Erasmus on How to Teach
My Commonplace Notes
Today’s commonplace quote is from “Upon the Right Method of Instruction,” 1511:
“I have no patience with the stupidity of the average teacher of grammar who wastes precious years in hammering rules into children’s heads. For it is not by learning rules that we acquire the power of speaking a language, but by daily intercourse with those accustomed to express themselves with exactness and refinement, and by the copious reading of the best authors.”
—Erasmus
In the same way, it’s not by learning rules that children acquire the power of solving math problems, but by the experience of doing math: reasoning their way through problem situations and talking with others about them.
When we try to give children rules and methods to follow, we are asking them to think our thoughts after us. But the thoughts of a stranger rarely stick in one’s mind.
We need to get kids thinking their own thoughts, if we want them to really learn math. And give them practice explaining their reasoning, learning to express themselves with exactness, if not refinement.
“Copious reading” doesn’t matter so much in math, but I do recommend copious puzzles and games for practice.
This Week on My Let’s Play Math Blog
[If you’re reading this late, the “Math Game Monday” and “Thinking Thursday” posts have a time limit. Each one stays on my blog for about a month, and then falls away, replaced by new games and journaling prompts. You can always find the newest posts at DeniseGaskins.com/blog.]
In Writing News
Not much happening in this holiday week. I’ve been catching up on blog posts, trying to get things scheduled through the end of the year. Everything sort of falls apart in November and December, as “real” life gets busier.
Mostly, I’ve been playing with my new publishing programs, surfing the learning curve.