There must be a way......

[boo1]

to convince my boss (the principal) that crocheting can be an integral part of teaching math! Stitches that require multiples of a certain numbers......

 

Wonder how that would fly?

 

I HATE not being able to crochet during the day. I feel like a junkie waiting on a fix!

[Auntie Kellie]

Perhaps create an afterschool Crochet Club for the students and encourage those not doing so well in math to participate. Or you could bring something small to hide in your desk for when the students are working quietly.

 

Hugs and Cookies

Auntie K

[mountainangel]

I forgot the website, but there was one with college math classes crocheting. I forgot what it is called. The pieces look sort of like sea sponges. It had something to do with teaching a math concept. It was featured in a past issue of interweave crochet.

Angie

 

edit: here is a website on crocheting a hyperbolic plane http://www.math.cornell.edu/~dwh/papers/crochet/crochet.html

[losingmymind2]

Actually, some kids may get the FEEL for sets and multiplying better if they can DO it, and what better way than with something they can see and do like crochet?

[~Kel~]

I'm actually going to start a crochet club at my school and use it for my student contact hours for career ladder and I teach language arts, but one of our state expectations for LA is that students can follow multi-step instructions (crochet is totally multi-step instructions) I think it would be excellent for math too bc of counting stitches doing sets, figuring gauge

[mountainangel]

Here is a site with "mathematical afghans" http://www.woollythoughts.com/afghans/index.html

Looks like they actually have knit and crochet workshops for teaching math concepts at this site!

Angie

[eli1118]

So some of you gals teach, how do you fit in teaching, family, and crochet? WHen is the best time to crochet for you? I have a one year old and the only time is when he falls asleep. However, last night I crocheted till 1 a.m.!! I can't do that when I teach. Any suggestions?

[~Kel~]

I actually crocheted during our entire back to school meeting on Monday morning, I stopped occasionally to take notes but that was it

 

usually I spend an hour crocheting each night while DH plays a video game or studies (he's a vet student) and my little man plays (he's 2)

[TonkaMama]

Start an after-school club. The school where I previously taught, offered a knitting club after school. It was really popular with both high school kids (males and females) and teachers. As a teacher it was a good learning opportunity for me...an opportunity that brought me to crocheting! I just couldn't get how to knit. For the first time I think I understood how special education kids in my class felt when they were around kids who quickly picked up new information. Anyway, unlike most of my special educaiton students, I gave up in frustration on knitting and wanted to do something at my own pace with my own pattern. So I got a book and met once with my sil and learned how to crochet. Kids really do enjoy making things with their hands. Just think about what project to lead them in. At my school the knit project every year was mittens. The thought was that if a mid-level project was taught, easier things would be done independently. I needed something easier...thus when I learned to crochet I made many scarves before trying something with more difficulty. After kids make something for themselves, lead them in a project for a local charity.

[boo1]

(80% of them anyway) are working at about a 4th-5th grade level. I've got to get them up to level, if possible, really soon.

 

Guess I could put some word problems about pieces of an afghan in a quiz.

 

NOT exactly giving me a fix.

[angieInCA]

My best friend is a 7th grade math teacher. I am an Interior Designer. A few years ago she asked me how I thought she could get her kids more interested in Math. I told her that most kids don't see the revelance of how math applies to their everyday life. I suggested she show them a floor plan or have them draw their bedroom in a floorplan model and then tell them they were going to carpet, paint and basically decorate the room by using math to find the amount of materials needed the final cost. This way they got to use basic geometery and algebra to find area (for carpet calculations) and volume and then they had to work out a budget.

 

She went one step further and asked the Principal if I could come in and talk about how important math was in my field of work. He agreed and I have been a guest speaker/teacher in their school for the last 12 years. This interests many of the kids because I explain it so that it interests the girls as well as the boys. It gives them insite as to how Designers, Architects, Contractors, ect..... work and use math.

 

BTW... over the years the kids say this is their favorite lesson of the year when they discuss at then end of the year what they liked best in her class.

 

You could explain crochet totally in a Math way. You have to calculate how much yarn you need for a poject and you have to figure your budget (you can even use the sales flyers to calculte how much they would save by buying yarn on sale). And then you have to decide and calculate stitchs per inch to find the correct size (very important in wearables) and then you have to be able to understand and follow a mathmatical pattern.

 

I think using crochet in this manner would help them totally relate to how important Math is in every day life.

[monael]

As much as I love crochet, I would be a bit peeved if my son's teacher was more concerned with working in their hobby into the class than teaching them. I am not trying to be rude, just give you my opinion here. There are many ways to teach children math, I think that working with crochet (or any other hobby that a person loved) has the potential to distract from them learning what they need to.

[mamarose22]

As well as stating that you incorporate math by using multiples of stitches in patterns, you could also tell your principal (or whomever) that you can also use algebra, and geometry in teaching this skill. I don't know what grade level you teach or what subject. I assume you are a math teacher. Good luck on your endeavor.

[minwifeof4boys]

Well...if you taught at a Waldorf school it would work:lol They have classes in crochet!

[boo1]

As much as I love crochet, I would be a bit peeved if my son's teacher was more concerned with working in their hobby into the class than teaching them. I am not trying to be rude, just give you my opinion here. There are many ways to teach children math, I think that working with crochet (or any other hobby that a person loved) has the potential to distract from them learning what they need to.

 

I teach from bell to bell, and I wasn't SERIOUSLY looking for a way to crochet during instruction time. Surely you don't think my struggling students are watching their teacher make an afghan while they fall behind academically! I am a professional. I'm also a crochet junkie who simply misses the time I had this summer to crochet.

[monael]

I teach from bell to bell, and I wasn't SERIOUSLY looking for a way to crochet during instruction time. I am a professional. I'm also a crochet junkie who simply misses the time I had this summer to crochet.

 

I guess this is what threw me off:

 

"I wish I could use it in the classroom, but my kids are ....

(80% of them anyway) are working at about a 4th-5th grade level. I've got to get them up to level, if possible, really soon.

 

Guess I could put some word problems about pieces of an afghan in a quiz.

 

NOT exactly giving me a fix. :("

__________________

 

If you weren't serious, I am now confused as to the point of the thread? Maybe I missed the funny

[eli1118]

Thanks Kel for the advice. Off to crochet I go!!

[Ankh]

If you teach geometry or geometric concepts you can use it. finding the areas and perimeters and pattern gauges stitches per row/inch. :ccomputeHow much yarn will it take to complete a project given specific size requirements if your swatch was made with x amount of yarn and is y size. How many rows will you need to complete to make a specific shape given the size of the current swatch. :interestWhat is the percentage of shrinkage when felting given z amount of time in the washing machine? NiYa

[mountainangel]

Well now,

Just wanted to add that I don't see anything wrong with incorporating something you love into your teaching if there is a way to do it appropriately and it really does assist the children in learning.

My son's only good year in social studies in elementary school was in 5th grade. The teacher still taught all of the items in the book. But, she loved to travel and would begin each section about a different country or culture with her home slide show and video's. This was the only year that he was truelly engaged in the class and got all A's. The rest of elementary school he found social studies extremely tedious.

In highschool he just loved his business and marketing teacher who incorportated lots of personal stories related to the course at hand into his class. I believe it does help children learn when they see a connection with real life and also when they can make a connection with the teacher - see the teacher as a fellow human being - if that makes any sense.

Angie