Number Facts

The school my children were attending invited parents along to find out how subjects, particularly maths, were being taught in the then present day and age. It was a chance for parents to learn something that might help them help their children with their learning. After all, learning is not just the responsibility of the school, is it? There are the parents, and there is the community at large, at the very least.

So I went along. It would be rude not to.

And oh, shock, horror! In maths, these primary school children were being taught 'number facts'.

For example, if the sum of the digits of a number divides by 3, then the number divides by 3. And so on.

No. No. No. Too early.

First spend some time with the numbers and their behaviour and addition and subtraction etc etc. Allow time for the way of numbers to become entrenched in the nervous system. Then, for some, the 'facts' would emerge without having to be told.

Not for everyone, mind you. But by teaching these 'facts' too early, you risk impeding the process of emergent discovery. The nervous system will pattern what it takes in. And that gives the wonder of discovery, the glow of realisation. Teaching 'number facts' too early will deny some children that wonderful experience.

There was a savant, I am really, really sorry but I know longer have the reference details. Anyway, he stopped work - probably pissed off with it like we all could be at some time or other - and spent all his time reading aand reading and reading multiplication tables.

And guess what - he can now give you the product of any two large numbers in a few moments.

No. This is not from memory. He performs equally well with number products that were not included in his reading and memorising.

What had emerged from all of his memorising and reading was the pattern. The pattern of multiplication of two numbers.

So when given two numbers, he just applied the pattern as a process.

Here's a thought. Start watching the lottery draws each and every week. Memorise the numbers in the order in which they are drawn. Keep building that up for two years.

There is no such thing as randomness. Actually, I proved it in my philosophy course. So a pattern will emerge from your wonderful nervous system doing what it does best - seek out patterns in experience.

So then start going down and putting in lottery tickets. The numbers will "come to you" without having to think about it.

I'll accept 1% of what you win for the tip. OK, be pedantic. I'll pay you back 1% of what you had to pay out.

But - come one - both of these are only when you win ...