The Problem with Socratic Questions

Statue of Socrates.

“I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.”

—Socrates

“There is no education but self-education and only as the young student works with his own mind is anything effected.”

—Charlotte Mason

Two great teachers of the past agree that a child’s mind is no bucket. We cannot shovel in whatever information we please and call that “learning.”

So how can we get children to think, to work with their own minds, to build their own relationships with knowledge?

Charlotte Mason's Living Math book by Denise Gaskins, hardcoverI try to answer that question, at least for math, in my new book Charlotte Mason’s Living Math, which is now available exclusively on my Playful Math Store.

As I was finishing up the final bits of indexing and formatting the book for publication, I continued to tweak the manuscript. This ability to tinker endlessly is both a benefit and curse of indie publishing. For example, I added four new pages to explain my quibble with Socrates.

You see, Socratic questions are very much a case of “Do what I say, not what I do.”

Continue reading The Problem with Socratic Questions

Children Have Mathematical Ideas

book review quotation

From the very first review of my new book, Charlotte Mason’s Living Math:

“This book gives parents permission to believe that mathematics is something children can reason about, wonder about, discuss, investigate, and enjoy.

    “It invites parents to treat children as people who have mathematical ideas worth listening to.

      “For many parents, that shift in orientation will be far more valuable than another collection of lesson plans.

      —Sonya Post

      Review of Charlotte Mason a Living Math

      Charlotte Mason’s Living Math Now in Print!

      Charlotte Mason's Living Math Kickstarter

      Charlotte Mason's Living Math book by Denise Gaskins, paperbackThe long-awaited deluxe, full-color edition of Charlotte Mason’s Living Math is now available exclusively on my Playful Math Store in paperback and hardcover (and ebook, too).

      Hooray!

      If you’d like to know more about the book, check out my interview with Cindy Rollins on The New Mason Jar podcast:

      …and here’s the book description:

      Apply the Principles of Education to Help Children Develop Mathematical Reasoning

      “The Principality of Mathematics is a mountainous land, but the air is very fine and health-giving. People who seek their work or play in this principality find themselves braced by effort and satisfied with truth.”

      —Charlotte Mason

      Are you a parent or teacher? Here’s how to:

      • Feed your children’s minds with big ideas.
      • Give them confidence they can learn and make sense of things.
      • Develop intuition and creative thinking about math.

      Explore the world of mathematics with your children. Notice connections. Wonder about relationships. Delight in understanding.

      Author Denise Gaskins shows you how to introduce your child to the living ideas of mathematics. Because when the ideas of math come to life for our children, their minds find joy in seeing numbers and shapes connect to each other and exploring these relations.

      From early learning to algebra, Charlotte Mason’s Living Math offers a practical, activity-filled exploration of what it means to learn math as a family.

      Chapters include:

      • Practice Your Principles: Discover the fundamental principles of math education, the essentials of understanding who children are and how they learn.
      • How Shall We Teach?: Get practical tips for guiding your kids, drawing out their curiosity with puzzles, and helping them master math topics.
      • When Students Get Stuck: Help children find their own way around any barrier with a classic problem-solving approach they can use throughout their lives.
      • Supplement Your Lessons: Find out how books, games, and math art contribute to a living education.
      • And much more.

      You’ll love how Charlotte Mason’s Living Math transforms your children’s experience of math, awakening their imagination about numbers, shapes, and patterns. Because the Principality of Mathematics is a wonderful place to explore with your kids!

      So grab your copy of Charlotte Mason’s Living Math today, and launch your family’s adventure of learning.

      Four Stages of Learning Math (or Anything Else)

      young girl doing math homework

      Book, Charlotte Mason's Living MathThe following is an excerpt from Charlotte Mason’s Living Math, coming to your favorite bookstore or library this November.

      But if you’re impatient—or if you want the exclusive, deluxe, full-color paperback or hardcover edition—you can order your copy now on my Playful Math Store.

      This section comes from the chapter called “How Shall We Teach?” which also includes tips about textbooks, a little-known truth about the math facts, and what to do if you never understood math yourself.

      Moving Toward Mastery

      With any mathematical idea, our children need time to build knowledge. As we recognize their progress, we can shape our plans to better fit the next step in their development.

      Here are four stages in growth from first contact to confidence:
      Continue reading Four Stages of Learning Math (or Anything Else)

      Column Jumping: An Investigation

      man jumping on rock columns

      Charlotte Mason's Living Math ebook editionIn my new book, Charlotte Mason’s Living Math, I encourage families to explore the world of math by asking big, open-ended questions.

      [Now available exclusively in my Playful Math Store! Ebook only at the moment, but print editions are coming soon.]

      Here’s an example of such a question, an excerpt from my earlier book, 70+ Things To Do with a Hundred Chart: Number, Shape, and Logic Activities from Preschool to Middle School.

      Have fun exploring math with your kids!

      Continue reading Column Jumping: An Investigation

      We’re Counting Down the Hours!

      family doing math together

      Charlotte Mason's Living Math bookAre you a parent or teacher? Here’s how to:

      • Feed your children’s minds with big ideas.
      • Give them confidence they can learn and make sense of things.
      • Develop intuition and creative thinking about math.

      You’ll love how Charlotte Mason’s Living Math transforms your children’s experience of math, awakening their imagination about numbers, shapes, and patterns.

      It’s a fun way to enrich any math curriculum, and great for unschoolers, too.

      But you have to ACT FAST: The Kickstarter campaign ends Thursday night!

      Order Your Copy Today ❯

      Quotation from Charlotte Mason: Of all his early studies, perhaps none is more important to the child as a means of education than that of arithmetic. There is no one subject in which good teaching effects more, as there is none in which slovenly teaching has more mischievous results.

      Why I Love Kickstarter

      Charlotte Mason's Living Math

      Charlotte Mason's Living Math bookOver the next two weeks, you’ll be hearing a lot about Kickstarter and my Charlotte Mason’s Living Math project. I’m proud of the book, and I want to spread the news as far and wide as possible.

      You’ll love how Charlotte Mason’s Living Math transforms your children’s experience of math, awakening their imagination about numbers, shapes, and patterns.

      But I know there are many readers who don’t know much about crowdfunding. Some people even think that a campaign like this is just online begging.

      So I want to share what I totally love about Kickstarter and how much it offers you, the customer:

      (1) It’s the “New World” of publishing.

      In the old days, traditional publishing companies paid writers in advance to write the books the publisher wanted to see. In this new world, you get to choose and support the writers creating books you want to read.

      Continue reading Why I Love Kickstarter

      Math Prompt: True-False-True

      girl writing in a notebook, sitting on couch with her corgi

      Book, Charlotte Mason's Living MathOne of the stretch goals for my Charlotte Mason’s Living Math Kickstarter campaign is to add a math journaling prompt to the end of each chapter. So, I’ve been playing around with ideas to get readers writing.

      Since the book’s all about how to build mathematical reasoning, I’m looking for ways to prompt creative thinking and flexibility in math calculations.

      Check Out the Kickstarter

      I found some fun ideas in Guy Gattegno and Martin Hoffman’s Handbook of Activities for the Teaching of Mathematics (which you can download here), including the following riff off a puzzle created by Lewis Carroll.

      Continue reading Math Prompt: True-False-True

      Charlotte Mason’s Living Math Launched: Order Your Copy Today

      dad helping girl with math homework

      And so it begins: Charlotte Mason’s Living Math is LIVE on Kickstarter!

      Check It Out ❯

      ⭐ Don’t delay! ⭐

      To have a successful campaign, we need plenty of people to back the project early. The more supporters we get in these early days, the more likely the Kickstarter platform folks will help spread the news for us.

      Continue reading Charlotte Mason’s Living Math Launched: Order Your Copy Today