take the real SAT and
PSAT/NMSQT. This not only saves time, but students will already know what to
expect in each section.
3. Take PSAT/NMSQT for practice in both freshman and
sophomore years.
The score will not count but it will help familiarize
students with the test as well as they will get their test booklet back in the
mail. It usually arrives a few weeks after the October test. The student’s score
will arrive sometime later. When you receive it, go over your mistakes and find
the patterns that were missed. Students can also use the booklet to retake the
test later and see how much they’ve improved. (Retaking this same test
again can be beneficial since most students will forget the questions.)
4. Take the PSAT/NMSQT in your junior year when it
counts.
In many schools, guidance counselors and teachers have
mistakenly told their students that this test is not a big deal and should only
be used for measurement on how well they might do on the SAT test. This is
faulty counseling since this one test can give students amazing scholarship
offers from colleges all over the nation. If a student scores in the
semi-finalist range, they can literally get a full-ride to numerous colleges
because they are in the top 1% of the nation. But, this tests only counts in
their junior year or the third year that they take it.
5. Take the SAT many times.
There are no penalties for taking the SAT many times, so a student should
take it until they get their desired score. Colleges do not average the tests
but take the highest scores. Many colleges will even take the highest score from
each section from different tests to get the student’s best overall score. Every
college is different when it comes to their desired entrance score as well as
entry level for starting scholarships, so make sure you check with the college(s)
of your choice.
6. PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!
The key to doing just about everything well is to practice.
Someone who plays a sport or learns an instrument cannot expect to win a game or
perform their best concert without practicing. The same applies with these
standardized tests. After learning test-taking strategies, students should
practice with actual College Board practice tests. The more they do this, the
quicker they can find the recurring patterns and the faster they can answer the
questions. The students, who usually score the highest, have made practicing a
priority; they have put at least three to fours hours a week into practicing,
over the entire year, and a few months leading up to the real test, they have
treated it like a marathon. Here is a basic time guideline for students
for the year:
Freshman- thirty minutes to an hour per week
Sophomore- one to two hours per week
Junior- three to fours hours per week several weeks before the
October PSAT/NMSQT
Senior- three to four hours per week
Your heaviest studying
should be at least three months before the actual test you will be taking.
Put at least two hours a day during the week (studying and
practicing) and ten hours on the weekend. (Remember- you are working toward a
desired test score and/or amazing scholarships.)
Taming this so-called behemoth is attainable. Confidence
and preparation can take the fear out of taking standardized tests. It doesn’t
have to be an experience that makes students tremble or run and hide. When a
student scores high, The College Board will be the only ones frightened out of
their wits.
For more
information visit
www.collegeprepgenius.com or contact Jean Burk at
info@collegeprepgenius.com Also sign-up for our free No Brainer
Scholarship Newsletter.
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The Importance of Memorizing the Times
Tables
by
Susan Jarema
The
holidays are often a great time to set some goals and memorize some
math facts.
We all know that
learning multiplication is an essential part of our child's elementary
education. Students who have mastered multiplication gain a solid
foundation in mathematics that will help them throughout middle school,
high school and beyond. The following are the answer to common
questions that parents ask in my multiplication workshops.
...read more
1. Why does my
child need to memorize the times tables?
Just like learning to walk
before you can run, learning multiplication and memorizing the times tables are
building blocks for other math topics taught in school - higher learning such as
division, long multiplication, fractions and algebra. Students who have not
memorized the times tables will find these levels of math much more difficult
than they need to be. There is no time to pull out a calculator or to take 20
seconds to work out a math strategy before coming up with the answer. Students
who have not mastered their tables will very often fall behind in math (and
other subjects that use math) and begin to loose confidence. All because they
did not memorize the times tables!
Knowing your multiplication
facts is helpful not only in academics; we frequently use multiplication in our
daily lives. We might need it when doubling a recipe, determining a discount at
a store or figuring out our expected arrival time when traveling. Math
calculations are subconscious elements in work, play and daily chores. Knowing
the times tables can help simple tasks to be performed rapidly and save time and
stress.
2. Why can't they just use
a calculator?
Calculators are great tools
for figuring out complex calculations. However, using a calculator takes much
longer for simple facts and can result in keying errors. Students who rely on
calculators are also weak in estimating skills and are unaware of wrong answers
that occur from keying mistakes. Furthermore, calculators are not allowed in
many tests and admission exams.
3. What is more important
understanding or memorization and how can I help with both?
It's not one or the other,
it's both. A child must understand and memorize the facts. Early on, a student
needs to understand what multiplication is - the grouping of sets, repeated
addition, a faster way of adding. Show them this with an assortment of
manipulatives, by skip counting and by using arrays. As they master the basics,
expand upon this concept by creating interesting word problems. Allow them to
discover the patterns in the numbers by exploring a 100s chart, skip-counting
tables and the times table chart. This is the time that they can discover
multiplication strategies. However, there eventually comes a time when we need
to highlight the importance of rapid recall. Students need to know that they
should recall the answer instantaneously. Demonstrate the speed of this by
having them quiz you and by practicing together.
Memorizing can be
facilitated by concentrating, rehearsal and memorization techniques. Remember to
focus your limited time on the facts that need to be learned. By removing the
facts they already know and by learning the reciprocal facts together (i.e., 6x7
and 7x6), there are surprisingly few left to memorize. Review all facts
occasionally to make sure they have been retained in long-term memory. Music,
stories and visual associations can help with retention.
In some cases, an inability
to memorize may suggest learning difficulties. If your child is consistently
having trouble memorizing math facts or other elements of learning, it's a good
idea to research learning challenges or disabilities and seek medical advice.
Negative emotions such as anxiety, stress and conflict can also reduce learning
outcomes and even prevent new information from being memorized. Encourage and
support your child rather than getting frustrated and angry when they have
difficulty. Remove distractions and create a comfortable and pleasant learning
environment. Involve your child in choosing his or her own practice schedule.
The boring task of
memorization can be made more fun through music, games and activities that
reinforce repetition of the math facts. Working with your child to complete this
goal can be a bonding time as you play games and sing songs. You will also have
the opportunity to help them learn the important life skills of memorization and
goal setting.
Have fun together in this
process. It's always a good review and opportunity for the whole family to
exercise their brains. Even if 144 facts is a gross - memorization need not be
gross!
How Parents Can Help Their
Child Memorize the Times Tables
- Make
sure there is understanding.
- Explain
why it is important.
-
Demonstrate what fast recall is.
- Be
interested in math yourself.
- Find
out what facts they already know.
- Involve
your child in the goal setting process.
- Focus
primarily on the facts they need to learn.
- Use a
chart to monitor progress.
- Provide
encouragement along the way.
- Spend
quality time together practicing.
-
Acknowledge their success.
- And most
importantly: Have fun!
The Importance of Memorizing the Times Tables Printable Handout
This article was
published previously in the Homeschooler's Guide
www.homeschoolersguide.ca
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