The secret to succeeding with computers is to lutz with t...

The secret to succeeding with computers is to lutz with them. BART EISENBERG: Push buttons, move text, insert lines, hit control characters, add dot commands, bring up menus, invoke commands and invoke more of them. Try it backwards, try it sideways, try it upside down. The method, lf you can call it that, is vaguely scientific-in that you perform some action and observe the results. A playful attitude will get you further with these machines than weeks of serious endeavor.

 Math Exercise: Multiple Approaches to Problem-Solving

For example, if the problem was to fi nd the answer to 8 × 6, students may suggest three options: memorizing the multiplication table for 6, knowing that 8 × 5 = 40 and adding another 8 to equal 48, or adding a column of six 8s. Allowing students to personally choose among approaches all confi rmed as correct and to support their choice will increase their comfort levels. Th is process also builds math logic, intuition, and reasoning skills that extend into other academic subjects and real-...

 Cut-And-Paste Before Computers

The method is simple. Here is one way to do it. Take a page. Like this page. Now cut down the middle and cross the middle. You have four sections: 1 2 3 4... one two three four. Now rearrange the sections placing section four with section one and section two with section three. And you have a new page. Sometimes it says much the same thing, Sometimes something quite different--cutting up political speeches is an interesting exercise--in any case you will find that it says something and someth...