Tuesday, 23 August 2011
:: Day: 1 -It's MAGIC! Are YOU Kidding Me?!::
Before we begin ... For your entertainment ...
Do you believe me when I say , “We can work ‘magic’ with mathematics!”
That’s what we did for last night class. Can’t believe there’s a ‘David Copperfield’ and ‘David Blaine’ in all of us! 
:
Oh! Wait! I forgot to say ….
WOW!!! what a first lesson.. I am truly impressed..
Let’s back track to half an hour before lesson.
On the way to class, I was actually sharing with Raudha how nervous I was about this module and I am actually having butterflies in my tummy. THAT is how scared I am about M.A.T.H. However, Dr Yeap managed to soothe my nerves with his ‘serious’ humor and the way he presented math was so different from my perception of math. It gave me a new perspective and I was again surprised by this man!
His teachings allow for students’ interaction involving their thought about the problems. Instead of feeding us through, he facilitate and guide us through every process. His lesson is truly integrated. From the date to the letters of our names. Imagine that!? We can bring out numeracy skills from these basic details!
From his way of teaching, I gather that teachers have to differentiate their instruction according to the class needs and support it with the appropriate resources.
When deciding on the instruction teachers have to decide on five main pointers;
-the concept that is needed to be taught
- objective
- class’s needs
- method (instruction)
- resources
:
Ok. Enough of the technicalities. Ready for some MAGIC SHOW?!
Here is my favourite lesson for the night. Teachers can use this trick as a tuning in or introduction before you start your lesson proper. I bet you my last penny that the children are going to look at you with awe.
I know cos I did when Dr Yeap did this trick.
:
DRUM ROLLLLL …. Presenting … THE POKER CARD TRICK!
Ok. So, the objective of the game is to call out the number, spell it out and make sure the card you show is the number you call out. Take cards Ace to 9. Arrange the cards in a way that you spell the numbers out, one to nine. Place the cards facing down .After spelling each number, say out the number and discard that particular card .... (Eg: o-n-e … 1) and discard the card "1". Continue with the rest of the numbers.
Sounds EASY? Don't be toooo confident!
It took me and my partner quite a while to figure out how the “trick” was done,
attempting the activity with different solutions and methods. From placing the cards on the table, to writing down possible solutions, to having them in our hands. It’s not THAT easy. Really.
However, this process draws me to realize how important and necessary
that we as teachers to allow children to figure out their own concepts,
rather than giving them explanations or maybe out of frustrations, feed them with the answers.
:
And I started imagining myself in front of the class with a top hat and magic wand, presenting this trick to a class of 6 year olds. Boy! Am I gonna look cool or what? *smile wide-wide*
Dear Dr Yeap, in case you’re wondering if THAT was the only lesson that I picked up last night, you’re wrong. I learnt a couple of other interesting and cool stuffs from you too but THAT was just a personal favourite.
Oh btw. Back to the last problem that you gave that adds on to our already confused brain.
So … Although the method of adding 2nd, 3rd and 4th number worked for the first 3 sums, it somehow doesn’t really work for the 4th sum.
Ok. So I’m very confused already and not even sure IF I am also doing it correctly! Pls tell me if I’m talking sense or not yah?
By now .. I am officially 'number-logged'!!
All right then ... See you in class tonite!
-Me-
Blogged @ 00:23 |
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