News:

Welcome to World of Banished!

Main Menu

it is quiet today ^^

Started by RedKetchup, June 26, 2014, 04:21:40 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

solarscreen

Quote from: RedKetchup on June 28, 2014, 12:00:21 PM
nan it is not genetic

Actually...

Everyone is born with the ability to express themselves in one form of mathematics or another. The three primary expressions are:

1.  Pure Math - the actual calculation and manipulation of numbers. This could result in a pure math career but could also show itself in engineering or architecture.  Spatial perception is an early indicator of this expression.

2. Art - visual representation of math

3. Music - aural representation of math

Many times, parents don't recognize the abilities their child has because their expression was different or not developed.  If you expose your children to these expressions early in life, they will show a preference for one of them over the others.

In any event, it takes time and effort to develop the natural expression into a great talent but the ability is there.
Technology - Home Theater - Astronomy - Pyrotechnics

RedKetchup

when i was very Young, at school, i was extremly good in mental calculations. many people needed a sheet and a pencil to make maths, me i needed none. often the teacher was doing some fun test like that and i was always the first one to lift my hand knowing already the answers ^^

what i became later ? euh.... nothing lol simple laborer ^^
> > > Support Mods Creation developments with Donations by Paypal  < < <
Click here to Donate by PayPal .

salamander

Interesting ... actually, my son (the one who wants to major in music) does pretty well in math, and more importantly, seems to enjoy it.  As a professional educator, it bothers me how often you hear students say that they can't do math.  In many cases, I get the impression it's a matter of not putting any effort into it -- they don't seem to appreciate how large a role math plays in everyday life.

RedKetchup

oh ya, i was always doing good in maths, always getting a 98+% on every note. even got a 100% 'bulletin' (i dunno the English word for it) for a session. also was as good in physics.
but was extremly bad in french, always barely passing on the edge 50-60%
> > > Support Mods Creation developments with Donations by Paypal  < < <
Click here to Donate by PayPal .

salamander

Quote from: RedKetchup on June 29, 2014, 06:14:17 AM
... even got a 100% 'bulletin' (i dunno the English word for it) for a session.

If I get what you mean, the nearest thing would be a 'report card' -- grades for each course, usually for a 6 or 9-week period.

Quote from: RedKetchup on June 29, 2014, 06:14:17 AM... but was extremly bad in French ...

:o

RedKetchup

#20
exactly @salamander a..... report card.
learned something :)

and yeah , i was better in foreign langage course : English (70-80%) lol
> > > Support Mods Creation developments with Donations by Paypal  < < <
Click here to Donate by PayPal .

rkelly17

Quote from: salamander on June 29, 2014, 06:10:43 AM
Interesting ... actually, my son (the one who wants to major in music) does pretty well in math, and more importantly, seems to enjoy it.  As a professional educator, it bothers me how often you hear students say that they can't do math.  In many cases, I get the impression it's a matter of not putting any effort into it -- they don't seem to appreciate how large a role math plays in everyday life.

I think that ability in both music and math is pretty common. From what I remember both work from the same part of the brain or something like that. The philosophers of the Enlightenment often talked about the "music of the spheres" to express their notion of the mathematical harmony of the universe. Personally I taught theology and history and I heard the same thing: It's too hard. I realize I may not be the best one to judge since I always found abstract, mathematical, philosophical thinking a natural, but it does seem that such thinking is less appreciated, less taught and less practiced than it might be.

As to what I've been up to the past few days is a convention where the focus was on putting into practice the work of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The TRC has been hearing testimony on the relationship between aboriginal people and settler people, particularly in the ways in which the residential school system severely damaged and abused aboriginal people and cultures in Canada. For those of you unfamiliar with the treatment of First Nations in North America, the Canadian approach was somewhat different from the American--more subtle but no less effective in killing people and trying to take their culture from them. Residential schools were a particularly nasty part of the system from the 1880s through the 1960s and the effects of that system still haunt the relationships between Canada's First Nations and those of us who came later. As you can imagine, it was a pretty emotional three days.

solarscreen

Quote from: salamander on June 29, 2014, 06:10:43 AM
Interesting ... actually, my son (the one who wants to major in music) does pretty well in math, and more importantly, seems to enjoy it.  As a professional educator, it bothers me how often you hear students say that they can't do math.  In many cases, I get the impression it's a matter of not putting any effort into it -- they don't seem to appreciate how large a role math plays in everyday life.

I think the single biggest problem with math for students is the way it is taught.  Schools seem to be locked into a methodology or technique that actually makes math harder and less fun. Numbers are everywhere and being able to see the math of life is very enlightening for students. 
Technology - Home Theater - Astronomy - Pyrotechnics

solarscreen

Here is a thought provoking book I bought when it first came out and it really gave me a lot to think about when my 3 children came along.  He has some very interesting ideas about the title subjects, Art and Physics.

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Physics-Parallel-Visions-Space/dp/0061227978/ref=la_B000APTXBM_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404096436&sr=1-2

I especially enjoyed his chapter on mythology as a way for that culture to explain scientific principles.
Technology - Home Theater - Astronomy - Pyrotechnics

mariesalias

Quote from: salamander on June 28, 2014, 03:54:09 AM
He' going to major in music starting in the fall, which just goes to show that musical talent is not genetic.  :)

I don't know...my husband's family are all musically inclined and talented! It comes really naturally to them all.

I'm a little envious of them as I love music but seem to have no natural talent for it. ;D

mariesalias

Quote from: salamander on June 29, 2014, 06:10:43 AM
Interesting ... actually, my son (the one who wants to major in music) does pretty well in math, and more importantly, seems to enjoy it.  As a professional educator, it bothers me how often you hear students say that they can't do math.  In many cases, I get the impression it's a matter of not putting any effort into it -- they don't seem to appreciate how large a role math plays in everyday life.

My seven-year-old kept telling us all year that he was bad at math or it was too hard. The reality is that (according to his teacher) he was one of the best math students in the class. For my son though, he only sees the struggles he has trying to learn the new concepts or methods (his ADD can make it difficult for him to focus, so sometimes it takes him a awhile) and to him, that makes him bad at math and makes math too hard.

It always surprises me how young we start to form our impressions of ourselves and our abilities and how long they can last (sometimes, our entire life).

I always enjoyed math, until we got into Algebra and Geometry. Even then, I still enjoyed it, but my way of doing math is I guess more intuitive. I could get the right answers but when showing my method/work, my teachers always said I was doing it wrong because I had a lot of trouble following their formulas/processes. Often, they would tell me my methods did not make sense, or would not work with other equations. But since I would not use the same process on a different problem, I never really understood what the issue was. Although I still enjoying doing basic math, I have not considered myself good at math since 7-8th grade.

I do very poorly with foreign languages. I took French for 6 years and was a C-B student in it, But I can remember very little of it now. I never could read it very well, but was pretty fair at speaking it.


@solarscreen  That does look like an interesting book!

rkelly17

Quote from: solarscreen on June 29, 2014, 07:44:53 PM
I think the single biggest problem with math for students is the way it is taught.  Schools seem to be locked into a methodology or technique that actually makes math harder and less fun. Numbers are everywhere and being able to see the math of life is very enlightening for students.

I don't know how much of a problem it is for students, but the changing methods of teaching math are hell for parents and grandparents who are willing to help with math. When my kids were in high school in the mid-late 80s the lingo they were learning was completely different from what I learned in the early 60s. Since the math was the same behind the lingo, I did OK with helping them after I figured out what the textbook was talking about. Now my grandkids are in French immersion and do their math with totally new lingo yet again, but in French, so I'm completely lost. It is also the case that it is really embarrassing to have your grandkids look at you like you are severely stupid because you don't know French.

mariesalias

Quote from: rkelly17 on June 30, 2014, 08:10:28 AM
Quote from: solarscreen on June 29, 2014, 07:44:53 PM
I think the single biggest problem with math for students is the way it is taught.  Schools seem to be locked into a methodology or technique that actually makes math harder and less fun. Numbers are everywhere and being able to see the math of life is very enlightening for students.

I don't know how much of a problem it is for students, but the changing methods of teaching math are hell for parents and grandparents who are willing to help with math. When my kids were in high school in the mid-late 80s the lingo they were learning was completely different from what I learned in the early 60s. Since the math was the same behind the lingo, I did OK with helping them after I figured out what the textbook was talking about. Now my grandkids are in French immersion and do their math with totally new lingo yet again, but in French, so I'm completely lost. It is also the case that it is really embarrassing to have your grandkids look at you like you are severely stupid because you don't know French.

The methods do change, not just the lingo! My son's school uses a different process to do their math problems then I learned growing up (as well as new lingo too). It can be confusing!