Heading out today to volunteer in Connor's classroom today (Thurs)!
His teacher came up with a unique way to encourage the children to learn their multiplication tables - Each Thursday, she quizzed them on a multiplication table, based on a number, beginning with 0, up to 10 (i.e. Week 3 tested the kids on 2: 2x1=2, 2x2=4...). If they completed the entire quiz, with no errors, they "earned" a piece of a sundae! They had to achieve one level before going onto the next - and would take the test each day until passing.
Here's what they earned - and what I'll be dishing out!
Table 0: a bowl
Table 1: a spoon
Table 2: a banana
Table 3: one scoop of ice cream
Table 4: second scoop of ice cream
Table 5: third scoop of ice cream (?!?)
Table 6: chocolate sauce
Table 7: caramel sauce
Table 8: crushed Smarties
Table 9: whipped cream
Table 10: maraschino cherry
And then she's going to let them all loose on their poor unsuspecting parents for a long weekend!! LOL!
I'm not sure how I feel about using the food as incentive - big NO-NO in my parenting books (our personal opinion - no judgement passed on anyone!!) but it seemed to provide the incentive needed to get through boring multiplication tables!
We'll see how I feel about it tomorrow, up to my elbows in ice cream, chocolate sauce and 20 hyper 9/10 year olds, jacked up on sugar! ;)
Sue I am totally with you on the food for incentives... I put a stop to it at the preschool. My child should do something and get rewarded with a sticker, not a smartie or jelly bean or whatever.
ReplyDeleteI like her idea though, but perhaps it could have been something more constructive... like pieces of something to build something in the end. I guess though in the kids books what is more fun then ice cream.
I'll be thinking about you up to your elbows in ice cream and chocolate sauce!!!
I agree with that on a day to day level but this was like SUPER special. Kudos to the teacher for encouraging healthy competition in her class! Well, the competition was healthy, NOT the prize! LOL But I am sure the kids loved it and it won't be an every week thing.
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