Colburn's First Lessons of Arithmetic still sticks!

I enjoyed spending some time reading through the chapters of Colburn's First Lessons of Arithmetic which is actually, Colburn's First Lessons: Intellectual Arithmetic, Upon the Inductive Method of Instruction by Warren Colburn, A.M.  That's a mouthful!  After enlarging the print so I could actually read it, I read the first few chapters and enjoyed them.  Sure, there are no pictures, no cute cartoons, or side bars with extra activities...there's just straight up math.  Colburn tells it like it is and says that in a "proper" home, students will know how to count to ten before starting school.  I agree!  Parents should be prepping their children for kindergarten.  I'm always amazed that students come to kindergarten without knowing the spelling of their name or some of their letters, and the same is true for math.  Students should have a base before starting school so that teachers can take them so much further.

I love the questions in Part 1 of Arithmetic, "If you count the thumb with the fingers, how many will it make?" and "If you shut your thumb and one finger, and leave the rest open, how many will be open?"  I am going to use his questions as pair-share activities during math in my room.  I'll have my kindergartners work with their partners to solve them and then have them share out whole group.  I am a big believer in partner solving and sharing and in discussions as a whole group.

Colburn's book still sticks.  It's old and ink blotty and the language is funny sometimes, but the activities are still very useful and straightforward.