News & AwardsThe Beat of a Different Drum

In the classroom I’m sitting in there are tables and chairs. There are pens and pencils. There are students and teachers. No one is sitting at the tables. The pens and pencils are put away. No paper is being used this afternoon. Instead the students are studying math. Without paper. They are drumming to a rhythm provided by Marcia Daft, today’s instructor. The students keep up with her repeating pattern. Drum. Clap. Drum. Clap. Drum. Clap. They recognize the sequence of six and discuss what makes up the pattern unit — a drum and a clap. Then they count the pattern units and come to the conclusion chat you can count this sequence in two ways. One by one, or by two’s. Suddenly the room is skip counting and the math lesson is underway…

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