609. Measuring

As a teacher, I spent my working day among children, and as a parent, when I got home, there were children there, too – sometimes even some of the same children. I was active in my daughters’ Brownie troops. And my younger daughter spent fourth grade in the school where I taught, and made friends…

I’ve worked with several teachers during my years as a volunteer. They all convey their expectations to children in different ways, and though there are some consistent rules and traditions at the schools I’ve volunteered in – though each school is a culture in some ways, the messages teachers convey through words, tone of voice,…

Homework is many issues. Years ago, treating it as one issue, I opposed it. I didn’t give homework, and I responded to parents who wanted it by suggesting things they could do at home. I thought of many reasons parents might have wanted their children to have homework – none of them good reasons. When…

I have lots of fond memories of my childhood. It was a pretty happy childhood. I loved the place where I grew up, a big house in the woods. I loved the neighborhood baseball games, the singing in the car, the trip to Yellowstone Park…I could go on and on. I learned, at a pretty…

Now, as I write article #300, I’m remembering an experiment that was introduced to schools. Early in my teaching career, there was something called “new math.” It wasn’t really so new, but it was new in the elementary curriculum. The basic premise, I think, was that children shouldn’t learn to be stuck in base ten….

I spent this evening not teaching. There I was, with Molly, a five year old girl who didn’t know some things I did know, and who “knew” some things I knew weren’t true, and I let it be. Being the chronic compulsive teacher I am, I really felt like teaching, but it just wasn’t the…