Enhanced Education for Brain Development

What is Mental Math and Why Should We Study

2007-02-13T13:30:00.000-05:00

What is Mental Math and Why Should We Study: "What is Mental Math? Lot of you out there are trying to find an answer to this question. Well, answer is quite simple, mental math is nothing but simple calculations done in your head, that is, mentally. So now you are wondering – well, what is such a big deal, I can easily calculate 10 + 5 and 95 + 100, my 10 year old child can easily calculate 80 + 20. These are some simple calculations. But often in our day to day life, neither we come across such easy calculations nor will your children in future. Rather we come across a bit tougher calculations. "

Mental Math Practice Worksheets

2007-01-31T15:12:00.000-05:00

Today, we all know the importance of learning and marveling at mathematics. And every time we visit our children's schools we see Chinese and Indian students marveling at SATs. And we all know why they succeed in Engineering and Medical fields. Answer is quite simple, they are good at Math. But why are they so good? How did they study Math that makes them so good at that one arduous subject?

When we go to teacher meetings we are told by the teachers, to marvel at Math one must practice, practice and practice. But what if the child loses interest in practicing math? We all have had our share of experiencing the monotonous boring task of memorizing times tables. And after so many years, the same is repeated by the teachers everywhere, except, Asia. What do these Asians (Chinese, Japanese, Indians, etc.) do to make their children so good with Mathematics? Answer is quite simple, practice, practice & practice. But what is it that those students actually practice?

Lately, Abacus math has taken some of these Asian nations by storm. Abacus is a Latin word that has its origins in the Greek words abax or abakon (meaning "table" or "tablet") which in turn, possibly originated from the Semitic word abq, meaning "sand". The abacus is an instrument, a manual tool invented by the Chinese 2000 years ago. Over the past five years, in nations like Malaysia, Taiwan and India, countless tutoring centers like Sylvan, Huntington and Kumon have sprung up but with one goal in mind, tutor abacus math. Most of these centers offer training using the Japanese "Soroban abacus", which has one upper row of beads and four lower rows. The Soroban abacus is particularly effective for teaching mathematical calculating skills to young children.

Using an abacus, a child can do all arithmetic calculations up to 10 digits and master the skill of doing it mentally, without relying on modern devices such as calculators.

There are procedures and training methodologies to master abacus use. When children use both hands to move the beads for small and large arithmetic calculations, the quick communication between hands and brain not only stimulates brain cells promoting speedier and faster calculation ability but also promotes quick, balanced and whole brain development.

Now that you know what are all the benefits of learning abacus math - let us continue talking about practicing math. Every textbook comes with few practice problems and we always feel that these few problems are not enough. We want more practice problems for our children and students. The next best alternative is to find math practice worksheets. There are many websites that offer you downloadable practice worksheets for a small fee. And there are some websites that offer you for free. Some offer you predefined sheets where as very few websites offer you build your own math practice worksheets.

Usage of math practice sheets early on can instill a great habit of enjoying math and at the same time help to solidify mental math skills. And using these sheets to perform abacus math mentally is absolute fun for a child.

Shilpa Rao is an experienced abacus mental math tutor and focuses on curriculum development. To learn more about abacus mental math or to build your own math practice worksheets you can visit www.Nurtureminds.com.

2007-01-02T15:47:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year

Vedic Math Digit Sums Check

2006-12-13T09:21:00.000-05:00

Rebecca Newburn video about Vedic Math Digit Sums Check

Vedic Math Digit Sums and Casting out Nines

2006-12-12T11:25:00.000-05:00

Another great video by Rebecca Newburn on vedic math.

Abacus Math Illustration Video

2006-12-11T14:35:00.000-05:00

This is a better video I found again on youTube.

Illustration Mathematics with the Abacus

2006-12-11T09:29:00.000-05:00

Are you wondering how does Abacus help you do the calculations in future? Look at this amazing video from youTube where the child has visual memory of Abacus and performs quick and large calculations.

Large calculations at lightning speed...

2006-12-07T17:45:00.000-05:00

Well almost at lightning speed. For proof look at the Abacus calculation video:

Vedic Math 9 Point Circle: Why is 9 ~ 0

2006-12-07T17:30:00.000-05:00

Continuing the vedic math video series by Rebecca Newburn. Why 9 and 0 have similar properties?

Vedic Math: 9 Point Circle Video

2006-12-06T22:04:00.000-05:00

Today I found an amazing video on Vedic Math 9 point circle from Rebecca Newburn. All credits go to her for the following video.

Mental Math Tips & Tricks with Vedic Math

2006-11-14T11:54:00.000-05:00

Today, many people have bad memories and negative opinion about Math. But whether you struggled to understand Math or you were just mentally lazy, there is one thing that did NOT cause the problem for sure...

...your basic intelligence level.

Jedediah Buxton (1707 - 1772) was an illiterate, "simple-minded" man who could multiply huge numbers by methods entirely of his own invention.He was no scholar. He simply saw the relationship among numbers that most people don't see.This special perspective on numbers and their relationships has only been available to those people fortunate to discover it for themselves.However there is a method that can give you this number sense - a method that was used centuries ago by the sages of India...

What is Vedic Math?

Vedic Mathematics is the name given to the ancient system of Mathematics which was rediscovered from the Vedas between 1911 and 1918 by Sri Bharati Krsna Tirthaji (1884-1960). According to his research all of mathematics is based on sixteen Sutras or word-formulae. For example, 'Vertically and crosswise' is one of these Sutras. These formulae describe the way the mind naturally works and are therefore a great help in directing the student to the appropriate method of solution.

How did I discover it?

On my trip to India in 2003, being a book bee I stumbled on a book from Sri Bharati Krsna Tirthaji titled 'Vedic Mathematics or Sixteen Simple Mathematical Formulae from the Vedas'. I was instantly amazed by this book and wondered why was the whole world not using this method?Today the Vedic system is getting more and more popular. Many education centers in India are using this centuries old technique to enhance the standards of modern day students.

Today many parents and students ask:Why weren't we taught this before?

What will Vedic Math do for you and how?

Once the basic numbers are understood, the whole subject of Math can be developed without any external help.

Numbers are totally reliable and dependable. Unlike human beings, the numbers always behave in the same way.

The benefits of Vedic math are many:

It will improve your memory.

It will give you more confidence.

You will gain the ability to do quick calculations: at store checkouts, at work, on the phone and if you are a student taking time constraint exams - this will be a boon.

Let me give you a quick example:

43 x 47 = ?

It is quite simple since both digits start from 4 you take 4 and multiply by 5 which gives you 20 and take 3 and multiply by 7 which gives you 21, so the final answer is 2021.

Today the Vedic system is becoming more and more successful because it is a natural complete system. It works the way our mind works.

For example, in order to subtract 37 from 64, you would probably set the numbers one below the other and use the subtraction method you have been taught (the current traditional method)But stop and study these numbers briefly. Notice that 37 is 3 below 40. So take 40 from 64 (and we get 24) and add 3 back to get 27.

This process is more in tune with our natural thinking processes than the traditional, formal steps we learn in school.

So without boring you further let me show you some quick examples which will blow your mind.

Introduction to Vedic Math

2006-11-02T15:38:00.000-05:00

Vedic Mathematics has no legal definition. Hindu philosophy is based on Veda-s (ancient scriptures written in Sanskrit). And mathematics translated from these texts is termed as Vedic Mathematics. These ancient scriptures were rediscovered by Sri Bharati Krsna Tirthaji (1884-1960) and he translated the complex text into simpler understandable mathematics.

The system is based on 16 Vedic sutras or aphorisms, which are actually word-formulae describing natural ways of solving a whole range of mathematical problems. Some examples of sutras are "By one more than the one before", "All from 9 & the last from 10", and "Vertically & Crosswise". These 16 one-line formulae originally written in Sanskrit, which can be easily memorized, enables one to solve long mathematical problems quickly. These formulae describe the way the mind naturally works and are therefore a great help in directing the student to the appropriate method of solution.

Perhaps the most striking feature of the Vedic system is its coherence. Instead of a hotchpotch of unrelated techniques (current traditional system taught in every day life) the whole system is beautifully interrelated and unified: the general multiplication method, for example, is easily reversed to allow one-line divisions and the simple squaring method can be reversed to give one-line square roots. And these are all easily understood. This unifying quality is very satisfying; it makes mathematics easy and enjoyable and encourages innovation.

In the Vedic system 'difficult' problems or huge sums can often be solved immediately and by knowing the sixteen sutras. These striking and beautiful methods are just a part of a complete system of mathematics which is far more systematic than the modern 'system'. Vedic Mathematics manifests the coherent and unified structure of mathematics and the methods are complementary, direct and easy.

The simplicity of Vedic Mathematics means that calculations can be carried out mentally (though the methods can also be written down). There are many advantages in using a flexible, mental system. Pupils can invent their own methods to provide a conclusion; they are not limited to the one 'correct' method. It is a mental tool for calculation that encourages the development and use of intuition and innovation, while giving the student a lot of flexibility, fun and satisfaction. Therefore, it's direct and easy to implement in schools — a reason behind its enormous popularity among educationists and academicians.

Interest in the Vedic system is growing in education where mathematics teachers are looking for something better and finding the Vedic system is the answer. Research is being carried out in many areas including the effects of learning Vedic Maths on children; developing new, powerful but easy applications of the Vedic Sutras in geometry, calculus, computing etc.

But the real beauty and effectiveness of Vedic Mathematics cannot be fully appreciated without actually practicing the system. One can then see that it is perhaps the most refined and efficient mathematical system possible.

Right Brain Education

2006-10-10T17:14:00.000-04:00

For those of you who are new to right brain learning, the importance of accessing both hemispheres of the brain is immense. In 1968, Dr. Roger Sperry published his ground-breaking discovery of two separately functioning hemispheres of the brain. The left brain learns in a conscious, logical, methodical way. The right brain learns in a subconscious, creative, intuitive way. This means that to support the whole-brain function, logic and intuition are equally important.

Two Hemispheres of the Brain

Left Brain - Conscious thought, logical analysis, outer awareness, uses language, methods and rules.

Right Brain - Subconscious thought, emotional reaction, inner awareness, uses intuition, creativity, music.

Ever wonder why science tells us that we only use 3% of our brain? We believe it is because this is the amount of information available to most of us consciously. The rest is locked up within the subconscious mind. Most of the time, we work out of our conscious left hemisphere of the brain. In this mode, we tackle the daily stresses of life, but without access to the incredible storehouse of memory, intuition and creativity found within the subconscious right hemisphere of the brain.
When the right brain is understood in education, children and adults alike are encouraged to access the creative, intuitive side of the brain for solutions to answers. The right brain is responsible for photographic memory, speed reading, speed listening, automatic mental processing, mass-memory, multiple language acquisition, computer-like math calculation, creativity in movement, music and art and intuitive insight.

What is the difference between children and adults accessing the right brain?

Young children access the right brain quite naturally. In fact, they use the right brain subconscious in advance of the logical, doubting left-brain. They act on creative, intuitive impulses. Adults, on the other hand, largely work out of the left-brain and need a lot of help in accessing this innocent, intuitive part of themselves. But, everyone has these genius-like capabilities. And they're hidden within the right hemisphere of the brain. The teaching focus is slightly different depending upon the age of the student.

Photographic Memory, Speed Reading/Listening, Imaging

Think of your brain as a camera. You are continually taking a mental photograph of everything you see--second by second, day after day. These picture images are always there--in the right brain--neatly filed and tucked away for later use. This auto-recording process is simultaneously happening through all the other senses--sound, smell, taste and touch. The right brain's mass-memory, automatic processing capability allows the brain to file, organize and store these images instantly.

One exciting way to utilize this function in learning is through the use of flashcards. Flashing images to yourself or your child quickly--at a rate of one image per second--allows you to input a large number of facts, stress-free, within a short period of time. Access to these mental images (memory!) comes quickly and effortlessly through deep relaxation techniques.
Memory can be enhanced through many exciting left and right brain linking techniques. You can also strengthen the photographic imaging (visualization) and subconscious memory intake through a unique right-brain "after-imaging" process.

Another way of stimulating your child's brain development process is by using the abacus for mental math education. When children use both hands to move abacus beads in arithmetic calculations, it stimulates cells in both the right and left sides of the brain. This results in quick, balanced whole brain development, leading to greater mental capacity. Using the abacus, a child can do all arithmetic calculations up to 10 digits without relying on an electronic calculator.

Tally Ho - Abacus Education for Mental Math

2006-10-09T13:49:00.000-04:00

Enter a classroom in any abacus center in India and you will see children busy with something that looks like a toy - tiny brown beads compiled neatly in columns. On the wall is propped a similar toy, though bigger with large, shiny yellow beads.

The teacher calls out a complex calculation, almost like an open challenge. A little boy, barely seven, comes forward and recites a seemingly funny rhyme. He also moves the yellow beads up and down and gets the answer down pat. No furious adding, counting or subtracting! Amazed?
Welcome to the world of abacus education, where rigid arithmetic takes a backseat and visuals and imagination gain center-stage. Here children learn to use the abacus, an ancient Chinese invention, to solve basic arithmetic sums with speed and accuracy. Institutes, which offer abacus education, claim that they use arithmetic as a tool to develop mind skills, memory and lateral thinking abilities.

Popular in Asian countries like Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand, abacus education is relatively new in India. But several entrepreneurs have been quick to tap the business potential of this non-formal education tool.

Scientific theories associate the left hemisphere of the brain with numerical and academic abilities, and the right hemisphere with creativity and intelligence. Proponents of abacus education claim that while formal education focuses merely on left-brain development, the abacus brings about "whole brain development".

"If the brain is not developed at an early age, one's mental abilities can start declining by 20 years of age. That's why we must tap them young," says Dhaval Shrimankar, CEO, NurtureMinds.com.

The brain gyms - as these institutes are called - are not stand-alone entities, but, instead, operate through a network of local franchises in urban and semi-urban areas. The reach and popularity of abacus education can be gauged from the burgeoning franchisee network.
Today, the same innovative education is available in the US and Canada. The system has taken the home-school communities by the storm. Private centers just like Score or Kumon are springing up from west coast to the east coast.

As an alternative to investment for a franchise, books are directly sold to the interested customers. Many of the patrons take up on roles of tutors as well as franchise owners.

How does Abacus work?

The abacus consists of 13 vertical rods, separated into two sections by a horizontal bar. Each rod contains one bead in the upper section and four beads in the lower section.

When given a sum, the child recites a rhyme corresponding to the kind of calculation involved. This also makes learning fun and easy. Simultaneously, the child moves the required beads up and down. The position of each bead signifies a specific numerical value. At the end of the rhyme, the position of the beads touching the horizontal bar, gives the answer.

As the course advances, the abacus is taken away and the child is encouraged to picture the abacus mentally to come up with the answer. After sufficient training, the child becomes adept at moving the beads mentally and no longer needs to recite the rhyme aloud to arrive at the answer.

Why Asian Kids are Smart in Math?

2006-10-03T12:53:00.000-04:00

We all, as parents, wish our kids are smart in Math. Pretty much like the Asian kids. Today's world has acknowledged the superiority and ingeniousity of the math skills of Asian kids. We as parents or teachers always indulge in the discussions of rote memorizing the times tables which results in dull boring way to tutor our children. Asians on the other hand have been using age old technique of Abacus education.

Abacus education fits right in this modern world. Abacus as a tool is used in many Asian schools, public and private, to teach children aged 3 through 8 the basic of mathematics. Abacus allows children to learn numbers and calculations with fun. When a child uses his/her finger to move the beads on the abacus, the collaboration between finger movements and brain creates a pictorial memory in the child's mind. When using the abacus the child makes use of both his hands and this movement spurs both parts of the brain the left and the right part together and initiates development of the cells. Abacus nurtures the minds of children making them quicker and more accurate. Abacus mental math is that wherein the child visualizes the image of the abacus in his mind and then calculates accordingly.

The abacus is the perfect way to make your child understand number systems. The abacus can adopt itself to any base system and allows you to quickly perform calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division – even with decimal places. If you want your child to realize his potential and utilize it too then you need to put them on correct path of learning to be able to facilitate this. Math can be pretty daunting but if your child is able to master it then his confidence will grow manifold.

Obviously you don't envisage a future for your child totally dependent on the electronic calculator even for the smallest calculation. The present education scenario is fast leading to that. That is why many schools in Asia and elsewhere too have adopted the abacus formally for teaching mathematics.

Using the abacus also:

Fosters a greater sense of numbers.
Helps develop an intuitive understanding of numbers through their concrete representation.
Fosters one's trust in the process of calculation by enabling one to observe it in action.
Manifests the concept of decimal places and the progression of units by tens physically.
Instantly accomplishes addition and subtraction when numbers are placed on the abacus.
Improves understanding of compounded numbers (through the use of supplementary numbers for 5 and 10).
Helps in developing the beneficial qualities of concentration, patience, and endurance.
Fosters one's confidence in calculation.
Uses a left to right calculation method, which makes quick estimation and rounding off possible.
Works on the decimal rather than fractional system, an easy progression to digital systems.
Develops mental calculation, which is the ultimate resource.
Develops the right brain tremendously.
Leads to greater mental capacity.
Expresses large numbers simply and easily.
Provides a sense of achievement as one's proficiency improves.

Performing activities based upon the abacus will not only improve the mathematical skills of your child but each successfully done task will boost the confidence of the child. The problem solving capability will be gradually built in him rather than being forced to cultivate it. You can ensure a bright future for your child as many other parents have done that already with these books and the abacus. And you can assure your child the confidence, endurance when it comes to performing math calculations.

Mastering Times Tables with Fun

2006-09-21T15:30:00.000-04:00

When has one ever enjoyed rote memorizing? If you forget just one point or a particular figure the entire thing falls apart. Interesting things never leave our mind and it is more so for children who like to learn the fun way. Pictorial memory is retained better and is definitely more interesting. The Abacus as a tool for mental calculation has been proved by studies to be an effective method of brain development. The benefits of using the abacus to calculate have a bearing not just on this particular area but also on other walks of life too.

Rote Memorization of tables is a very tedious process that the child is obviously apprehensive to it. Learning the tables with the Abacus is a fun way because the retention is better for the child with the pictorial memory. Otherwise if the child forgets just one figure in the time tables then he is sure to get confused about the whole sequence. The Chinese abaci were designed with a special suanpan technique to specially make the multiplication process easier to handle.

According to researchers visual memory is a very crucial aspect of learning. For learning tables with the abacus the children will use both their hands for moving the beads. The synchronizing movement of the hands initiates the cell development in the brain and also utilizing the right part of the brain which is very important to actually master something.

The human brain is divided into two parts the left brain and the right brain. What is used by children most of the times is only the left brain and the right brain which is the actual seat and origin of intelligence is left unutilized. This very important part of the brain integrates whatever information is received and is also responsible for thinking and creative human activities. The learning of time tables through the abacus is one of the many activities that prompts simultaneous activity of the both the parts of the brain.

The use of the abacus is not just a better method for learning time tables over rote memorizing but also the abacus being an attractive tool manages to capture the undivided attention of the child too. It eliminates the phobia attached to tables and makes the processing of numbers a relatively easy activity for them.

Numerical memory and improvement of the spatial arrangement of memory are most enhanced by the use of the Abacus. Apart from that the skill of solving general mathematical problems of the elementary school grade are seen to improve too. The facts stated here are backed by results of tests conducted among children, one group using the Abacus method and the other group without this method. The group using the Abacus method was more efficient naturally as they correlated the calculation with the Abacus image in their minds and were not confused.

So choosing the abacus method for your children will definitely give you the satisfaction of ensuring for them a better future. This will be by making their basics strong right from the beginning. Go ahead get the abacus advantage for your child and recommend it to other people as well so as to pave the way for a sound and confident future for the young generation. Hand your child the abacus today - allow them to play and learn with lots of fun.

HTML Basics for SEO

2006-09-08T15:38:00.000-04:00

This is for newbies who are not familiar with HTML

If you are building a site using one of the WYSIWYG editors, you will need some basic skills to get rid of redundant code. I recommend you learn a bit of basic HTML. Tutorial can be found at http://www.w3schools.com/html/

SEO optimized code. Here is a good chart for beginners to keep in mind: http://html-codes.1keydata.com/html-seo.html

While the style of your page's HTML code does not impact your rankings the way text does, it does play a critical role.

Make sure your HTML follows w3c standards. Search engines are built to parse standard HTML. If they see improperly formated code, they may not parse the page.
Work to increase the text content to HTML tags ratio. Search engines will only read a certain amount of your page. If your pages are filled with excessive HTML code, they will not see all the text content. The key for minimizing HTML code is hand coding pages using expertly optimized HTML and CSS. Avoid WYSISYG web design software such as FrontPage, NetObjects Fusion, Microsoft Word, etc.
Place important keyword content as close to the top of the page code as possible. Clever use of table structures or CSS positioning can achieve this goal.

As mentioned in point 2 or 3 - use CSS for positioning. Although CSS is a bit advanced - take on the task once your familiar with HTML. CSS tutorial is found at: http://www.w3schools.com/css/

Now a very simple question (probably ringing in your mind), why do we do all this?

Answer is quite simple, clean code allows proper crawling by the bots. If you have lot of unnecessary code, bots may leave the page considering bad code.

Dhaval Shrimankar is a software engineer by profession. He passionately devouts his time developing informative websites using latest Search Engine Optimization techniques. He also spends much of his time promoting mental math text books which helps enhance child's brain.

We must make education priority No 1

2006-09-05T13:30:00.000-04:00

An interesting article on the Hindu Business Line.

In the coming decade, India is going to face the massive challenge of finding educated and skilled people to man the various sectors of the growing economy. If we do not get our act together and work on this, we are in trouble, says Mr T. V. Mohandas Pai, Member of Board and Human Resorce chief, Infosys.

Excerpts from an interview:

The Indian economy is poised to take off; we are growing at 8 per cent and all sectors are bullish. But where will the manpower come from?

The biggest impediment to growth this decade will probably be human resource. The economy is in good shape, employment is being generated, but we don't have enough people with the required skills and educational background. We now have a GDP of $800 billion; if we grow at 7 per cent, it will double in 10 years, and become $3.2 trillion in 20 years, a four-fold increase. We have about six crore people in the organised sector, of whom about two crore will retire in the next decade.

By this arithmetic, we may require six-eight crore talented and educated people. This may be difficult with colleges producing only about 30 lakh graduates per year...

That includes engineers, graduates, etc?

Yes. And the education system in colleges is deteriorating rapidly. While the entire workforce need not be skilled and college-educated, those with degrees will have greater opportunities. And we have not done much to develop the skills . Try getting a driver, mason, plumber, electrician, welder... they are just not available in the numbers needed. And the burden of enhancing skills is falling on industry.

But, then, everybody today wants to sit in an air-conditioned office...

No. There are many people in the smaller towns and interior areas who are not well educated and want to be drivers. But how many driving schools do we have in the formal sector? Our auto manufacturers are not investing in them. Maruti is now doing something as also (Ashok) Leyland, but that is not enough. Look at the data. We produce about 1.2 million cars, about five lakh LCVs and other vehicles including good carriers, auto-rickshaws, and so on. I estimate about 1.6 million drivers will be needed for the transportation industry every year on an incremental basis. Where are they going to get them? Who will train them? Take the hotel industry; we have about 96,000 rooms in India. In the next five years, we'll probably add another one lakh rooms. The hotel and the airline industries are not able to find people.

So what needs to be done?

In the last decade, we have put in place hard infrastructure, organised our policy for ports, national highways, power, airlines, telecom, which are working. But in the soft areas, where the gestation period is long, we have not applied our mind, and have messed up very badly.

Why has the quality of our education deteriorated?

Because the teachers are not up to the standard; 25 years ago, when we were growing up, the aspiration for one to become a teacher was much higher.

Because we had teachers who inspired us!

Yes, my mother became a teacher in the first decade of Independence. In the second decade, everybody wanted to become engineers, in the next decade, the craze was for doctors, followed by software engineers, finance professionals, etc. For three-four decades, we have not had the best and the brightest going into teaching because society has downgraded the importance of the teacher; the respect for the teacher has come down.

The government has stifled private and community initiatives in education and has taken control. And when governments do that, there is nepotism and corruption in appointments. You appoint thousands of teachers and then politicians make money in transferring them! Also, teachers have become politicised. And their salaries compared to other professions have not gone up. Yet, teachers are willing to teach for less pay, provided they have the academic freedom.

Which they don't have...

No, in the college, teachers cannot change the syllabi, their promotions are based on the whims and fancies of the management and there is no openness. As a society, we have to wake up and make education the No. 1 priority.

Sure, but what is the contribution of the private sector?

We have to throw away the dogmas of the past. First and foremost, we must open up the education market to the private sector if it wants to invest and set up premier educational institutions.

Our students are already paying phenomenal fees abroad.

Yes, fees have to be paid. We have to accept the social reality of the large segment which cannot pay the fees; but, nevertheless, they must be given access to education through national scholarship programmes. Today, we have a large private sector presence in education in South India, though the quality leaves much to be desired. So the same upsurge against reservations is not seen in the Southas in the North. But a large number of the institutions in the South are run by politicians or people affiliated to them. Because of this nexus, the education sector is not open to those who really want to set up good institutions. Herein lies the challenge. If you create a transparent policy, removing government control and, say, you can set up colleges, get accreditation and charge fees in a transparent manner, you will see an upsurge of good institutions coming from the private sector.

But do you see it actually happening?

The time is right; we are at an inflection point when it can happen. I suggest strongly that the Prime Minister invite eminent people to come together and start five-six universities... institutions dedicated to excellence, with the assurance that they would be given operating and functional freedom. Next, we must give full functional freedom to existing universities. Now, how do we treat our vice-chancellors?

Shabbily.

At the time of Independence, the vice-chancellor was an important person, but no longer. We don't treat him with respect though he heads a university. We have enough reports on all this by eminent educationists; we must act now. We need younger people with vision at the Centre to change the educational system.

That is an interesting comment!

Look at the tragedy of the situation; 650 million people below the age of 30, 450 million people below 20; India has a young population. But does our political leadership reflect the aspirations of the young?

No. Most of them are pretty senior...

They are far removed from the aspirations of the young. The political leadership has memories of Partition, the past. But the younger generation has no such memories nor does it relate to such events. How can they relate to what happed 55 years ago; nobody cares. If we have people who are very old, out of date, out of touch, then what policies are we building for this country? We need an education policy.

What do you feel about reservations?

My personal view is that every Indian should have access to quality education. As long as you create capacity in institutes of excellence, where admission is purely merit-based, it is all right. Unfortunately, there are debates against merit and excellence.

You had a problem in accommodating your visitors as there were not enough hotel rooms in Bangalore. So you set up your own hotel. So why not your own college or university to meet your HR demands?

People tell us this, but it is not a scaleable model. If you're hiring 25,000 people, as we're doing today, no college or university can turn out 25,000 people. And to set it up will take 10-15 years. Also, all the graduates should not join you or else it becomes an incestuous relationship.

That's an interesting description!

Young people should have a choice. It is in their hands to join Infosys or others. We should become attractive enough for them to join us.

So that's not on the cards?

No, it's not a scalable model. But if the government says why don't you set up something and create a model institution; that is something we'd have to think of.

Ancient Asian Calculating Tool May Hold Key to Boosting Children's Mental Math Skills

2006-08-24T23:14:00.000-04:00

A growing number of American educators and concerned parents are looking for ways to help children develop the math skills necessary to succeed in the careers of the future.

In Asia, many schools have rediscovered the secrets of the abacus, an ancient calculating device that offers remarkable benefits for nurturing young minds and encouraging proficiency in mathematics and mental calculation. With abacus instruction, children can achieve much more than just excellent math skills. Abacus use can build confidence, provide a sense of achievement, promote intuitive thinking, enhance problem-solving capability, stimulate creativity, and improve concentration and mental endurance.

Educators in Asia say abacus skills are a key reason children in these countries consistently win top rankings in international math comparisons. Many schools in Asia, where abacus instruction is widely popular for teaching mental math/arithmetic, introduce the abacus between kindergarten and 4th grade.

U.S. Student Math Performance Lags Behind Asia

In 2003, U.S. performance in mathematics literacy and problem solving was lower than average among OECD (Organization for Education and Cooperative Development) countries. Korea and Japan ranked at or near the top in problem solving and combined math literacy.

In the United States, abacus instruction is catching in some schools as well as among parents who home-school their children.

They realize that math proficiency gives students. a competitive edge and prepares them for tomorrow’s highly selective job marketplace. Most new jobs in the U.S. require good math and science skills, and abacus instruction is geared to helping children master mental math/arithmetic at an early age.

Abacus training also keeps children from becoming overly dependent on electronic calculating tools for simple arithmetic – a problem that worries teachers.

The abacus is an excellent substitute for rote memorization of multiplication tables. Abacus calculation relies on the manipulation of beads rather than use of traditional arithmetic. It teaches children to visualize numbers and their relationships and placement values.

Abacus Stimulates Whole Brain Development

When children use both hands to move the abacus beads to perform arithmetic calculations, there is quick communication between the hands and the brain that stimulates both the right and left hemispheres of the brain. This promotes rapid, balanced whole brain development.

If a child starts learning the abacus before being taught traditional arithmetic, there is minimal conflict and the child will easily work within both systems. If a child starts the program later, having already received traditional foundations, there may be a slightly extended learning period for the child to accept and integrate the abacus method.

A popular abacus program is available through Fairfax, Virginia-based NurtureMinds.com, which offers books containing simple step-by-step instructions that make learning the abacus fun for children. This set of books, Learning Mathematics with the Abacus, was developed specifically for teaching youngsters in grades 2, 3 and 4 how to master mental math/arithmetic with the abacus. The site also offers the Japanese Soroban abacus, which consists of a wooden frame divided into 2 parts separated by a beam, with one row of beads on the upper deck, and four rows on the lower deck.

Japanese Educators Hail Abacus Training

In Japan, educators maintain that the abacus helps children develop powers of mental calculation. It enables children to:

understand the base-ten number system and place values,
understand concepts of carrying and borrowing in arithmetic, and
visualize close relations between numbers and numerals.

Learning Mathematics with the Abacus is available in the United States exclusively through NurtureMinds.com. Beginners use the Learning Mathematics with the Abacus Year 1 textbook and activity book to start adding and subtracting numbers up to 100. They start by identifying the different parts of the abacus, holding and using it correctly, mastering the correct fingering technique in moving the beads, and learning to visualize as they calculate.

Learning Mathematics with the Abacus Year 2 focuses on addition and subtraction of numbers up to 1,000, and develops multiplication and division skills.

Activities in these books have been carefully designed and structured by a panel of academicians, curriculum specialists and instructional designers to ensure that pupils not only learn mathematics effectively, but also develop the ability to perform mental calculations.

These books are used by tens of thousands of students in Malaysia and many other nations, where they are regarded as the best abacus learning books for children on the market. Parents and educators can visit the NurtureMinds.com website to find out more about why these books are becoming increasingly popular in many countries like Malaysia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, India, Singapore and elsewhere. They have become valuable abacus teaching tools in schools, tuition centers and community centers, and are used by home-schooling parents around the world. The website offers free downloads from the books.

Brain Development at early childhood

2006-08-16T11:50:00.000-04:00

Children have an amazing ability to learn, but their vast brain potential is not always nurtured to the fullest extent.

With the proper guidance and tools, children as young as 4 or 5 are capable of mastering mathematical skills and calculating ability that will yield benefits that last a lifetime.

“Learning Mathematics with the Abacus” is a set of books offering simple, enjoyable instructions for using the abacus, an ancient calculating device that provides modern children with valuable mental stimulation and proficiency in mathematics.

Scientific analyses indicate abacus training can improve a child’s ability to:

concentrate
visualize
memorize
observe, and
process information.

But how can it accomplish all that, and so much more?

Our brain has two hemispheres, the left brain and the right brain. About 95% of our children use only the left brain, which provides the ability to analyze information concerning languages and sound. But the right side of the brain, which is focused on thinking, creativity and integration of information, needs to be used and stimulated as well.

Learning to use the abacus can help develop this right brain/left brain integration.

When children use both hands to move abacus beads in arithmetic calculations, it stimulates cells in both the right and left sides of the brain. This results in quick, balanced whole brain development, leading to greater mental capacity. Using the abacus, a child can do all arithmetic calculations up to 10 digits without relying on an electronic calculator.

Nurtureminds publishes “Learning Mathematics with the Abacus” as well as abacus and mental arithmetic reference materials. We offer three books with simple step-by-step instructions that make learning the abacus enjoyable. Beginners use the Learning Mathematics with the Abacus Year 1 textbook and activity book to start adding and subtracting numbers up to 100. They begin by identifying the different parts of the abacus, holding and using it correctly, mastering the right fingering technique in moving the beads, and learning to visualize as they calculate.

The Learning Mathematics with the Abacus Year 2 textbook focuses on addition and subtraction of numbers up to 1,000, and develops addition and multiplication skills.

Our books have been used by tens of thousands of students in Malaysia and many other nations. They are regarded as the best abacus learning books for children on the market. Activities in these books have been carefully designed and structured by our panel of academicians, curriculum specialists and instructional designers to ensure that pupils not only learn mathematics effectively, but also develop the ability to perform mental calculations.

With these books, you can help your child achieve more than just math skills. You can boost your child’s confidence, provide a sense of achievement, promote intuitive thinking, enhance problem-solving capability, enhance creativity, and improve concentration and mental endurance.

Find out more on why our books are becoming increasingly popular in places like many Malaysia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, India, Singapore and elsewhere. They have become valuable teaching tools in schools, tuition centers and community centers, and are used by homeschooling parents around the world.

India bans child domestic labour - BBC News Articl

2006-08-01T11:43:00.000-04:00

The Indian government has announced a ban on children working as domestic servants or in roadside food stalls.

The order, which applies to children under 14, will come into effect in October, officials say.

It also bans children from teashops, restaurants, hotels, motels, resorts, spas or other recreational centres.

There are estimated to be more than 12.6 million child workers in India, many of whom work as domestic helps or in small roadside restaurants.

A senior official in the Labour Ministry, SK Srivastava, told the BBC that "the Technical Advisory Committee on Child Labour regularly surveys the risk factors involved in any industry and depending on our findings we have taken this decision".

The committee, while recommending the ban, warned that children under 14 were vulnerable to physical, mental and even sexual abuse.

Mr Srivastava said that anyone found violating the ban would be penalised under the Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act of 1986. Punishment range from a fine to imprisonment.

India has laws in place to protect children and bans the use of young workers in hazardous industries, but they remain ineffective in many areas.

Thousands of children continue to work in firecracker and matchstick factories or are involved in carpet weaving, embroidery or stitching footballs.

Many parents say crippling poverty forces them to send their children, sometimes as young as five or six, to work in other people's homes or in factories.

Most of these children are made to work in unhealthy conditions for long hours and paid poorly.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Even after considering all the attrocities a child might face while working in harsh conditions, robbed of their childhood etc, a lot of these children are bread earners for their families, what are these children suppose to do if the ban is implemented vigorously? Are there enough teachers%