• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Demme Learning

Demme Learning

Building Lifelong Learners

  • Search

  • Sort by

  • Category

Customer Service: M-F 8:30am - 6pm ET
Live Chat • 888-854-6284 • Email

Shop Now
  • Home
  • About
    • Philosophy
    • History
    • Company Culture
    • Careers
  • Products
    • Math-U-See
    • Spelling You See
    • Analytical Grammar
    • WriteShop
    • Building Faith Families
    • KinderTown
  • Blog
  • Guild
    • Math Resources
    • Spelling Resources
    • Webinars
    • eBook
    • Digital Toolbox
    • Partnerships
  • Events
  • Digital Toolbox
  • Support Center
Home Learning Blog Learning Math Can Be as Sweet as Honey

Learning Math Can Be as Sweet as Honey

Learning Math Can Be as Sweet as Honey

Steve Demme · August 19, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Since attitude is a big part of education, let’s do what we can to make learning enjoyable.

Years ago I had a class on early education where the author recounted how Rabbis used to make school enjoyable. After a little research I found this article, from which I have chosen a few excerpts.

Around the twelfth century a custom developed in Germany of bringing a child to school for the first time. [. . .] The rabbi reads every letter of the alef-bet and the child repeats after him.

Then the rabbi puts a little honey on the slate and the child licks the honey from the letters with his tongue. A child who licks honey from a slate [. . .] will immediately understand that the Torah is “as sweet as honey”.

Since attitude is a big part of education, let’s do what we can to make learning enjoyable. Here are a few ideas that may help to prime the pump.

Perhaps you could begin every day with what some schools call “free exploration.” Encourage your students to play with their blocks for 10 minutes to begin each class.

Or, take the number of the date, and express it in different ways. For example, if it is September 5th, use the 5 and express that number as 2 + 3 = 5, or 4 + 1 = 5, or 6 – 1 = 5, or 2 x 2 + 1 = 5, or 10 ÷ 2 = 5. You could do this with all of your scholars around the breakfast table and see the older and younger students each use their skill set to contribute a suggestion.

The most important thing we can do as parents is like math ourself. Children tune into what we think about a subject. Attitudes are caught not taught. I hope you had a positive experience with math, but I know that many of you struggled when you were a student.

Think of this as a fresh start, or a new beginning. Pray for God to give you an open mind as you begin the new year. Think of yourself as a co-learner with your children. Remember, you have the advantage of many years of training and a generation of experience applying math in real life situations.

When in doubt, take a deep breath and fake it 🙂 I am sure you will do fine.

Lick the honey and have a good time with math.

Previous Post Next Post

Category iconMath,  Teaching Tips Tag iconeducation,  Math,  math-u-see

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Stories

  • Self-Care for Teachers: 12 Ways to Improve Your Well-Being

  • A young girl smiles confidently in front of a chalkboard.

    Student Mastery Guide: 3 Ways to Master Mastery Learning

  • A group of students and their teacher view historic sculptures at a museum.

    5 Fun Social Studies Activities to Liven Up Your Lessons

Primary Sidebar

Stories
show/hide
  • Self-Care for Teachers: 12 Ways to Improve Your Well-Being
  • A young girl smiles confidently in front of a chalkboard.
    Student Mastery Guide: 3 Ways to Master Mastery Learning
  • A group of students and their teacher view historic sculptures at a museum.
    5 Fun Social Studies Activities to Liven Up Your Lessons

Subscribe to our newsletter!

Over 150,000 parents enjoy our weekly newsletter, with informative blog posts, product information, and more!

Footer

Our Location

Address:
Demme Learning
207 Bucky Drive
Lititz, PA 17543

Contact Us

Customer Service M-F 8:30am - 6pm ET
Live Chat 888-854-6284 Email

Hours

Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 6:00 pm, Eastern time.

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Sign up for our newsletter

Sitemap

  • Home
  • About
    • Philosophy
    • History
    • Company Culture
    • Careers
  • Products
    • Math-U-See
    • Spelling You See
    • Analytical Grammar
    • WriteShop
    • Building Faith Families
    • KinderTown
  • Blog
  • Guild
    • Math Resources
    • Spelling Resources
    • Webinars
    • eBook
    • Digital Toolbox
    • Partnerships
  • Events
  • Digital Toolbox
  • Support Center

Terms & Conditions  •  Sitemap  •  Copyright © 2023 Demme Learning •  Return to top