Why Teaching Basic Arithmetic is Dumb

I often get asked: “So, why don’t the kids have ‘real math’ classes at this school?” 

It’s an easy question to answer, but it’s only been made complicated by the institutional experience of most parents: we all went to school where it was an accomplishment to have memorized a times table, or race through a series of addition and subtraction flash cards. All activities that have been proven to impede the child’s logical development as opposed to enhancing it.

The easy answer: Teaching them math, like we were taught, will rob them of their ability to critically think and problem solve, and in turn, retard their development as a whole.

The complicated answer has to do with a review of some history of education in the United States, and cognitive studies in education.

Historically, our education system was designed to supply workers for factories. The great concern was that a worker would be able to add a series of widgets together so they could put them into a box, or take a minimal amount of defected items off of the line, without exceeding an expected quota. Basic arithmetic was necessary to accomplish the big goals of production for factories. While this was of necessity for assembly lines, it was of detriment to the development of the individuals on the line. 

Today, studies in cognitive development have shown that the student’s reasoning faculties are dulled by the introduction of arithmetic in early years.

Our approach at The Academy is to introduce the abstract processes of math at a later point in the students cognitive development (i.e. 6th or 7th grade) and focus on developing the child’s intelligence during the formative years (i.e. K-6), so that when it’s time to learn math, the foundation they have will make that experience pleasurable and easy to do. This way they will be able to apply reason to the everyday problems math was intended to address, most practically in the fields of engineering, architecture, mechanics and robotics to name a few.

Below is a link for you to read about these theories for yourself and to get a better idea of what we’re doing at The Academy. Enjoy the article, it’s a very interesting read.

Psychology Today: How Early Academic Training Retards Intellectual Development.

Gregg Garner

Headmaster

The Academy for GOD

Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201506/how-early-academi

Protecting a Child's Innocence Amidst Their Technological Universe

There are many benefits that come with technology. Most often they come in the way of making things “easier” for the user. Today our children have access to more information, from more times, and from more places than anyone ever in history. Gone are the days of the Encyclopedia salesman convincing parents that for the price of a used car, they could boost their children into a future undiscovered. Now this opportunity is on the other side of an internet connection, and at the Academy for GOD, we are doing our best to take advantage of the benefit.

However, with such opportunity also comes the need to be responsible. While we as an educational institution can do all we can to ensure safeguards, we also need parents to be actively involved in protecting our children from information they’re not ready to see, or know.

In the bible, the man (Adam) and the woman (Eve) decided to have their eyes opened for themselves by obtaining knowledge independent of God’s timing and his revelation (see Gen. 3). This changed the way they saw the world - it was a loss of innocence.

It was never that God didn’t want the man and the woman to have knowledge, it’s that he knew that they needed guidance into what it was that they would see, learn, and experience. 

In the same way, our children’s innocence needs protected at the vulnerable stage in life they are in. Though in time, their eyes will be opened to many things, it’s our responsibility to do our best to ensure it comes at a time when they can handle it.

A knowledge of violence and the hostility of the world, to a child, can not only be traumatizing, but also affect their development and their ability to trust; their optimism on the goodness that life has to offer, becomes damaged. 

God wanted to walk (the biblical concept of education) with the man and woman in the garden. He wanted to teach them how to see the world. He wanted to open their eyes. 

At the Academy, while protecting your child’s innocence, we are also trying to open their eyes at appropriate times, with appropriate subject matter that will allow them to gracefully navigate a world that doesn’t know God, and in turn can be quite hostile. However, with this knowledge of God, and the development of faith, they can be the kind of people who have hope and who can work for the kind of change that leads to a new, and beautiful day.

In an attached article, the writer encourages parents to take charge of their children’s technological endeavors by becoming familiar with both the devices, and the ways in which the devices can be used. While we will do everything we can at school to watch over your children, it won’t be enough. We need you to partner with us in ensuring students’ eyes are not opened prematurely and innocence is preserved for as long as possible. 

I hope the article is informative and it leads you into further investigation as you take charge of your children’s technological universe.

God bless you!

Mr. Gregg Garner

Source: http://edtechreview.in/news/858-parents-need-to-learn-enough-technology-to-guide-their-child