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Linky Love: Math


When Less is More: The Case for Teaching Less Math in School - This is the original article that got me thinking, there must be a better way to teach math!

 Doodling in Math Class: Connect the Dots - This video also begs the question, why are we doing it this way?!?

 The Mathematician's Lament - This is an absolutely beautiful (albeit lengthy) article that I read much more recently.  It brought me right back were I started: thinking I should take a more laid-back approach to mathematics in the early years.  If you read anything, read this.  Although you might have already.  It apparently went viral on facebook.

Why Math Instruction is Unnecessary - I love TED talks.  The title of this one is pretty provocative.  John Bennett recommends playing games instead of teaching higher mathematics.  I'm pretty convinced.

Unschooling Tools: Math Play - I love this mom's list of games and puzzles that explore mathematical ideas.  But of course I do; you can tell that she and I have been reading all the same stuff.

What Works Better than Traditional Math Instruction - In this article, Alfie Kohn talks about teaching kids to ask their own questions and come up with their own problem solving techniques.  Cool!  If I did end up doing some formal math instruction, it would probably look like some of the ideas in this article.

Dan Meyer: Math Class needs a makeover - Another TED talk, one that Scott and I saw a few years ago.  The ideas are similar to the ones in Alfie Kohn's article, although it is much more engaging.  He stresses the importance of teaching kids patience while solving problems.  This guy is an awesome teacher of high school math.  It's a little intimidating.  But he has a blog!

Living Math Books and Mathematical Classics - I had a teacher in 7th grade who noticed I was interested in math and she gave me a book to read.  What?!  A book about math?!  It was Fermat's Last Enigma and I devoured it.  I learned about so many cool ideas!  So I know that reading books can be a great way to learn about math.  This is a great list of math classics.  They're not textbooks; they are real, engaging books that you can read cover to cover and enjoy.

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