Dorine Ansah-Walker
Founder/Chief Executive Officer of Camp Dori
Educational Tidbits
Learning Is A Life-Long Continuous Journey.
Reading Rocks
“The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives
you knowledge of the world and experience of a wide variety. It is a moral illumination.”
~ by Elizabeth Hardwick
I developed a love for reading as a young child. The characters in the various books became my friends and together we had many adventures. I visited faraway places and learned about many different cultures from the past and present. Reading instilled in me a strong desire to travel the world. As I traveled to the many places I’d read about, I recorded the sights with my camera so I could share my trip with others. Even though I am now able to travel the world, I continue to make new friends and visit new places by reading a book. The ability to read is not only important for being successful today; it also makes life more enjoyable. Let’s all make time to read daily.
Math Woes
“The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple.” ~ by S. Gudder
Do any of these phrases sound familiar?
“The math I am learning in school is never going to be used in real life.”
“I hate math.”
“Math is too hard.”
“I do not have any math homework (translation: I don’t understand it)”
As a parent and educator, I have heard these phrases and more whenever the topic of math is mentioned. A firm grasp of mathematical concepts, though necessary, can be scary at any age. Here are a few suggestions and published resources that can help you get started.
Below are three ways to make math hands on, practical, and fun and by eating math.
- Use snack time to teach your student about sharing (fractions)
- Have your student help you make a meal using a recipe (fractions)
- Take your student grocery shopping, (with a list and set dollar amount) and have them keep track of how much is being spent (adding and subtracting money and budgeting).
I cannot promise that your students will love math, but together we can help take some of the sting out of learning math.
Glimpse of Japan
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” ~ by Augustine of Hippo
Take a trip with me to the Land of The Rising Sun. This place was also host to the Olympic Games in 1964 (summer) and 1972, 1998 (winter).
Tokyo, the new capital, is a thriving metropolis filled with skyscrapers, five-star hotels, museums, one-stop-shopping, technological marvels, and trains that leave and arrive on schedule.
Kyoto, one of the ancient capitals, is filled with beautiful historic temples and shrines. You can stay in a traditional hotel, complete with tatami mats, peaceful rock gardens, and rice paper sliding doors. The pace here is much slower and relaxed.
Hiroshima, a place where time seemingly stands still. There you will see the empty shells of buildings and the only tree to remain standing, after the atom bomb’s impact.
Nagoya, the 4 th most populated city in Japan, is home of many of their car manufactures; it is their Detroit. There are also many famous castles and shrines.
Yokohama, home to the tallest in land lighthouse, the Tokyo Tower (shaped like the Eiffel
Tower) and the world’s “biggest Clock” (which happens to be a Ferris wheel).
Japan is a place where ancient culture and modern technology live side by side in perfect unity. The streets are clean (no litter) and crime is very low. No matter where you go, you are greeted by friendly people and amazing cuisine.
