Dienes Block or Base 10 block or multi-base arithmetic blocks.

Zoltan Pal Dienes is the guy who invented these blocks. He was a Hungarian mathematician who believed that if we teach a subject like maths through games, play, and dance; chances that children will retain the information are greater than that of learning by traditional way using textbooks and lectures. He also created a six-stage theory to learn mathematics.

He was a tireless practitioner of ‘new mathematics’ and psycho mathematics (psychology of mathematics learning) 

That’s why he came up with the idea of base 10 blocks, also known as Dienes blocks which help children understand numerical concepts like place value, number operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, decimals, the square of a number. Or algebraic concepts like how to multiply two linear terms and how to find factors for algebraic expressions.

He also invented logic blocks which help children in understanding sets, differences, logical sequence, and classification. 

Dienes block are an incredibly powerful manipulative. Can be used to enhance the understanding of fundamental maths topics such as place value and the four operations.

Base ten blocks are popular in elementary school mathematics instruction, especially with topics that students struggle with such as multiplication. They are frequently used in the classroom by teachers to model concepts, as well as by students to reinforce their own understanding of said concepts. Physically manipulating objects is an important technique used in learning basic mathematic principles, particularly at the early stages of cognitive development. Studies have shown that their use, like that of most mathematical manipulatives, decreases as students move into higher grades.

Dienes block addition with carry

Students can use Dienes by manipulating them in several ways to show number and patterns. They are usually made of plastic or wood and come in four sizes which will indicate their place value.

  • Units – one’s place
  • Longs – ten’s place
  • Flats – hundred’s place
  • Blocks – thousand’s place

Multiplication of Dienes block

Dienes are important in school as they help students physically manipulate objects to learn basic principles. Being able to physically manipulate objects aids students’ early cognitive development.

 

Circles, What Is PI? Learn using rope!

Children use a rope to draw a circle, measure the circumference of the circle, and find the value of Pi.

Circles are all similar, and “the circumference divided by the diameter” produces the same value regardless of their radius. This value is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter and is called π (Pi). This constant appears in the calculation of the area of a circle and is a type of irrational number known as a transcendental number that can be expressed neither by a fraction nor by any radical sign such as a square root, nor their combination. The number has an infinite number of decimal places, namely, 3.1415926535…, and it has now been computed to 5 trillion decimal places by computers.

The meaning of circumference is the distance around a circle or any curved geometrical shape. It is the one-dimensional linear measurement of the boundary across any two-dimensional circular surface. It follows the same principle behind finding the perimeter of any polygon, which is why calculating the circumference of a circle is also known as the perimeter of a circle.

The circumference of the circle is equal to the length of its boundary. This means that the perimeter of a circle is equal to its circumference. The length of the rope that wraps around the circle’s boundary perfectly will be equal to its circumference. The below-given figure helps you visualize the same. The circumference can be measured by using the given formula:

Circumference of a circle = 2πR =  π D

where ‘r’ is the radius of the circle and π is the mathematical constant whose value is approximated to 3.14 or 22/7. The circumference of a circle can be used to find the area of that circle.

For a circle with radius ‘r’ and circumference ‘C’:

  • π = Circumference/Diameter
  • π = C/2r = C/d
  • C = 2πr

 

~Prabaharan and Bakiya

 

Shifu Graduation 2022 Feb 2nd

One year Shifu program was completed successfully. We had a small graduation program for them. In the celebration, the Shfuans shared their experience for one year with everyone. We invited all the supporters to the Shifu program.  Once the Shifuan shared their experiences the mentors also shared their experience on mentoring them. They also shared about their skill competency and inner capacity that they acquired during one year program.

Attendees Reflections:

These are some reflections on who attended the celebration.

Attendees 1 “It was wonderful to witness and share the graduating individuals who have gone through the program, listen to what they valued, and what made them wholesome in their own ways and confident too — to be able to present to a group! Very touching and impressive!

Attendees 2 “Dear Shifuians, Sanjeev, mentors and support team,
I just wanted to say how inspired I was yesterday and I was sorry I had to leave before the program ended. I could see what a game-changer the Shifu program is. I was touched by the Shifuian reflections, how in touch your all are with the greatness that is inside you, and how you are stretching in self-mastery and skill. Shiva put it beautifully when he said you are now our mentors. Shine on and best wishes for your respective paths ahead.

Attendees 3 “Was happy to attend the ceremony yesterday. Great work.

Attendees 4 ” I am grateful for being invited to the graduation ceremony. It was a beautiful and genuine program.

Annual review

We usually write the Annual review at the end of each year. It will describe every action I took during that year for the growth of myself and the team. But this time we did the review together for about a week. Though one week is too long I was not able to finish it.
I completed this annual review last year in two hours but this time, I couldn’t complete it even in a week. Why? Were there more pages this time? No. Were there too many questions this time? No, but they were deep. Questions were different from last year? No, mostly the same questions. Then why this delay? Might be laziness or too busy ?? No! No !!
I had written many annual reviews in my previous workplaces. But all those reviews would be either satisfying my employer or in a way to boost up my salary but not for my and others’ growth. But this review made me still myself and asked me many questions like What I wanted to do? but what am I doing? Is this what I wanted to do? This made me think deeply and showed me myself as it is like a mirror. If someone else asked these questions I would have convinced them with many excuses. But how can I convince myself? That’s why it took a long time to complete the review. Yes! The mirror never shows a false image, but shows things as it is.
Thank you so much to Sanjeev for placing the review mirror in front of me and giving me enough time to observe myself. Thanks to the team for my learning.

Annual Review for 2021 Format

Looking back at the last year, where I am, what I/we accomplished, where can I/we do next.

Name:

Date of Joining C3SLD/STEM land:

There are 5 sections

  1. Integrity
  2. Learning/Growth
  3. Deliverables/Outputs/Outcomes
  4. Feedback for me
  5. Summary

 

Some of the questions just need a numbers/rating other require more details. Please fill carefully. Collaborate with others especially regarding learning section. Please look up Aura Auro website if it helps you recollect all that happened.

Integrity

Rate the statement above on a scale on 1 to 5 :

1 – rarely, 2 – occasionally, 3 – frequently, 4 – mostly, 5 – almost always

  1. Ground Rules:

1) Respect: I come when I am expected. I come on time at 7:00 a.m./8:00 a.m. I spend concentrated time when I am at work fully present and clarity times of unavailability with clarity on what needs to happen when I am not there.

2) Inclusion: I understand that I work with a multi-cultural environment and I speak only in English at work/lunch and other interactions with my peers and also use this opportunity to be a global citizen. I understand that for the children to be included in society they need to have good English and I am conscious about this and speak to them in English and then if necessary am bilingual.

3) Courage to Create alternatives: Tracking outputs/outcomes, recording narratives to create system/cultural shift and paradigm changes. I understand that no one will know what we do unless we take an effort to document it. I understand that people including those in the government have seen our website and benefited from it and presented it to the national committee at NEP. I maintain a blog a week either by myself or by collaborating with others.

4) Number of blogs last year: __/52

5) Please suggest an alternative third ground rule that would support narratives that change culture and system shifts if the number above is less than 2

  1. Integrity lens

Rate the statement above on a scale on 1 to 5 using the below:

1 – rarely, 2 – occasionally, 3 – frequently, 4 – mostly, 5 – almost always

1) I do what I say

2) I deliver on the plan and timelines I state

2 a) The requests I make are committed requests.

2 b) If I get requests that are not committed requests, I seek clarity and convert them to committed requests and understand the timelines for my projects

2 c) I sent my weekly updates are on time

2 d) My teachers notes are up-to-date

3) a) I use being on time as an opportunity to develop healthy living habits. I use the weekly updates as an opportunity to look at my accomplishments over the week.

3 b) I feel inspired by people I meet or interact with (e.g. volunteers, co-workers, people who visited us, people met at conferences, resource people, etc.)

3 c) Who did I meet that I was inspired by last year?

3 d) It has become a practice to look at alignment of my actions with my stand and with responsibility, equity and courage to create.

3 e) When I feel uncomfortable I question how I can grow from this experience

3 f) What is my purpose in life?

3 g) One incident that helped me feel close to this purpose in life

3 h) How do I see alignment in the purpose of my life with the purpose of C3SLD?

4) I speak up responsibly when I see something not done right. I bring up breakdowns at team meetings and help create breakthroughs.

4 a) How many breakdowns did I bring up and convert to breakthroughs

5) I am the change I wish to see. I am the shift I wish to see.

5 a) I take responsibility of my learning and make a plan of what I want to learn and put an effort to learn it

5 b) My suggestions on how research can become more integral to what we do and research topics for the upcoming year

6) I have the courage to create.

6 a) List of the initiatives I created or supported last year (e.g. SAC, effective online learning, teaching differently, Shifu program, taking up finances, accountability of sending out weekly updates, keeping the office organized)

6 b) What initiative can I/we create next year? Which of these would I like to lead or be a part of?

7) Summary: What did I learn about my integrity/wholeness being part of C3SLD/SL?

Learning/Growth

1) List the opportunities of learning I used last year (include conferences, workshops, in house workshops and trainings). Mark: Skills, Competency, Inner Capacity

2) List the opportunities I would have liked to use, but couldn’t due to competing commitments.

3) List learning opportunities I created for others or I supported for others learning.

4) Based on the above how many work days did I spend on self-growth and in growing others: (a full day workshop is 1 day, if it was a few hour workshop e.g. course on data structures – 1 and 1/2 hours 6 sessions = 9 hrs, count every 8 hrs as one day so this would be 1 day, 10 min mediation*6 days = 1 hr à 2 months = 1 day, 1 year=6 days, RTL stage 1 full workshop = 6 days).

5) Summary: What insights do I have about my learning and growth at C3SL/SL?

Deliverables/Outputs/Outcomes

1) What did I achieve (these are visible outside) last year? (e.g. projects delivered, classes taken, papers presented, workshops/talks given)

2 a) I noticed that I can be more effective or efficient.

2 b) What helps me be effective or efficient (e.g. have a conversation with others, ask someone to break down the task for me and put timelines, break down the task and put timelines, put aside uninterrupted time for a task, take a break and meditate for 10 minutes, take a walk, play sports, be with children)?

3) What did I accomplish last year? Things that are not externally visible, but I feel accomplished.

4) One incident with children/work that helped me feel accomplished.

5) What should we concentrate as an organization this year that supports me/us be more effective in what we deliver now?

  • 6) What shift did I see in children/youth/co-workers/community due to my/our work this year?

7) What am I thankful for last year?

8) Summary: What did I learn about my effectiveness, efficiency with delivering outputs

Feedback for me

  • What did you see me do that you would like me to do more or retain?
  • What did you see me do that you would like me to reduce?
  • What should I increase?
  • How should I spend my time with you?
  • Other suggestions on what I can do to make STEM land – AAD more effective.

Summary

Based on the above summaries. Please write a note about your last year for a report and ongoing research about ourselves that we can share with SAIIER.