Disclaimer : Kids in Grades K & up need to grasp the concepts of mental math and math recall. A calculator should not replace this skill. A calculator is just a tool and like all tools children need to be taught when its use is necessary. Introducing a young child to a scientific calculator can feel intimidating but it doesn’t have to be! While kids this age may not yet need all the advanced functions, a hands-on, playful approach can make learning fun and build confidence. Here are some simple ways to get your child comfortable with a scientific calculator. 1. Start with the Basics Before diving into complex functions, make sure your child can comfortably: Turn the calculator on and off. Enter numbers. Use basic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Clear mistakes with the C/CE button. Tip : Turn it into a game. Ask questions like, “What’s 7 × 8?” and see if they can get the answer with the calculator. Keep it light and playful—no pressure. 2. Explore Pa...
“Every country on earth at the moment is reforming public education.”
– Sir Ken Robinson
The key point coming from Ken Robinson’s TED talk is that education should always be relevant to the reality of its learners. It was intriguing to me that much of our modern education system was birthed in the Enlightenment Era and as a response to the Industrial Revolution. It was also interesting to note that even though we have been through other massive eras of social transformation, such as the World Wide Web and Globalization, that the system has not flexed much to accommodate all the changes that have occurred in learning.
As a life long learner, I am convinced that true learning is self directed and continuous. It is stimulation that entices people to thirst for and seek out knowledge. That causes people to dialogue and collaborate around issues they are passionate about and thereby acquire skills to contribute meaningfully to society and enact change. In essence it’s divergent, experiential and practical not scripted, theory dominant and impractical. When I think of the work that I get paid to do these days, I can honestly say that much of that knowledge was not learned, by rote, in the classroom. A lot of my learning occurred through working and collaborating with others around things that fascinated me; around things I could explore and experiment with in my own personal time and at my own pace.
Parting words…
Don’t just take my word for it…I highly recommend watching this video because if nothing else it may challenge the way you have been taught view education and the human capacity.
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