I’m trying to create a practice of not writing about books until I finish reading them, but I’m not particularly patient when it comes to this sort of thing, so I thought I’d just mention that I’m reading The Genius in All of Us, by David Shenk, in case it sounds interesting to anyone else.  So far, I’m learning a lot about how we came to think the way we do about intelligence and what’s possible for humans in general.  Probably compelling reading for anyone with an interest in how and what kids (specific ones or all of them) do in the world. Let me know what you think.

I’ve written before about Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor, which is the best typing learning/practice program I’ve found to date.  I’m on their mailing list and they’re doing a spring promotion in which the program is $9.99, a significant savings off the usual price. (I say significant because I don’t remember exactly how much it usually costs.)  Just thought I’d mention it in case anyone’s been considering it, or looking for a good affordable program.  You can do a trial of the program to see if it’s a good fit, and then decide whether to take them up on the price cut!  According to the email, 24 hours left.  The coupon code is SPRINGSALE.  Here’s the link to their site.

Try this one: Origami: the Art and fun of Japanese Paper Folding.  The drawings make sense, there’s lots of white space on the pages so as not to overwhelm, and it’s spiral bound so you don’t have to try to do your origami one-handed while the other hand keeps your book open.  It’s a little tricky to find an image of the book online; here’s one I found if you want to get a bit of a feel for it.

I’m going to get a reputation for the unwise practice of recommending books before I’ve finished reading them, but I can’t help myself.  I have read several pages from the beginning, several from the middle, and a few from the end of Your Child’s Strengths: Discover Them, Develop Them, Use Them, and there is so much in it that can be so useful in so many ways for so many people I cannot wait to start talking about it.  You can read a few pages on Google books…

I’ll post more soon when I come up with the words…

I’ve lots to say about the flurry of ongoing excitement over Multiplication Facts, as they were, but as long as they continue to torment and elude many a young person (and older person, come to think of it), I shall continue to look for ways to make it a smoother ride.  The other day in the course of perusing my favorite algebra text, I came across a very old book that might do just that for some with a sense of humor and/or a taste for the old-fashioned.  (I’m never sure what “old-fashioned” refers to, but I’m quite sure that this qualifies.)  It’s called Marmaduke Multiply’s, and as far as I can tell it was originally published in 1841.  It’s been reprinted several times since, as demonstrated by the fact that you can order a copy for which you’ll be asked to pay anywhere from $.01 to $209.99.  To get a taste of it, and read about the pages that were modified along the way, have a look at Google’s book search.

Enjoy…

So there I was, ready to brush up on my trigonometry, when I discovered to my amazement that the high school textbook I’d saved from my own early math years was next to useless.  The explanations were awkward and convoluted, the examples didn’t seem to illustrate the accompanying instructions, and the diagrams barely supported the text. I spent a few minutes awash in astonishment that I’d learned anything at all in the company of the book before deciding that perhaps I’d prefer to do my brushing up with a more cooperative text.  I was just about to call a friend who might have also saved a trig book when I remembered a little book my mom got me for my birthday one year. I think she bought it because she liked the looks of it and she still can’t believe she successfully raised a math-loving child. It’s a little tiny hardback called Useful Mathematical & Physical Formulae.
It features a little cartoon wizard who can be found throughout the book helping to demonstrate and illustrate various concepts. He makes the whole thing entertaining as well as useful. And it’s not just formulas - there are lots of helpful reminders about where the formulas came from as well as enough to explain many of them to beginners. It’s also artfully done - the kind of math book you might enjoy even if you definitely don’t enjoy math. It turned out that the section about trig was just exactly what I needed to remind myself how it all works, with the circles and the right triangles, etc. It’s a great gift for a math lover, and a great reference for anyone who uses the stuff. Thanks, Mom.

For those days when the world feels a little thirsty for new possibilities…

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