When students see a live example of what it is that they are learning, or the application of what they are learning, they tend to develop an identification with the topic that make the topic easier to understand, and allows the student to gain interest in the subject, because they understand the principle behind the need. This is achieved many times through hands-on work. For teachers, however, finding items that can help students may be difficult, and this is when you need to turn to your greatest resource, the community. Asking the community to participate in your classroom is a great way for students to get a real experience on what it is that they are learning. Sometimes adding a field trip that includes a tour, of a plant, or a store, will help students really comprehend the material that is being learned, and the life skills emphasis that is being suggested.

For instance, if you were discussing math, and your class was having a hard time learning percentages, what better way than to let them go shopping, and use sales to help them. As a teacher you can bring in someone that works in a grocery story, a mall, or even a car dealership to help explain how they use percentages everyday. At the end of the lesson, consider having a brief field trip to a store, mall, or car dealership, so that students can see how these math issues are used in an everyday situation. This will really drive home the idea that you are presenting, and could potentially quiet those that seem to feel that they will never use this stuff. By helping children to identify with the lesson, and by incorporating resources that are outside of conventional teaching box, you are enabling your students to really learn and understand materials.

The abacus is a counting tool that was first developed by the ancient Sumerians, and then was later used by the Egyptians for accounting and architectural purposes. Today, we use this to help small children learn to count, subtract, add, and even multiply and divide. This is a basic tool that is used in classrooms and is considered a staple resource for elementary school teachers nationwide. Students have learned to use them for legitimately hundreds of years. So why in a vast technological age is the abacus still so widely used? Simple, the simple little tool provides a tangible object that students can physically manipulate, in order to encourage differentiated learning. While students could learn math skills online, sometimes it is better to have something more hands on than that of a mouse or keyboard.

For younger grades, the abacus can be used for many different things. It could be the foundation for a history lesson that transitions into math. It could be a musical instrument that can lead to learning numbers, and even colors. It represents the old philosophy of teaching, creating an interdisciplinary environment that is conducive for learning, and allow students to thrive. An abacus costs as little as a dollar as some stores, and the expensive ones can cost around $20 dollars. Students do not care about the cost, they care about the functionality, learning, and completing the assignment that they were given. For a teacher, though, depending on how many you feel you need, this could be a price point that you may need to consider, as this type of item may not be within a school budget or used as a tax deduction. Consider using the abacus in one of your upcoming lessons. This will excite the kids to see one if they have not already, and the history of it may be enticing enough for them to get excited about using an abacus.