Reviews for "The Mathlin Kids"
From Erwin Quizon
Like your introduction when you requested my review on August 30, 2007, I feel that this particular material highlights the most important tools needed when teaching a student's math basics. I am extremely impressed with the level of interaction that the book encourages. It allows both the instructor and the student to engage in an interaction that will otherwise be limited from other books I have come across with in the past.
The storybook format of the material is particularly interesting. Many authors to this day underestimate the benefits of reading comprehension when it comes to math application. I strongly believe that a child's reading comprehension is one of the biggest factors that enhance his/her math word problem skills. Over the years, I have witnessed achievement test results that indicate the direct relationship between these two major areas of academics yet it seems to be overlooked by numerous companies in the educational industry. The "The Mathlin Kids" addresses this which makes it more interesting for the younger students. I think there is just enough reading in these materials to help students enhance their reading skills while working on math.
Overall, I am very impressed with the ability of the author to combine several techniques that will surely help not only the student but more importantly the instructor using it. The use of primary colors for example is a smart move to get children's attention and focus. These colors combined with shapes and letters in a story format will absolutely stimulate the child's thinking. Thus, making his/her processing quicker when executing problems in math.
The book is great and I hope for its success in the near future. Good luck!
-- Erwin Quizon, Director at The Tutoring Center, Camarillo, CA
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From Ruth Sandoval
As a second grade teacher and a master’s student in Education, I have found that the usage of literature in mathematics increases students’ mathematical skills and comprehension. Therefore, I am constantly trying to find books that will help enhance particular math skills that my students are learning. Moreover, I was very happy to read and review these two book titles. After analyzing both books, it became clear that the goal of these books is to teach specific mathematical concepts through interactive stories. I enjoyed reading both stories and was amused by the way that the stories involve the instructor and the students. I thought it was great to see that both stories used academic vocabulary to help students comprehend addition, subtraction, shapes, multiplication and division. In addition, the stories incorporate problems that will help students practice their reading and problem solving skills.
Furthermore, I decided to read both stories to my second grade students and then asked for their opinions on “The Mathlin Kids” stories. The students were actively engaged and interested in the problems that were posed. These were some of the comments made by my students:
“I liked the books because they show you math and they have nice pictures.”-Amanda
“Both stories were great and I loved all of the details.”-Jasmin
“The first story was fun and it showed us how to add and subtract.”-Alfredo
In addition, many students asked me if I would be able to get hard copies of the stories so that they could solve all of the problems in each story. Lastly, they asked me to invite the author to our classroom because they thought her stories were interesting and appealing.
Overall, these stories are a good tool for educators and parents to use to help students grasp some of the basic mathematical concepts that are vital for mathematical success. Good luck!
-- Ruth Sandoval, Elementary School Teacher
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