Seven Year Olds, Maths and Higher Order Thinking - Mutually Exclusive?

Of course, the answer is 'No!'

But with a proviso - or two.

At seven, John or Jane has school comfortably sussed, knows what is expected of him or her and with indulgent encouragement from teachers and parents dishes it up in various measures.  

When it comes to Maths, there can be hiccoughs along the way, a groan or two when the Maths' books are called for - but  hey, there are only four things you really need to know how to do - add, subtract, multiply and divide.  You can even make that two, once you see the relationship between adding and subtraction, multiplication and division.  

So how hard can Maths be?

And then comes higher order thinking.

It begins with word problems.  Unsuspecting seven year olds can easily polish off the first few:

Seven birds were perched in a tree.  Three more came along.  How many were there altogether in the tree?

You can scaffold the process - colourful, interactive flipcharts, sticky dickie birds for everyone's little fingers and amusing role plays.

Gradually though, a little more oiling of Poirot's little grey cells is called for:

?     ?     ?     ?     ?

John  is eight.  Jane is seven years older.  How old is Jane? 

You use the word detective strategy.  What are the key words?  Which key words prompt you to add or subtract?

Some instinctively get it. Some Johns and Janes get it with a little help.  For others - a sizeable portion - it will be blood, sweat and tears throughout the most important and formative period of their life.  

And they still won't get it. 

?   =    :-(  

Wise and experienced teachers scratch their heads.  Staff room discussions are many. New ideas are pounced upon, quickly and expertly acted upon but soon after everyone is scratching heads again. 

Just like me.

Truly objectively looking at the problem while wearing my mathematicians hat, examining all the data carefully and using my own higher order thinking skills this answer was formulating itself:

Higher order thinking cannot be taught.  It is an innate skill.  You have it or you don't.

Gradually, though this paradox unwound and I realised:

Higher order thinking cannot be taught.  It must be discovered.  By everyone, for themselves. 

For two years now in my classroom Maths has been a voyage of discovery.  A busy, noisy, action packed time of the day in which old fashioned counters, technology and text books are used in equal measure and  to which everyone looks forward.

And I'd like to share it, so that it can be further tried and tested.

And changed.

Next Week's Post: 

Jane seeks a lifebuoy!

Jane Grapples with Self Reliance and Discovery

'I want to do really hard work,' shouted Jane,  'in a book'.