Category Archives: Math

Mathseeds

Posted on June 6, 2015 by Blokeschool

Just before the end of last year, I stumbled onto Mathseeds. I have found this to be a great program for young kids. This year it has formed the backbone of our maths curriculum. I spent most of last year using Miquon maths … Continue reading →

Posted in Math | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Golden eggs

Posted on November 2, 2014 by Blokeschool

On my way out the door the other day, I was leaving some fairly vague instructions for my wife to run the maths lesson. ‘He hates doing worksheets, and won’t have anything to do with them. Just look at what the … Continue reading →

Posted in Math | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Euclid’s Elements

Posted on September 9, 2014 by Blokeschool

My teaching style tends to rely quite a bit on the application of concepts first, and then filling in the details as we go. It seems to fit more naturally to the pattern of how people learn. I also try … Continue reading →

Posted in Math | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The catapult

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Blokeschool

After a week of heavy rains, he had cabin fever. The day lurched along in a not very productive fashion, and then stopped. Lessons were clearly over. I acquiesced, and we settled in to play with Lego. Inspired by a … Continue reading →

Posted in Math, Science | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Their drills were bloodless battles

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Blokeschool

A couple of years ago, I did something a little bit naughty. I bought myself a gift, and pretended it was a Christmas present to my son. What I bought was an Isle of Lewis chess set. It was my … Continue reading →

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It’s not part of the syllabus

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Blokeschool

I found myself having a barely restrained argument earlier in the year. A retired school teacher was standing in my kitchen, and we had just gotten onto the subject of cuisinaire rods. I had just been showing off the new … Continue reading →

Posted in Math, Science, Teaching and learning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Teaching themselves algebra

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Blokeschool

In purely practical terms, I have never actually had to know the adjusted speed of a 40 tonne submarine previously travelling at 50 km/hr through a friction-less ocean, having just discharged a 100 kg torpedo with a velocity of 80 … Continue reading →

Posted in Math, Teaching and learning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Easy complexity

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Blokeschool

Although our maths lessons contain basics like counting, adding, subtracting, and grouping things, I find it much more interesting to explore mathematical concepts. I have seen quite a lot of people discussing moebius noodles, and have just recently managed to … Continue reading →

Posted in Experimentation, Math | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments