🌀’ZERO Brain-Twister’🧠
Most kids develop logical thinking only a few years after they start studying negative numbers at school.
Here’s what often happens when I ask kids a question involving negatives.
First, I check whether Barry has developed logical thinking or not yet. I’d try e.g.:
👩🏻🏫 Dr.’M’: OK, Barry, 3 – 5 = ?
🧒Barry: [blank eyes]
👩🏻🏫 Dr.’M’: It’s NEGATIVE 2, Barry, see? Because 5 is greater than 3! OK?
🧒Barry: [dim eyes]
👩🏻🏫 Dr.’M’: Look at these “steps” on the number line in your textbook: 3 to the right, 5 to the left… see? What is your answer?
🧒Barry: [eyes get dimmer]
At this stage I start cushioning the blow for Barry which I know is about to come:
👩🏻🏫 Dr.’M’: IMAGINE you have £3 but have to spend £5. What do you think will happen? How much money will you “have” as a result?
🧒Barry: [confidently]: “I have not enough money!”
Now I say “well done” to make Barry feel 💜 better and continue:
👩🏻🏫 Dr.’M’: Great, Barry, but maths has to give the answer as a number! See? What number do you think it will be?
🧒Barry: [confidently] ZERO!
Here I sincerely say: “Well done, Barry!”
Yes! BINGO! Dr.’M’s goal has been achieved! And now Barry is ready to play 🧠 a game with me. It’s called…
“START YOUR OWN BUSINESS”!
Barry chooses what his shop/service will be. We decide what he needs to “invest” into and calculate how much money he needs. Obviously to Barry, he has not enough money and I suggest he looks who to “borrow” it from: from his parents and/or from a “grown up’s bank”🏦. Barry, after some of my explanations (as required) about what a debt is and how bad/good it is to go into debt, chooses.
I stress that he is “a grown up” now, so he will have to RETURN ❗ this money later (even if he borrowed it from his mum!)
We open “a business bank account”, create a bank statement together and start “playing REAL BUSINESS”. And whatever we do, I always make sure there is an unexpected bill, so Barry goes in debt (but just “a little”!) This way Barry learns the difference between a piggy bank 🐖 and a “grown up’s bank” 🏦.
And there is more ❗ …
All my ‘Barry’s love to have loads of money in their ‘bank accounts’, but they usually forget to think that they have to return the money back to mum/bank! But here is Dr.’M’ to remind them… (but “interest and %” will be studied later…)
No, my grown-up Barry will never go into debt in Real Life without thinking!
📢 Peek Preview
🟪 More case scenarios.
🟪 More examples of brain-twisters for…
🟪 …more maths topics.
Meanwhile,
💜 Need help with maths?
💜 I invite you to take a taster session
💜Contact me to discuss and arrange.
