Math
Math is the best subject to excel. I do not think I need to elaborate much on the above statement. Once you have provided the right answer with logical working, nobody can mark you wrong. Not unless if there is a careless mistake. The good news, especially for secondary school students, is that they can almost always check their answer by investing a couple more minutes. It is almost 100% foolproof. (I will elaborate more during a FREE trial lesson) No excuse to be careless unless the student could not care less!
But what if one failed to provide the right answer? What is the problem?
Understanding. I mean thorough understanding. Statements like ‘my teacher says so or I just follow a pattern are simply not acceptable. We will elaborate on how Unusual Ideas can make a big difference in this area.
Fun
Suppose you are given an order from your boss that you have to learn a foreign language and failure to do so means you will get fired. However, you are given a choice: learn it the fun way or learn it the boring way. Which way will you pick? YOUR CHILD will make the same choice.
Unusual Ideas will go to great lengths to make our lessons lively. That even includes raising & teaching a monkey multiplication. Skeptical? Watch the following video.
Monkey video
I hope you enjoy it. What is more exciting is that I will show you in the next 2 videos how you can be just as well versed with timetable as the monkey.
9 timetable
Timetable involving both numbers greater than 5
Note: Pay absolute attention to the numbering system for the 10 fingers. Once the fingers gather in a bundle, the system takes the back seat. You may have to watch it more than once. I guarantee it is worth your time & effort.
There is much MORE!!!
For parents who want to learn how to teach your young children multiplication involving small numbers eg 1×2, 2×2, 3×2 in a fun & easy way, Click Here to find out more about our FREE lesson.
Another way to inject fun is by performing magic tricks. (See whether I can read your mind correctly. The answer is at the bottom of the page. Follow the instructions carefully. Don’t peep.) Frankly, most magic tricks are used to teach scientific concepts. Very few can be used to teach math. However, the following is one trick you do not need props for:
Step 1: Think of a number (any positive whole number).
Step 2: Multiply that number by 2.
Step 3: Add 8.
Step 4: Divide by 2.
Step 5: Subtract the original number.
Check your working. Make sure there are no careless mistakes. Do not reveal the final number, but check this:
1-A 2-B 3-C 4-D 5-E
Look for the corresponding letter to your final number (after you complete Step 5). Think of a country starting with that letter. Also think of a four-legged animal that starts with the second letter of that country. (Gentle reminder- the answer is at the bottom of the page but make sure you have followed the above steps.)
Applying Knowledge
Many times, students do not understand because topics do not make sense to them. Why should they be learning what they learn? I will only give a few examples.
We learn trigonometry to find out the height of a tall object, for example, a tree, because it is not possible to use a ruler. Calculus allows us to measure the rate of change, that is, the speed at which change takes place.
And speaking of making sense, sometimes, when tackling questions, all students need is a good logical explanation.
I once posed this question:
Mr Tan travelled from Town A to B at 125m/min in 20 minutes. How long would it take if his speed were 100m/min for his return journey?
My student’s working looked perfectly logical and she got 16 minutes as the answer. Note: A good teacher will as questions that will lead her to understanding.
So here comes perhaps the most powerful question in math: “Does it make sense?”
She was momentarily stumped at first. I posed another more direct question: “At a lower speed, would Mr Tan take more or less time to complete the journey? Does your answer make sense?” It became clear to her that the answer was wrong. I explained that she had wrongly regarded the relationship between speed and time as directly proportional. For example, the more money you have, the more toys you can buy. The relationship between speed and time is inversely proportional, so she had to apply another formula.
Denmark and elephant. I am pretty sure I have read your mind correctly. This trick has nothing to do with magic. Algebra is the key to the trick. Now, won’t you be more willing to learn algebra this way?
Click Here to find out more about our FREE lesson.