Project Math Access DVD 02 - Intermediate Grade Levels- Part 05
Transcript Start

Audio Description: Part five; student interview.

STICKEN: Ali, you just did a really nice job showing us what you know how to do in math, figuring out money, and estimating and using your abacus, checking your answer on the calculator; you did a really fine job. You're obviously very good at math. But I was just wondering, do you like math? 

ALI: Yep 

STICKEN: Do you? 

ALI: Yeah 

STICKEN: For example, my daughter is very good at math, but doesn't particularly like it. And we're not sure why, except that we think she hasn‘t had the best teachers. And I'm just wondering whether you like math because it‘s easy for you, or is it interesting, or is it because you like using the abacus and calculator, or is it because you like your teachers? Why do you like math? 

ALI: Because it‘s easy 

STICKEN: It‘s easy, okay. It makes sense to you. 

ALI: Yeah 

STICKEN: Okay, what‘s your favorite thing to do in math? 

ALI: multiplication 

STICKEN: Alright, you're really good at that, too. Have you started division yet? 

ALI: No 

STICKEN: No, okay. You're looking forward to that, I bet? 

ALI: Yeah 

STICKEN: Yeah? Okay, do you remember first using the abacus?

ALI: No 

STICKEN: You don't? Okay. 

ALI: Just a little bit 

STICKEN: Were you at Salt Creek? 

ALI: I was in preschool 

STICKEN: Oh, you started abacus in preschool, that's excellent. Do you remember how old you were?

ALI: No

STICKEN: No?

TEACHER: I do because I was... I think Ali; I want to say you were 5 when I showed you what it was. I happened to be in the same class that she was at the time. But didn't really start using it a whole lot and understanding, until probably Salt Creek, Kindergarten, first grade. 

ALI: Yeah, probably not. 

TEACHER: Don't remember a whole lot from preschool. 

STICKEN: If you had to name the tool, and a tool would be your Braillewriter, your abacus, your talking calculator, or Unifix cubes or whatever else you've used in math, what would you say would be the most important tool to you, Ali, as an individual, if you had to take one and leave the rest behind? 

ALI: Probably an abacus

STICKEN: An abacus, really? Okay, but your favorite thing is using the calculator? 

ALI: No, the brailler. 

STICKEN: Oh, the brailler. That's what you said, that's right, okay.