The Myth of Ability: Nurturing Mathematical Talent in Every Child

Front Cover
House of Anansi, May 1, 2003 - Education - 224 pages
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A student in a remedial class who couldn't count by twos is now in an academic program a year ahead of her grade level. An entire Grade 3 class, including so-called slow learners, scores over 90% on a Grade 6-7 math test. These are just two of mathematician John Mighton's many success stories since he started JUMP (Junior Undiscovered Math Prodigies), a not-for-profit organization providing free math tutoring for elementary-level students from low income homes.

In The Myth of Ability John Mighton tells JUMP's fascinating story and explains its teaching method with lots of simple examples.

 

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LibraryThing Review

User Review  - RobinJacksonPearson - LibraryThing

The first third of this book covers the author's inspiring stories of overcoming math difficulties, both in his own life and in the lives of underprivileged children who benefited from the nonprofit ... Read full review

The myth of ability: nurturing mathematical talent in every child

User Review  - Not Available - Book Verdict

Mighton believes that anyone can learn mathematics if taught well. In 1998, while earning a Ph.D. in mathematics as a second career path, the award-winning playwright established an educational ... Read full review

Selected pages

Contents

Introduction
1
A Series of Fortunate Events
9
Myths about Math
17
Copying Counting and Comparing
24
The Failure of Failure
36
Breaking the Cycle of Ignorance
48
The JUMP Method
55
Logic and Systematic Search
175
Finite State Automata
194
Afterword
203
Copyright

Other editions - View all

The Myth of Ability: Nurturing Mathematical Talent in Every Child
John Mighton
Limited preview - 2004
The Myth of Ability: Nurturing Mathematical Talent in Every Child
John Mighton
Limited preview - 2003
The Myth of Ability: Nurturing Mathematical Talent in Every Child
John Mighton
Limited preview - 2009
View all »

Common terms and phrases

able adding fractions answer Ask your student automata chaos theory Chapter child circles classroom column concepts denominator divides division statement elementary Example exercise finite state automaton frac fractions unit give your student Grade 3 class graph groups improper fraction instance introduced John Coates John Mighton JUMP program JUMP students larger less lesson Licata Lisa math mathematician mathematics mixed fraction Multiplication and Division multiplication statement number greater number of boxes number of objects number of pieces objects in total odd number operations ordered pair pair of fractions penny percent perimeter picture position ratio relatively prime represent rows sample questions shaded simple smaller denominator square Step student knows sure your student taught teach your student teacher Tell your student tens digit tion total number trick units digit volunteers weakest students whole number word problems worksheet

About the author (2003)

John Mighton is a mathematician, a playwright, and the founder of JUMP Math. He is the author of the JUMP at Home workbooks and the national bestsellers The Myth of Ability and The End of Ignorance. He has won the Governor General's Literary Award and the Siminovitch Prize for his plays. John Mighton lives in Toronto.

Bibliographic information

QR code for The Myth of Ability
TitleThe Myth of Ability: Nurturing Mathematical Talent in Every Child
AuthorJohn Mighton
PublisherHouse of Anansi, 2003
ISBN0887848672, 9780887848674
Length224 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Education / Home Schooling
Education / Teaching Methods & Materials / Mathematics
Mathematics / General
  
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