Embarrassing Math Moment

You hear kids complaining in school all the time.  "Why are we learning this?  We will never use this in real life.  Why can't I use a calculator.  It would be much easier."

This is why...

Yesterday I went to the store and got a 2 liter of Coke.  The total came to $1.77 ($1.67 + 10 cents in tax).  I gave the cashier (a nice young woman who appeared to be of above average intelligence) a five dollar bill and she proceeded to tender the sale.  But instead of punching in 5.00 Cash, she punched in .50 Cash.  At this point she got flustered.  She did not know how to correct the problem.  First she tendered the sale again for $5.00.  This did not help her.  She did not know what change to give me.  She grabbed the receipt out of the printer and grabbed a pen.  She also called someone over to help.  She wrote down 5.00 - 1.77 and said, "OK, that's four dollars and...". 
I broke in and said, "No, it is $3.23".  She looked at me in disbelief until the person she called over to help said, "Yes, $3.23 is right".  The cashier looked very relieved.

OK, now does anyone except me think that the school system failed this young woman?  Should basic math be taught in schools without calculators?

What do you think?

Amazing Progress

This time last year, my son who is now in first grade, had no interest in reading. He did not feel that it was important to learn. After all Mommy and Daddy and Sister would read to him so he did not have to learn.



This year is different. I have seen amazing changes in him. He is much more vocal. His overall mood is much happier. He has a lot more confidence.



Encourage your children to read. Work with them on sight words and spelling. Keep reading to them.



Reading is the key to learning.



From time to time I will be recommending books. If you have a favorite book leave a comment or send me an email. (Learning comes from many sources.)

Reading is FUN!

Reading is one key way to learn. Find out what you like to read. It doesn't matter what, just read. The more you read the more you are exercising your mind.

Growing up, one of the things I liked to read was Marvel Comics. My parents were not sure that comic books were something I should be reading. I think the phrase "rotting your brain" came up more than once. But I disagreed. Many times I had to consult a dictionary to figure out what a word meant or how to pronounce it. Anytime that happened, that was learning, not rotting.

Get a dictionary. Even if it is just a cheap paperback dictionary. Put a bookmark on one or several of the online dictionaries available for free.

Reading is especially important for children. Read to them on a daily basis. Have them read to you! Even if it is just the daily comics in the paper. The more words a child is exposed to directly affects their IQ according to one recent study.

Powerful Learning.

Two words that sound really good together. But what do they mean? I am not sure. I had an idea a couple of years ago. That idea was to start a blog that would help people learn new things. And by learning, improve their lives.

I am not in education, though most of the people in my family are. I do not have a book out in the bookstores. Maybe one day... I do not have a product to sell.

There is power in knowledge. How do you get knowledge? You learn.

How do we learn? By hearing, by seeing, by touching, by tasting, by smelling and by doing. Almost all people use a combination. For powerful learning to take place, you need to find the right combination.

I intend to post here at least once a week with things that have helped me learn, and things that will help you learn.

If you have any questions, feel free to post a comment.

(I know this isn't the greatest first post, but I guess I will learn as I go along.)