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Mathematics and Life 15 Some more limitations of the Abacus system

 Some more limitations of the Abacus system


In personal capacity I have nothing for or against the Abacus as a business model - in fact it is none of my business. 


But as a longtime maths teacher, researcher in mathematics education, educationist, when I see the way the system works and its brutal impact on children tender minds it pains a lot to see how the gullible parents, kids, are misled to spend huge amounts of money, time on this system. Children have tremendous stress and strain to develop, hone, perfect, a skill I have never needed in past 61 years.


I ask the readers - have you come across any situation where you had to calculate, say 6759 x 3276 accurately in a fraction of a minute (if not seconds) ? Never. We either estimate roughly or use a calculator. Then why bother tender age kids to learn all these skills ? Make them feel guilty for something which you are forcing them to learn which has no utility in life ? Parents spend a lot of money, time, create hatred for maths in children's tender minds by constantly comparing them with other friends or siblings performing better on the Abacus ?


Moreover, besides in the marketing material, I did not find any credible research reference to support the claim of left and right brain faculty development through use of the Abacus system. I will be happy to read if someone may share some link in this context.


Other than being an excellent example of skilled marketing, good packaging, excellent positioning, exploiting parents’ fear of competition, I do not see any merit in the system as contributing anything significant in developing children's mathematical ability. More often than not, it is doing just the opposite.


Feel free to ask for articles on any topic in education, mathematics.


Currently we are available at drpnmoghe@gmail.com

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