The development of a child begins literally from the first days of his life. As he grows up, he needs the professional influence of teachers, who will be able to correctly assess the potential of the baby and direct him into a creative channel. Mental arithmetic is one of the youngest and most promising methods of children's education. She is able to develop the child’s mental abilities so that any arithmetic tasks will become for him a simple and quick calculation in the mind. What is mental arithmetic: another business idea or a useful training program?
History
An innovative technique was invented by the Turk Shen. It is based on an ancient abacus - abacus invented in China five millennia ago. Later by the Japanese, they were repeatedly improved, and today we use the technical refinement of the abacus - a calculator. However, the device of ancient accounts, according to experts, was more useful for children. Their use in the educational process also contributed to the formation of a new program, which was called "mental arithmetic," or "menar." It was first launched in 1993 in Asia. Currently, there are about five thousand educational centers in 50 countries that teach oral counting. The most active in this regard are schools in the USA, Austria, Canada, Australia, Thailand, China and the Middle East. Specialized centers are opening in Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. So, mental arithmetic in Astana and Moscow has already achieved high results and assessments of parents.
Why does a child need this?
It is known that in humans, the right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for creativity, perception and creation of images, and the left - for logic. Working with the left hand, we “turn on” the right hemisphere, with the right hand - the left. The synchronous operation of both hemispheres gives great potential for the development of the child. And the task of mental arithmetic is to engage the whole brain in the educational process. This is due to the execution of operations on accounts with both hands. Mental arithmetic not only helps to master the skills of quick calculation, but also contributes to the development of analytical abilities. If modern calculators relax mental processes, then the abacus, on the contrary, trains and improves them.
How does menar work?
The training program for mental arithmetic conditionally consists of two stages. At the first, children learn the technique of counting on the bones, using two hands at once for these operations. The inclusion of both cerebral hemispheres in the process of counting ensures fast execution and memorization of actions. Thanks to the abacus, children can freely add, subtract, divide and multiply, as well as calculate the square and cubic roots.
In the second stage of the program, students go on to count in the mind, or on a mental level. Each lesson here involves a gradual weakening of attachment to accounts and the stimulation of children's imagination. The left hemisphere perceives numbers, the right one - a picture of the bones of accounts. So, the child learns to make the proposed calculations in the mind. He presents himself with scores and mentally performs the necessary operations. That is, there is work with an imaginary abacus. Now the numbers are perceived as pictures, and the calculation process is associated with the corresponding movement of the seeds of the bills.
Age
In the period from 4 to 12 (sometimes up to 16) years, the most active development of the brain occurs in humans. Therefore, the acquisition of basic skills should be carried out precisely in this period. That is why experts recommend that children of foreign languages ​​learn at the indicated age, learn to play musical instruments and other activities. Mental arithmetic fits harmoniously into this list. Stimulating the work of the brain of this kind contributes to an easier and more productive further learning.
Goals and Results
The main goals of menard are concentration of attention, development of photographic memory and creative thinking, logic and imagination, hearing and observation. With a professional approach and successful achievement of goals, a child can perform complex arithmetic tasks in his mind. For example, to add 10-digit numbers in a few seconds, as well as solve more complex computational problems faster than a calculator.
The program not only covers the mathematical field, but also helps the child in other educational fields. It gives him confidence, makes it possible to cope with several things at once.
Schools
Today, around the world, thousands of private educational centers for children include mental arithmetic in the system. Education (classes at all levels) usually lasts from two to three years. In addition to the stages of the methodology for developing menar, 10 levels are distinguished, each of them the student goes through 2-3 months. Of course, in different schools the program is built individually. But still there are general rules. Groups are formed according to the age of the students. So, for example, there are three main types: kinder, kids and junior. Classes are taught by experienced and qualified teachers-psychologists who have undergone appropriate training and certification.
Teacher training
In addition to centers teaching menar children, there are schools for the training of specialists in this field. As a rule, a teacher of mental arithmetic is a person who already has behind him the education of a teacher, psychologist and experience in this field. Because in the process of teaching this subject, not only mathematical knowledge and skills of using the abacus are very important, but also the methods of teaching menard, awareness of the psychological level of development of the child.
In addition, teacher training centers regularly conduct seminars and trainings that help maintain a high level of mastery and track the statistics of teachers and their students on the subject of “mental arithmetic”. Education for teachers involves certification in the form of exams and obtaining certificates and diplomas. Such documents help parents to assess the level of qualification of the teacher and make the right choice.
Manuals and textbooks
Many training centers have proprietary techniques. In general, they are slightly different from each other. Children aged 4-10 years are very mobile, and the subject requires perseverance and attention. Therefore, the system of approaches to teaching kids the menara is based on the psychological, age-related characteristics of the student's perception of information. Without this, the teacher’s practice will turn into a dry memorization of the rules and will not bring positive results.
There are two categories of teaching materials: manuals for teachers and textbooks for schoolchildren on the subject "Mental arithmetic." The manuals include teaching aids, video tutorials, and explanatory brochures for textbooks. They are constantly updated, supplemented by supporting materials.
The textbook on mental arithmetic is classically presented in two versions: theoretical and practical. Thanks to the first, the student learns the rules and techniques of computational actions on ancient accounts, bone operations. The workshops give an exercise to hone and consolidate theoretical knowledge. Textbooks have a clear division by program level and student age.
Reviews
Mental arithmetic for children is a relatively new curriculum for counting. But during its existence, it has shown absolute results. The practice and feedback of parents prove that mental arithmetic is very useful and effective. It can be successfully included in the compulsory education program or be, as now, an additional, developing elective for children.
Just two to four hours a week, after just a few months of classes, give amazing results. Parents note the improvement of memory in children, the development of creative thinking, attentiveness and concentration. They feel more confident in general classes, more willing and faster to prepare homework. Significantly increases the level of their performance.
Thus, mental arithmetic has become not just a specific subject for the development of computational skills, but also one of the steps to the formation of a comprehensively developed personality. The maximum potential of the brain that “turns on” during class allows you to raise a healthy and successful child, a small genius who, having received such a reliable foothold, will be able to turn the world in the future.