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From: kj on 29 Nov 2009 09:22


My nephew (age 10) is exceptionally good doing some mental math
(specially additions and subtractions), but, despite this, he says
he "hates math", considers himself no good at it, etc. In particular,
he hates math class (the only class in which he did not have an A
or a B+ in his last report card).

I want to reverse this incipient math phobia. My strategy is to
build on his natural knack for figuring, and circumvent his math
class. I.e. I want to him to distinguish math from his math class.

His math class is indeed awful: stupid, slow, and incomplete.
(E.g. multiplication of fractions was taught as a mechanical
operation devoid of meaning; he was never taught that multiplying
by 1/2 is the same thing as figuring out half of something, and
hence "one half *times* one half" is the same thing as "one half
*of* one half"; similarly he was never taught that to check one's
division computation one multiplies the divisor by the quotient
and adds the remainder, and makes sure that the result equals the
dividend.)

This is a tough kid to work with. He thinks of himself as an adult
(and talks like one too), and he's very sharp, so he instantly
detects any attempt from his elders to "go all educational" on him,
and resists it furiously. So the typical "educational" game "for
kids" that tries to make math "fun" is a complete dud with him.
This rules out pretty much everything I've found on "math for kids"
online. (Besides, the internet is too great a source of distraction,
so any resource that requires using the web would be counterproductive
with this kid: YouTube et al. are just too accessible and too
tempting for him.)

But I think that he might be receptive to an older (and old-looking)
book on figuring, with cool figuring tricks, exercises, and *answers*.
Answers are *key*. He needs the immediate feedback. The immediate
goal is to give him a "secret" skill set, and work with his subversive
side. (Granted, this plan would probably not work with most kids;
in my strategizing I'm relying heavily on what I happen to know
about this child's personality.)

Any suggestions for such a book? I have not been able to find
anything, but I think that for this search I'm going to need some
specific titles and/or author names.

Thanks in advance!

kynn
From: Phil Carmody on 29 Nov 2009 13:22
kj <no.email(a)please.post> writes:
> My nephew (age 10) is exceptionally good doing some mental math
> (specially additions and subtractions), but, despite this, he says
> he "hates math", considers himself no good at it, etc. In particular,
> he hates math class (the only class in which he did not have an A
> or a B+ in his last report card).
>
> I want to reverse this incipient math phobia. My strategy is to
> build on his natural knack for figuring, and circumvent his math
> class. I.e. I want to him to distinguish math from his math class.

Get him into dots-and-boxes. There's topology, boolean logic, and
game theory in that.

Phil
--
Any true emperor never needs to wear clothes. -- Devany on r.a.s.f1
From: Achava Nakhash, the Loving Snake on 29 Nov 2009 13:33
On Nov 29, 6:22 am, kj <no.em...(a)please.post> wrote:
> My nephew (age 10) is exceptionally good doing some mental math
> (specially additions and subtractions), but, despite this, he says
> he "hates math", considers himself no good at it, etc.  In particular,
> he hates math class (the only class in which he did not have an A
> or a B+ in his last report card).
>
> I want to reverse this incipient math phobia.  My strategy is to
> build on his natural knack for figuring, and circumvent his math
> class.  I.e. I want to him to distinguish math from his math class.
>
> His math class is indeed awful: stupid, slow, and incomplete.
> (E.g. multiplication of fractions was taught as a mechanical
> operation devoid of meaning; he was never taught that multiplying
> by 1/2 is the same thing as figuring out half of something, and
> hence "one half *times* one half" is the same thing as "one half
> *of* one half"; similarly he was never taught that to check one's
> division computation one multiplies the divisor by the quotient
> and adds the remainder, and makes sure that the result equals the
> dividend.)
>
> This is a tough kid to work with.  He thinks of himself as an adult
> (and talks like one too), and he's very sharp, so he instantly
> detects any attempt from his elders to "go all educational" on him,
> and resists it furiously.  So the typical "educational" game "for
> kids" that tries to make math "fun" is a complete dud with him.
> This rules out pretty much everything I've found on "math for kids"
> online.  (Besides, the internet is too great a source of distraction,
> so any resource that requires using the web would be counterproductive
> with this kid: YouTube et al. are just too accessible and too
> tempting for him.)
>
> But I think that he might be receptive to an older (and old-looking)
> book on figuring, with cool figuring tricks, exercises, and *answers*.
> Answers are *key*.  He needs the immediate feedback.  The immediate
> goal is to give him a "secret" skill set, and work with his subversive
> side.  (Granted, this plan would probably not work with most kids;
> in my strategizing I'm relying heavily on what I happen to know
> about this child's personality.)
>
> Any suggestions for such a book?  I have not been able to find
> anything, but I think that for this search I'm going to need some
> specific titles and/or author names.
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> kynn

I became hooked on math via a book called Mathemagic by D. C. Heath (I
think - this is a very old memtory). It is not educational at all,
per se, and is not the sort of book that you are describing, but it
might give your nephew a whole new perspective on mathematics. It has
stuff on magic squares, interesting digit patterns coming from
multiplications, "magic" tricks where you put the mark through his
paces and then guess the number he comes up with, and so on. I was
younger than 10 when I first discovered this book on parents'
bookshelves, so the age should fit.


HTH,
Achava
From: Ken Pledger on 16 Dec 2009 15:28
In article <heu02h$e0u$1(a)reader1.panix.com>, kj <no.email(a)please.post>
wrote:

> My nephew (age 10) is exceptionally good doing some mental math
> (specially additions and subtractions), but, despite this, he says
> he "hates math"....
>
> But I think that he might be receptive to an older (and old-looking)
> book on figuring, with cool figuring tricks, exercises, and *answers*.
> Answers are *key*. He needs the immediate feedback. The immediate
> goal is to give him a "secret" skill set, and work with his subversive
> side. (Granted, this plan would probably not work with most kids;
> in my strategizing I'm relying heavily on what I happen to know
> about this child's personality.)
>
> Any suggestions for such a book? I have not been able to find
> anything, but I think that for this search I'm going to need some
> specific titles and/or author names....


I see what you mean, and have long ago learnt various "cool
figuring tricks", but can't now think of a book about such things. As
you say, such a book would be old, perhaps in the stack-room of your
local public library.

A different sort of book which might perhaps help is W. W. Rouse
Ball & H. S. M. Coxeter, "Mathematical Recreations and Essays." It's
fun, but definitely not a patronizing book for children. It begins with
a lot of arithmetical curiosities and tricks which your nephew might be
able to impress his friends with. Have a look at it yourself first, and
see what you think.

Ken Pledger.
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