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Deland Middle School - Deland, Florida ([email protected]
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This is Mr. Daly’s web site. Thank you for visiting. Topic One - Multiplication Tables - the wingman to Algebra
Over the next couple of minutes of reading the words I write here; my wish is to have you come away with a new and richer appreciation of this thing called “Math” ...or for us old folks...Arithmetic. Students today, like all other former generations, are master debaters. In fact, they are lawyers in the making. The speed in which they can negotiate a trip to McDonalds or postponing cleaning their room is remarkable. All those circuits are popping away when they see something that will serve their best interests...and inversely go into hibernation if they are presented with something, they have not the least bit interest in. Let me begin with “The kid’s” position of digging in against learning the multiplication tables which is built on two false principals. One, they think they know what is best and two...they don’t. Which for children is a daily event...arguing false principals is sport for every kid. If we followed their lead ever adult would eat ice cream for breakfast and begin every morning at the beach. As adult parents...and yes, I was one too...claiming two daughters to my name, we strive to get our growing little humans to be both responsible and educated enough to achieve a meaningful life of their own. To reach that lofty level of happiness requires just one very basic exercise. We can name lots of very creative skills or talents we want our offspring to have but it really comes down to just one ability. Simply put...we want them to have an “excellent” ability in making good decisions. Everything else is gravy, but making the right choice after weighing all the options is the real goal. Average will not do. “Average” leaves the door open to error...and error is both dangerous and too many times unforgivable. Enter the monster... Algebra has gotten a bad “rap”...and the multiplication table is its wing man. Here are the two arguments that held up against the test of time. One, why do I have to learn the multiplication table, if the calculator can do it for me? Two, why do I have to learn Algebra...I’ll never use it! Where do I start... To read and write English or for that matter most languages, an individual needs to learn the vocabulary of the language. In English we have a list of “blends” that help us sound out words in order to both spell and say a word. Those “blends” are memorized at a very early age so as to develop the ability to clearly write our thoughts. The “blend” such as “pl” and “th” are some of the first ones a child learns in the words...Please and Thank you. A side bar here... Can you image your 4 year old child looking up at you and telling you...Mom or Dad... “I don’t want to learn the alphabet today because my cell phone will tell me everything I will ever have to know about talking or writing...thanks babe”. Fast forward 6 years... The message is the same, the child is telling the parent what he or she thinks is best for them...for their future...only now it is mathematics. While the child in his or her “precious” innocence is working the angle that his/her parents had little interest in quantum physics in their day and that gives them an opening they desperately need to discourage any math bonding with said parent. Indeed, here lies the problem, most parents have anxiety with math of their own. For that I am eternally apologetic for the parents who where treated to a daily dose of mind-numbing number abuse. I feel your pain. I was one of those unfortunate students who was subjected to daily instruction built of some University professor’s crazy ideas to sell a new text book on a “new” way to teach math contradicting methods at that time put a man on the moon...with a slide rule...no computers! That being said... Why is the multiplication table so important...and more to the point why is algebra important? Here is the meat... The multiplication table is to math as the alphabet is to reading. It is the tool that makes it fluid and understandable. Now...why algebra? Algebra is the perfect method to weigh decisions. Students don’t have significant choices at this time, but they will in the near future. With 32 years of teaching experience, I can tell you I have had very few students...if any...get into trouble who are comfortable in algebra. The argument that “smart” kids don’t find trouble is completely ridiculous. Smart kids just know how to get out of it! Algebra students “avoid” trouble by reason of evaluation! Remember...What you do to one side you do to the other... “result” thinking. A student who STOPS to think first out of habit, is the one who weighs the outcome...that is what Algebra teaches the student. Thank you...Mr. Daly
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