Historical hang ups

[Mikey]

I was chatting to a fellow parent this morning about the times tables, our children are both currently learning them, in the same way we both did at school, parrot fashion.

It occured to me a little while ago, why do we still teach children the 11 and 12 times tables as since decimalisation in 71 these two numbers have become a bit obsolete in multiples. Perhaps they would be better off learning different combinations.

I was wondering whether there are other historical hang ups that we still do inspite of the fact they have become a bit pointless.

[VirginVegGrower]

My two who are now 15 and 13 were only taught up to x 10 within school and it was never parrot fashion. They had all sorts of weird ways of working it, none of which entered the children's heads. I went over the times tables parrot fashion but with some, such as the x 11 (doubling of numbers, 11, 22, 33, 44, etc) you can bring in "cheats".
For example on x 9
1 x 9 = 9
2 x 9 = 18 (1+8 = the second 9)
3 x 9 = 27 (the first goes up one, the second goes down one)
4 x 9 = 36 (ditto)
5 x 9 = 45 (ditto)
You get the idea.

Same with spellings of core words such as BECAUSE. Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants. It's called Mnemonics.

I quite like the old ways - they worked!

[SimonSez]

I dont know about historical hang ups, but I still to this day take the batteries out of a remote, rub them, and try them again every time they run out.

Im not sure if this ever worked but I still do it!

[VirginVegGrower]

I also rub coins if they drop through parking machines. That works too. My old friend used to lick her fingers and rub the coins, which also worked.

[Mikey]

There are a few tricks to learning the times table VVG, the fingers approach is how I'm teaching my daughter the 9 times table, and to be honest she found learning the 11 easy as its multiples upto 99, so you only really head to learn 10, 11 and 12.

It just seems a little strange, why not teach 13 or 17 or 19 times tables, these days they are just as random as picking 11 and 12.

[Mikey]

I still pick up a penny, but I can imagine that in the time of its origins the penny had some value, whereas these days its probably barely worth the effort!!

[VirginVegGrower]

I still pick up a penny, but I can imagine that in the time of its origins the penny had some value, whereas these days its probably barely worth the effort!!

I do that too..."find a penny, pick it up and all the day you'll have good luck."

[Mikey]

Yeah what luck is a penny gonna bring you, now if it was a pound, you could use that in a trolley, or a locker?

[Kleftiwallah]

While in training for fittering in the R.A.F. the instructor spent two days telling us all about the
'Field Clinometer', (an instrument used to measure the angle of attack of an aircraft wing).

Just as the two days were up he said, " This instrument is out of service, no longer used, but as it is still in the curriculum. . . .

Cheers, Tony.

[veggiechicken]

Yeah what luck is a penny gonna bring you, now if it was a pound, you could use that in a trolley, or a locker?

...........or a public toilet

[Jeanied]

It is 30p at Kings Cross

[SimonSez]

Just thought that maybe IT lessons need to be updated.

My little cousin showed me some of his year 7 work and he was laughing at how easy it was.

Lets be honest, children these days understand how to put things onto a usb stick and how to take it off. Maybe its time to teach the children something of worth in IT?

[Mikey]

My daughter has been learning to write a letter on the computer this week, she's in year 2. (age 7 to us oldies!!)

They are considerably more computer savvy than we are, she's a dab hand with her Ipod touchs. She can search on itunes and for books, though I won't show her the password to pay, and I've turned safari off, just to ensure she is safe.

Give her a couple of years and she'll be showing me how to do things.

[cardiffsteve]

It is 30p at Kings Cross

What were you doing in Kings Cross, Eh ?

[veggiechicken]

I think you need to charge a bit more than that, Jeanie