If number bonds and model method are part of your conversation then this blog is for you. As parents in Singapore sent their kids back to schools last Friday, the perennial concerns of how to do better in mathematics and in school surface again. I have no doubts parents elsewhere have the same concerns.
Technology is pervasive and become increasinlgly so. In helping our children with mathematics, we should help them to develop their human qualities and sometimes with the use of technology. Use mathematics to help them develop the ability in abstract thinking, help them improve in their visualization ability, guide them to see patterns, spot trends and make generalization, encourage them to use words and other medium to describe their thoughts concisely and precisely with increasing clarity and sophistication. These are human qualities that we want our children to develop and mathematics is "an excellent vehicle" to help student develop and improve such intellectual competencies (Ministry of Education Singapore, 2006).
This first entry of the year aims to help us re-focus the business of helping our children with school mathematics in ways which are beneficial and enjoyable both for the children as well as for the adults helping them.
