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Want to be a whiz at numbers?
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The very mention of the word Mathematics can send a chill down your child's spine. And this may just add to your worries. Fret no more, here is a unique programme specially designed to make mathematical wizards out of kids.
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— Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash
Allirani: Playing games with maths.
WHAT IS 30567X566? Or try this one: What is 343879+456765-235733+342543? Wait, don't rush for your calculator. You will be surprised to know that there are some children who can solve these problems within seconds. Children, who have joined a programme called UCMAS (Universal Concept Mental Arithmetic System). They can move their fingers nimbly over the abacus and give you the answers before you can spell the word - calculator.
UCMAS is a specially designed programme for children in the age group of four and 12, and it comprises 10 levels. Originally from Malaysia, this course uses that ancient counting tool - the abacus - to effectively hone mental mathematical skills from a young age. Allirani, a trained UCMAS professional, conducts this programme in Jayanagar, Indiranagar, and Koramangala. The Jayanagar centre recently celebrated its first anniversary.
But how does the abacus improve intelligence? Most of us are right-handed and stimulate only the left side of the brain and its functions, whereas both sides need to be stimulated equally for a higher overall intelligence. While the left side of the brain deals with logic and analysis, the right side processes information on space and shape. Using the abacus involves both hands, which acts as concrete substitutes for the numbers in our mind as we calculate. With space and shape information, the right side of the brain is stimulated simultaneously, leading to better brainpower. This could be manifested in increased attention, concentration, general intelligence, and even improved behaviour.
"Research has proved that brain sharpness increases with use and training. And the best time to build brain skills is when the child is around five or six years old, as that is when the brain mass has reached 1200 g, making up 86 per cent of the adult brain," explains Ms. Allirani, who is trained from UCMAS Head Office, Chennai. "We even take children with learning disabilities and slow learners who improved tremendously after joining us. But we do not have that many teachers to give them the special attention they need, so we restrict the number of these children," she says.
Displaying the abacus, she explains that there is a mode of usage - certain fingers are used for certain beads. The place value system is quite different from what we learn otherwise.
Does this not clash with what the children learn at school? "No", she replies, "We have got good reports of children having improved in their general academic performance or developing more confidence." She adds that children, typically, learn fast and develop a good rapport with the abacus while their parents, who thought they could hold their child's hand through this, are left behind very soon.
How does a child cope with the homework? "We advise the parents to spread out the homework over the week as we have only one class per week. If it's done that way, the pressure will not be felt and the child will retain the knowledge better," she says.
With help from other trained instructors, Ms. Allirani plans to set up more UCMAS branches in the City. The course costs Rs. 1,800 for each level, which takes three to four months. As the child progresses, each level will get easier to cross. In fact there are children who have successfully completed the third and fourth level. By the grandmaster level, the child will have developed nimble mental mathematical skills that could give any normal adult a complex," she says.
For details contact: 6642667 or 9845205347.
Children are taught "plus and minus" combination from the very beginning. As they get friendlier with the abacus, their fear of numbers melts into love.
Confidence and speed are by-products of this unique programme. Ultimately, you may find that your child is far from developing mysterious fevers on the day of his mathematical examination.
CHARUMATI SUPRAJA
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