Trying to do my bit during the pandemic, I’ve posted some free printable at-home arithmetic lessons for young children at ADVENTURESinARITHMETIC.com. I’m aiming to teach what it really means to add, subtract, multiply, and divide by extensively exploring the concepts that underlie those computational operations. In writing the lessons, I had an especially good time creating the illustrations, drawing herds of elephants and piles of bowling balls in order to make the material as inviting and unintimidating as possible. Learning at home is a special challenge. I’ve tried with just words and pictures to offer a learning experience comparable to what children might in normal times receive from the in-person guidance of a good classroom teacher. Let’s hope that normal times return soon.
Jonathan Cerf ‘64