Help and other information
Six steps to Learning
1. Observe:
The student must see the material and observe the information with a desire to know more. To observe is more
than just looking. It is taking the time to question what is seen and how it relates to needs. If you cannot get the attention
of the student, you will not be able to teach that student. Owen’s DOTMATH system can get the attention of the student
because the information is easy to understand, even if the student cannot read. The student will want to know more because
my system is fun and it is easy to use.
2 Copy:
Children copy each other, family members and teachers. This is a natural thing that
helps them learn. If a student is allowed to copy math samples the student will learn faster and will remember the lesson
longer. This is learning by example. The teacher does the sample first and then lets the child copy over it. Then erase it
then do it again.
3 Practice:
Most tasks are complex. The first attempt to copy a task will most likely fail. There
needs to be consistent, accurate, and repeated attempts to copy a task successfully. This process makes it possible to learn
new tasks. The most effective way to practice is to make it fun. One way to make math fun is to teach the student how to get
correct answers and give praise and rewards when the answer is correct. Owen’s DOTMATH System makes it possible for
a student to get correct answers and it is fun.
4 Memorize:
To memorize something means to be able to recall things. A child likes to do things
that are fun so he will repeat those fun things often. When a task is repeated often enough, it becomes part of that person.
When a person can say "I am a mathematician" then it is not something he does - it is something he is. It is a part of them
like an arm or leg is. My system helps the student memorize math because it is easy to use and gives the correct answers and
has a lot of repetition. The student will see that Owen’s DOTMATH is not difficult to do.
5 Apply:
If math does not apply to the student then the math will be rejected as something that is not important.
Math must apply to the students needs or in helping fulfill basic needs or wants or it has no value. If the student applies
a solution to a problem and gets a need fulfilled, then that student will accept the solution as a truth. Owen’s DOTMATH
gives solutions that work. You must find ways to reward the students every time they get correct answers.
6 Test:
Some students do well, at first, but do not understand how math works. These students
memorize facts but get stuck if they forget the rules. They are not able to figure out the solution because they cannot prove
the answers are correct. There are some students that need proof of how the math works. If proof is not given, this type of
student can get stuck. They will not accept or remember the information because they cannot apply it to their needs. If the
teacher shows the students how to prove answers to be true, these students will not get stuck. Owen’s DOTMATH System
helps the students prove their math answers are correct. I give a pretest and a post test to show that this system does help
the children understand the math.
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1. Getting Started
I always give a pretest before I teach any of the DotMath system. I let the students
take all the time they need or want to do the pretest. I encourage them to do as many questions as they can and to do their
best but not to worry if they do not get all the answers. I tell them it is just a practice test to analyze their current
conceptual capacity for calculation and it will not be used against them. This seems to help them relax because none of them
what anything used against them. When students get low marks, they may think they are stupid. This test will show what they
know and what needs to be worked on. Record and file this test to compare with the post test.
2. Color the book
Show the children how to color the Black and white
version of the book with a yellow high lighter. If you use crayons of any kind, it will darken down the page. A yellow high
liner is very bright and will help make the important parts stands out against the black and gray background.
Show them how to color the white space on the cover. That would be the dice and the key pad. They can even
color the title block.
For the first four charts have them color the dice and the headers that look like labels.
On the addition and subtraction charts have them color the instructions and the header of each box.
Do not have them color the answer box because you will want them to write in the box later on.
The fraction page has a series of black and white bars. All the white bars should be orange and the
instructions in the headers should be yellow. Have them leave the work space white as they will need to write in it later.
The DOTMATH calculator should have all the number keys and labels yellow and the function keys orange.
The addition and subtraction scale page should have all the white dots yellow. They should leave the white
space between the bars for contrast.
3. Dice
Have the children practice counting the dots on dice. At first they will count
each and every dot. Keep playing with the dice until they can recognize the dot pattern as a number. They should be able say
number four as soon as they see the four dots, number five as soon as they see the five dots etc. Have speed drills to see
how fast they can recognize the numbers on the dice. Show them how to count up on the dice when they add. Have them start
with the big number and count up the dots on the small number. The student is ready to start the book when they are confident
with the dice patterns.
There are many games on the market that include dice with them. You should get some of these games and play
them in your math class. This will get them started learning the dice patterns and it will hold their attention because it
will be fun. Games that have the students add would be the best.
What grade is it for?
The students can be any age if they want to learn and you are willing to take
the time to teach them. You must always make it fun and let the student set their own pace. You must always give a reward
to them when they give correct answers. Some teachers ask me what grade is this book for? This system is for preschool and
up. All children should start this system as soon as possible. Beginners will need more help and more time. Older students
will speed through it very fast because they already have some math skills but this system is for everyone that wants to improve
their understanding of math. My system helps the student get 100% because every answer has a proof. If you can prove the answer
is correct every time then you can get 100% every time. This does not happen without work. You must spend the time needed
to teach the DotMath system. They will need lots of repetition to memorize the dot patterns and the different charts. You
must not skip any pages or stages! Every time I skipped a step I confused a student. A student that is confident and gets
the correct answers must still review on a monthly basis.
School curriculums
There are many different schools. Each has their own ways of doing things. They all
have the text books they like and programs in place that may have been used for years. The "DotMath for kids" system is a
resource material. It will fit into all schools programs. It can be used in conjunction with all or any text books that you
may be using at this time. I have checked with the government curriculum board and was told that the teacher is the one to
decide if they would like to use this material. It does not need be on the curriculum board list because it is a resource
material. There is no "red tape" or complicated process that the teacher has to deal with because this material is so basic
that it is universally accepted.
The Calculator challenge
When you have finished teaching the students the DotMath system, challenge them to
a race. When they get to this stage, ask them if they think the calculator is faster or if they can add in their head faster.
They almost always say the calculator is faster. Give dice to one child and a calculator to another child. Have the child
with the dice roll the dice on the table and have the children race to see who can add faster, the one with the calculator
or the one with the dice. In a very short time the student with the calculator will start to cheat and add the
dice in his head because the calculator is too slow. The children are shocked and very surprised to find
out they can add faster in their head than with a calculator. I have seen a child with dice win against an adult with the
calculator. One reason is that it takes longer to key in the numbers than it does to add in your head. The other reason is
that when the child looks back and forth at the dice and the key pad he can get lost or forget the number he wants to type
in. I saw this with a child that would add on his fingers under the table and forget his answer when he went to write
it down. With the DotMath system you never take your eyes off the numbers. This is a very good game to help build confidence
because some students can beat the calculator. We all know how fast the calculator is, so we conclude that the student must
be as smart as a calculator. The children understand this and they will glow with pride in this achievement.
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The chicken and the egg
What came first the chicken or the egg? This has been a very long debated topic. I believe I have the
answer to this question. The egg came first and I will tell you why. Life is so complex and so well organized that it could
not have been an accident. There was a great deal of intelligent thought put into the design of both the egg and the chicken.
We are limited in our ability to comprehend the complexities of life but we are still able to make a plan and design the details
and then create an object according to the planned design. If we, with our simplistic minds, can figure out that the plan
comes first then an almighty intelligence smarter than us would also make a plan first.
We draw the plans for everything from houses, cars, and computers to the kitchen sink. The creative thought or idea of
the egg was first. The egg was the blueprint or plan and not as difficult to create as the chicken. A chicken is far more
complex and takes a lot more time and material. I think it would be too hard to make a chicken but I may try to make a container
to grow one in because it would not be as complex as the chicken.
I would start with a simple container like an egg shell as it would give the most compact space to put my algorithm into
because of its shape. I would make a step by step program (DNA) to give the device (egg) the instructions it needs
to make a chicken. This program would tell each part how to multiply and differentiate into special cells or building blocks.
I would then add what is needed to build the chicken from (raw materials). I would want this to copy itself like a computer
program can, so I can spend my time on other things and not building more units (eggs) for ever.
I would also make many different attempts. The first egg would be white and then a brown egg. Then let the chickens mix
it up so the DNA or instructions can adjust for environmental factors. This is not an easy task but it is less work and less
complicated than making a chicken. Any intelligent entity would do the plan that is easy rather than start with the finished
product and work your way back to make a plan.
I believe DotMath for kids is the explanation, definition and foundation of math, therefore it is a plan or blueprint
on which math is built. I believe this shows how important the "DotMath for kids" system is. It is the plan that teaches the
fundamentals of math. The dots are the definition of the symbols. They are easy to understand so they are easy to learn. With
the correct association the student can learn what the "Single Line Symbols" mean by matching them with the dot definition.
They must understand that they have two different symbols that mean the same thing. The concept of defining symbols and using
formulas is consistent in all levels of math. We must start defining the symbols at a kindergarten level.
You must have a plan with a good foundation or you cannot build anything lasting on it. The same is true in math. We must
teach truth to a child when we teach the basic definitions of the math symbols and in a way that a child can understand.
