"Doing" Math

Here is my latest post on TJED Trenches:

It seems that in leadership education that there are some subjects that just come easily. Or at least they come easily in our house. Religion, history, literature and even writing are all easy it seems, at least you know how to do it anyway. So what about math?

A really great resource that I use in our home to help us know and understand math is the book Inteligro Math: The Holistic Approach to Math and Science for the New Millennium by Tiffany Rhoades Earl. Earl is the co-founder of the LEMI projects that many of you are aware of. I'm going to break down her key points now in hopes that it will help all of you in teaching math at your home.

1. TRUTH: The primary purpose of math and science is to discover truth. We can measure truth by comparing it against our core book. So the first great place to start your math and science quest is in daily immersing yourself in your core book. (Click here to read a post about core books). When you study your core book look for patterns and laws.

For example, "God said, Let there be light; and there was light." Here's the pattern: God's spoken work= (equals) action. Action=Light. God's Word=Light. a=b,b=c, and a=c.

2. LOGIC: In order to come to truth you must be able to reason. Being able to follow a line of logic is a necessity to keeping our freedom. We can not allow ourselves to be led down a path by others only to find out they have tricked us into their way of thinking. We need to sharpen our reasoning skills. She lists three ways:

1. Increase the difficulty of your reading material.
2. Play an instrument. She says, "Playing a musical instrument requires the association, recognition and command of patterns. Not only does playing an instrument well require both sides of the brain, but it also develops reasoning because of the patterns involved." As a student of the piano I vouch for the innumerable patterns in music.
3. Don't close your eyes to the obvious. She states that sometimes, "social mores blind us to the truth all around us." Look for the obvious that others may be missing.

3. READ ORIGINAL WORKS. In order to learn how scientists and mathematicians arrived at their discoveries it is helpful to read their own works. At the very least learn about them. In my on personal education I have found reading about scientists and mathematicians chronologically is the most logical and helpful. (This makes sense in every field. Read history and literature in the order that it unfolded). Here are links to famous scientists and mathematicians.

4. NEWTONIAN MATH. This is where Saxon Math (or Singapore, Life of Fred, Right Start, etc.) comes in. Newtonian math is how we measure and compute both the quantity and the quality of our findings.

5. THE INTELIGRO METHOD. The old way was the scientific method. Here's the new way:

1. Notice a problem or roadblock
2. The Heart: Be Interested-Care Enough to Have Initiative
3. Use Spiritual Eyes to Name the Real Problem. Notice patterns. Notice what others may be missing. Notice symptoms to the problem. Ponder, think.
4. Ask questions
5. Spiritual Creation. Brainstorm for answers
6. Choose the best options
7. Physical Creation. Implement your ideas
8. Implement
9. Evaluate
10. Make adjustments or changes. Go back to #5

6. INTELIGRO MATH AT HOME. Teach truth. Read your core book as a family. Set up environments where kids can ask questions and explore. Teach children to own and solve their own problems. Play musical instruments. Use Newtonian math helps. Lots of hands on projects.

I've included her basic ideas in hopes that it can jump start the math and science processes in your home. Don't forget to read those living math and science books! Here are some links (A and B) to math lists.