Relationship between language & maths

[fma001]

I agree with queriquita. Asians tend to value early learning. Americans tend to think that early learning is harmful. That will obviously impact academic performance later on.

[happymomof5]

I'll pass on all the comments on the mind maps & all, but I HAD to comment on the CHinese learning math better than Americans (even though it's past midnight for me)

I am a math teacher by profession & I am living and teaching (not math :-) )in China, & i know chinese system of education.very well
(I don't want to sound like I know it all, & I don't want to put a wet blanket on the findings of ppl workign from a different perspective, just to share my experience:-) .)The reason chinese learn math better than americans is NOT because of the language , but because of the expectations & the amount of input these kids get ( btw, when you get into larger numbers, it's really confusing, they use a four digit system, MUCH harder to work with) - in American schools they still cut & paste in second grade & add to 20?, in chinese schools in the second grade they are given a week to have the whole times tables pat down, whatever the cost & they see no daylight if they don't, they spend every break in a 7:30 AM TO 4:30 pM  school day doing drills until they do have it down. Chinese kids are in additional classes & grueling homework every evening & weekend! In summer they all sign-up for TONS of extra classes!!! My work quadripples during holidays! If American or any language kids did the amount of the the chinese kids do - I have no doubt they'd have no trouble calculating
Another thing - a lot of their math learing is done with very little understanding, but mainly by rote memorization & in-humane drill work (i heard Japan is very similiar? is that true?)

I know for sure in Russian,where they produce some of the greatest mathematical minds & the requirements are very high in schools, they have no problems with math learing

now that i got it out  ... i don't think it's fair to compare the very relaxed, laid back, take-it-slow, creative American system of education & the Chinese grueling drilling - you get what you pay for  

I see first hand how bad the chinese kids are hurt through their system, because their creative & problem-solving abilities are seriously impaired; but I veyr strongly believe our little ones can know & learn so much more! There are beautiful resources ( I personally really liked what I saw of the Jones Genius,, Abacus programs are a great tool, etc.) & we really should give our kids much. much more than the public school system does, in a much warmer (psycologically/spiritually) & logical/practical, & deeper way (intellectually). it really pays off - speakign from personal experince with some of my "babies" in high school

God bless you, dear dedicated parents out there, I really admire you!!!

[fiz]

I'll pass on all the comments on the mind maps & all, but

There are beautiful resources ( I personally really liked what I saw of the Jones Genius,, Abacus programs are a great tool, etc.) & we really should give our kids much. much more than the public school system does, in a much warmer (psycologically/spiritually) & logical/practical, & deeper way (intellectually). it really pays off - speakign from personal experince with some of my "babies" in high school

God bless you, dear dedicated parents out there, I really admire you!!!

Hi happymomof5,

I am unsure how Chinese parents teach their kids, perhaps as you mentioned by way of rote memory....that said,  since you mentioned abacus, and I am using abacus with my daughter, I would say abacus is another kind  of grueling math exercise if you want to call it, besides, abacus too emphasized a lot on rote memory.......

[happymomof5]

abacus is built on deep understanding & working with place values, very logical - all are an excellent foundation for good math skills later in life
abacus, although a lot of practice, also involves the body & action - the best way to teach young kids, involving their whole's

In any learning drill work is required, but there is a difference when it's done with understanding

[fiz]

  happymomof5,

Yes, I could't agree more with you on the idea that abacus is built on deep understanding and working with place value....because I think that should be the ways too......I recalled the sum of 20x3, I first taught my daughter she has 3 20s, so makes up to 60, but her abacus teacher would tell her first count how many digits, in this case 3 digits, so makes up to hundred place, but because 3x2 is 6, less than 10, so you need to stir the beads at tens place instead of hundred place.....I abhor this kind of math thinking skill because it doesn't make the child thinks why it is not so.....that comes the issue of what you had just  mentioned in your last comment " lack of creativity" in math solving skill, something that I spotted too,..... that said, I still expose her to abacus is because since she has been using  mental maths so well, so I think it is no harm to use other system such as abacus to prove a sum ......abacus teaches vector ( negatives) and abacus can solve millions and millions of big numbers, but ironically abacus can't solve the sum such as 1-2 when other simple and straight forward method abled to.......

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