Friday, April 24, 2009
We Are Our Mothers
Yesterday I had one of those moments when you realize that you are turning into your mother. In this particular case it had to do with homework. When I was in school, us kids avoided letting my mother see our homework at any cost. Showing it to her usually resulted in the homework assignment taking much longer than it should have. And once my mom went back to college, forget about it. If you dared to let her read anything that you wrote, she would tear it apart, yelling words at you like "thesis statement". You'd be like "Chill out, Mom, it's a 7th grade book report, not a dissertation to get my PH.D". Anyway, yesterday I go in Sam's room to check on his homework progress, and he immediately starts going into this whining roll around his floor, making statements like "I'm never going to get to play outside again." Now keep in mind that Sam's homework is done weekly and due on Friday, so on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, there is a lot of playing outside, which results in this conniption fit (see, I even sound like my mom) on Thursdays. On this particular Thursday, Sam had to take a practice spelling test, in CURSIVE (gasp) and finish some math word problems. This is the perfect storm of homework around here. So this led to Sam going on a 10 minute rant about how since there are now computers he doesn't need to know cursive or spelling, since he can spell check. As for math, HELLO!!! has anyone ever heard of a calculator??? Why do you need to memorize multiplication facts!!! As I was listening to his rant, I began to think to myself, something seems familiar...but I just can't put my finger on what it is.....
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Not sure if this helps, but here are some good reasons... reading ability is enhanced by spelling ability due to the analogies that can be made as well as the idea of "exceptions to the rule". Studies show that student development in reading is paralleled by their development in spelling. Computers do not always pick up spelling/grammar words errors: think of homophones for examples. As for math, well that helps develop logical reasoning skills and problem solving. "Logic and mathematics starting with arithmetic onwards may show you how to follow steps, one at a time and one after another, for arriving at results or conclusions, one at a time and after another. Learning that an error in one step make all the following steps and results or conclusions wrong or a least suspect (errors could cancel if you are lucky) is a step towards cautious wisdom or intelligence. This wisdom or intelligence applies to all subjects. Mastering arithmetic by hand or with a calculator is needed in the calculating weights, measures and amounts (money included) that appear in daily life. If you can do arithmetic and estimate the results of calculations in your head, then you can catch or double check the figuring of others or your electronic calculator. Incorrect numbers that appear in one step of a calculation make all the rest wrong. Tax forms give step by step instructions for calculating your taxes with arithmetic and a minimal use of formulas because government assume no competence in algebra. Arithmetic and not algebra is required for computing your taxes. That is good to know :) And it is possible to have a thought-based comprehension of why methods for arithmetic work - a comprehension I would like to see offered or given in school." Taken from: "More reasons to mastering some mathematics"
http://whyslopes.com/freeAccess/whyMath.html
Yea I got that.
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