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Effectiveness and Enjoyment
One day recently the teacher participate in the activity I was doing with her class. When we were done, she (spontaneously) told the class how useful it was going to be later on. Then, at lunch, two girls were overheard working on the type of problem I had given them.
So, according the teacher, it was useful and important. And from the behavior of the students, it was interesting -- any time you can get two fifth graders to work on math in their free time, you are on the right track.
That isn't a scientific experiment -- observation is the best I can do. In this section of the website I explain what I mean to say that my method of math can be enjoyable. I am sure that it is enjoyable, and I try to document that.
Effectiveness is harder to document. Of course, the really big goals are teaching students to think and solve problems, and that is probably impossible to document. But I will do my best to explain why I think this method seems to be effective.
Finally, there is a testimonial from one teacher, and my experiences using this method for non-math classes.
I know, I sound crazy. Actually, my wife once gave me the MMPI and I scored normal (non-crazy) on everything. My only abnormal score was on the lie scale -- I was more consistent (less lying) than normal. I have a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology, and perhaps the world's most varied vita. I was 7th in the Michigan Mathematics Prize Competition, a test open to all high-schoolers in Michigan. I have to tell you, I am clever, hardworking, knowledgeable, and I really do know a better way of teaching math.
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