Monday, September 23, 2013

23.9.13

When Dr Yeap wrote the number of problems that we are going to solve for the session, I went, "Oh gosh, I don't need Math problems. I already have so many problems to think of."

Problem #1: Name
Problem #2: Card Trick
Problem #3: Shredder
Problem #4: Tangram

Surprisingly, I enjoyed working through the problems, especially Problem #1 and #2. 
Problem #3 transported me back to my primary school days where I had to wreck my brains to solve the problems..but 13-ish years ago, my brains are not 'fried' like it is now..

Then came the Tangram. I always gave these little pieces to the children to play and I thought, "oh well, it's gonna be so fun." I was wrong. So very wrong. 
Dr Yeap instructed us to make rectangles using the tangram pieces; making congruent rectangles, making rectangles using lesser pieces..and I CAN'T DO IT. 

Yes, you read that right.

I CAN'T MAKE A RECTANGLE USING THE TANGRAMS.

Below are pictures of the rectangles that my friends made.




IMPRESSIVE, HUH?

Now, let's see what I came up with.

 Liyana said that it looks like the 'Superman' logo. Well, Clark Kent will be so proud of me.

Kitty, kitty, lovely kitty. (and truth be told, I have a cat-phobia)

Well, at least, Nandhini said that I am creative. That made me feel way way better about myself. =)

So, Dr Yeap went through different theories on how children learn. He talked about Dienes, Vygotsky and Bruner. And now, as I reflected on my own learning, I can understand why Dienes has 'play' at the top of the list on how children learn. Like me, children need to be given time to play. I might not be able to make a congruent rectangle when everybody around me are able to, but once I did my 'cat', I realised that I did a rectangle without me realising it. Then comes structured learning and practice.  I learnt that I can do a congruent rectangle and with more practice with the tangrams, I am sure I can make as many congruent rectangles as any of my peers!

That's the end of session 1.

Looking forward to more problem-solving skills in class later on.


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