"THE RIGHT ANSWER"
Deanna: I
am having trouble with my multiplication Dad.
Dad: What trouble
do you mean?
Deanna: My mind
doesn't get the right answers.
Dad: what does it
mean to get the right answers?
Deanna: when I
get the answer the teacher wants.
Dad: OK, how do
you get the answer the teacher wants?
Deanna: by
remembering the right answer from before.
Dad: Deanna, if
someone asks where you live and you say Anahola thats a right answer and it
comes from remembering. But when someone asks you to work out a math problem,
or many other kinds of problems that require you to think and to participate
in creating an answer, then trying to remember an answer from before will only
get in the way - its not good for your mind to make it work that way.
Deanna: You mean
remembering the answer is not a good way to solve a math problem?
Dad: Sometimes it
is helpful to remember parts of answers. Like 2+2=4 without having to count
your fingers to get the answer. But when you are working on a bigger problem
like 9x8 you shouldn't guess or try to remember what the answer was the last
time. Getting the right answer without understanding how you created and
worked out the answer is never the right answer - its not good for your
mind to learn that way. Once you are thinking and working the problem
you will remember the way to solve problems which will then get you the
right answers in the right ways.
Deanna: But thats
not what my teachers want. They want me to get the right answer.
Dad: Thats not
what I want and its not what I want you to want for yourself. How you
participate in what you are doing when you try and solve a problem is what is
most important. Working and thinking and solving and creating are what makes
for good answers no matter what the teacher says. I think if you tell them:
"I want to understand how to be thinking and working on this
problem" I bet they will help you more. Never give an answer to a
math or thinking problem that you don't understand. This isn't about them,
your teachers or me or mom, this is about you and how you learn - get all of
us to help you to better understand the thinking you must do to work out
your problems.
Deanna: my
teachers don't care about that and it can take too long - then 'time's
up' and I get a bad grade.
Dad: For now
don't worry about your grade - stay thinking about the problems and your
grades will do fine.
Deanna: but I
have to get good grades or I will be stuck with Anna* and the little kids and I
want to be with Dennis and the older kids.
Dad: I understand
and I appreciate that you are trying to make what you want happen - but you
can't jump over what you need to do - you need to feel comfortable and
confident in growing your learning - YOU DO - its not about them - once you
are really ready to be in the other class we will find a way to get you there.
I will help you get there but we must keep our minds on how you are learning
(not how many right answers you get). If we do that and you start to learn
better and better, everything else about school will be easier and more fun.
The key to everything is in how you are participating.
Deanna: if 2x2=4,
just like 2+2=4, then why doesn't 3x3=6 the way 3+3=6....
(that great
question led to an hour of working on multiplication and her having an insight
into its difference with adding)
* Deanna later developed such a bond with her teacher that she was delighted to
stay with her and they evolved a beautiful learning relationship
