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Overview
Challenging negative attitudes and delivering a positive message about what math can and should mean to all of us, this resource is both an entertaining and invaluable read. From “Talking Turkey About Arithmetic” to “Making Math Make Sense,” the 13 chapters help everyone conquer their fear of math.Synopsis
Research shows more than two-thirds of American adults fear and loathe mathematics. But is doesn't have to be that way. This book looks at why math has such a bad reputation. It laughs at itself while it sneaks its message through about what math can and should mean to us all and how we can keep our children from adopting the negative attitudes many of us have.
Library Journal
An award-winning educator and author of many math storybooks for children grades two to eight, Burns explains her teaching approach by example, presenting her ideas as classroom scenarios and conversations. She believes that children learn math concepts best by trying to apply them to ambiguous, real-life situations. She also argues that "anything known about how children learn was ignored once our school math learning began." Her book is like a role-playing game for math teachers. Rather than presenting specific lesson plans or educational games, Burns illustrates a style of teaching that encourages children to discover mathematical concepts by themselves. For instance, the chapter on fractions describes the lesson and the classroom give-and-take as a group of fifth graders works out solutions, with reproductions of the students' written papers to show how individual children followed different methods to think out a solution. Though aimed at teachers, this book has an easy style that makes it accessible to parents as well.Amy Brunvand, Univ. of Utah Lib., Salt Lake City