Ryan Z wrote:

> I work alot with inner city and homeless youth
> tutoring them. One of the things that totally amaze
> me is how intelligent a kid can be when given the
> proper stimulus. So many kids are taught in the inner
> cities through their environment that school is a
> waste of time, as is reading and that street smarts
> and athletic ability is all you need. Once you can
> convince them (or more often trick them) into liking
> to learn, their intelligence comes out.
>
> Ryan

Sorry for going off topic, but I am curious, how do you go about
tricking them into liking to learn ?

Brett

warning: extremely off-topic

--- Brett Sargeant wrote:
>
> Sorry for going off topic, but I am curious, how do
> you go about
> tricking them into liking to learn ?
>
The key is to relate learning into their daily lives.
One of the problems I have with textbooks are the
example really have nothing to do with them so they
cannot relate. Recasting math word problems in terms
of minimarts and nintendo and then their interest
picks up (pokemon cards were a great way to teach
math).

One other thing I've noticed is that alot of kids link
computer use as a reward. I've encouraged this alot
with the kids I've dealt with. Then, once they are on
the computer I try to gear them towards educational
sites with educational games.

Also nice to have are kid-geared magazines. While
alot of stuff in there is fluff, just getting these
kids to read in the first place is worth hearing all
about whats up with britney spears.

Lastly, most importantly is linking time spent doing
homework to having fun. We always finish each night
off with 30-45 minutes of playtime.

Now there is alot more than this, but you get the
message. And one last thing, I also sprinkle space
topics in whenever I can :)

If your interested in things like this, I highly
recommend you volunteer, every place i've been too is
always desperately in need of more volunteers. Check
out places like www.volunteermatch.org for
opportunites near you.

Ryan

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, Ryan Z wrote:
> warning: extremely off-topic
>
> --- Brett Sargeant wrote:
> >
> > Sorry for going off topic, but I am curious, how do
> > you go about
> > tricking them into liking to learn ?
> >
> The key is to relate learning into their daily lives.
>

> One other thing I've noticed is that alot of kids link
> computer use as a reward.

>
> Also nice to have are kid-geared magazines.

>
> Lastly, most importantly is linking time spent doing
> homework to having fun.

>
> Now there is alot more than this, but you get the
> message. And one last thing, I also sprinkle space
> topics in whenever I can :)
>
> If your interested in things like this, I highly
> recommend you volunteer, every place i've been too is
> always desperately in need of more volunteers. Check
> out places like www.volunteermatch.org for
> opportunites near you.
>
> Ryan

I liked all of the touchstones you raised to make learning relevant
to kids. Good work. I think that helping kids develop their minds is
the biggest gift you can give them.

Some of you may know that I'm a big advocate of the Socratic Method.
I volunteered about 15 years ago and used the method to reach the
kids. I'd like to ask anyone who is reading this message to please
spend about 10 minutes reading through this link where the author
teaches a group of 3rd graders binary aritmetic and lays the
foundation for the kids to go on develop trinary math, pentary math,
etc. He does it all by asking the kids questions and has fun with
them. The pleasure the kids have in discovering the truths for
themselves should be evident to the reader.

If you can, please find an opportunity to try this method for
yourself. Rehearse yourself for this takes more thought and
preparation on your part. Remember it's always easier to tell
something than to guide someone to the knowledge. This is why you
hardly see this pedogogy in schools. Your reward: the kids will
understand the point and you'll know the instant that they don't
because the dialogue will stop.

http://www.garlikov.com/Soc_Meth.html

TangoMan