RE: Share your classroom ideas here

2017-04-29T18:39:23Z

Greetings! My name is Konstantinos Manolakis, I am a newly recruited Scientix Ambassador (since March 2017). I am also a teacher and the director at a primary school in Chania, Crete. As I was reading the Parrot’s Theorem, I tried to think up ways of how this book could have pedagogical use as a whole. Additionally, I wanted the whole of the educational community (students, teachers, parents) to become involved in this process, in this way suggesting an alternative approach to the science of Mathematics. In primary school, Math is taught by conveying concepts such as those of numbers, calculations (algorithms), problem solving, geometric issues, etc. as well as any symbols or mental tools we utilize, all these are readily accepted as a fact, “sent from heaven”; we rarely concern ourselves or investigate the origin of their use. We very often ignore the fact that behind these ideas are people who initially introduced them to the field of Mathematics. The editor of the Greek translation of the book, Tefkros Michaelides, very aptly points out: “… the history of mathematics is an inspiration of ideas, problems, devises. It is, however, most importantly a story about people. Enlightened individuals, who through the mist, were able to distinguish the opposite bank and slowly find the passage that led them there” (pg. 709).Moreover, at some point, a heroine of the novel, Lea, surprised by the absence of the equals symbol before 1557, wonders: “Someone was forced to die on the other side of the world when trying to uncover and ascertain where this symbol originated. Why has nobody ever told us these things in the classroom?” Based on all of this, my personal idea is to try and include the history of mathematics in a collaborative project that will run throughout the school year and involve all the grades of the primary school. Amelion- Mamagena, the Amazonian parrot, can become the mascot that will inspire the children, teachers, parents and anyone else who is interested in creating the historical line of mathematics, by exhibiting and bring forward the people who were behind the ideas and symbols. This historical line will be a specially shaped belt that will run through the corridors of the school and will begin from ancient times- all the way to our era. Each class, depending on the chosen subject they will assume, will look into and try to solve a riddle (through some research) within Denis Geudj’s book. For example: Why are fractions considered broken figures? “Al-Khwarizmi accepts only positive, inertial (whole) or fractional numbers. This is where the word ‘fractions’ was coined. The Latin word fractiones is the translation of the Arabic kasser, do you know what kasser means? It means broken! Thus, fractions are broken numbers!” (pg. 309) So, with fractions as a triggering topic the historical line will be enriched with the Arabic contribution to the propagation and development of mathematics. Another example is through teaching the maximum common divisor/ highest common factor: Which numbers are friendly according to Pythagoras? “When he was asked what a friend is, he answered “he who is your other self, such as the numbers 220 and 284”. Two numbers are “friends” or “friendly with each other” when the sum of the numbers that divide the one number equal the sum of the second number (therefore divide).” And so on the occasion of the divisors the reference to Pythagoras will offer new learning possibilities. Depending on the age and the potential of the students, the historical line will have its own dynamic. The young students will create the mascot of the project, the parrot who “knows” math and therefore, the students will be given the opportunity to understand the difference between “holding” knowledge and merely “parroting” that knowledge. The older students will partake in researching and enriching the historical line. Teachers will guide and motivate the students by providing stimuli for exploratory- research learning. Parents will also be able to contribute according to their interests as guests in projects or presentations while working with their children. Finally, the result will be multimodal (text, images, and symbols) collective work and there will be a personal touch from all the participants. It will unite the lessons of mathematics, history and literature! It would also be highly beneficial to collaborate with other schools, even with older children in high schools and lyceums, through the digital advancement of the historical line. Tools that would be helpful in this endeavor are (thehistoryproject.com, timeglider.com, padlet.com etc.)
References: Guedj, D. (2010), The Parrot’s Theorem, Kedros (greek edition)
http://www.kidsmathgamesonline.com/facts/history.html http://www.storyofmathematics.com/http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Chronology/full.html

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RE: Share your classroom ideas here