A Modern Famous Home Scholar

Biography

                                                 Erik Demaine

When Erik Demaine joined the faculty of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) he was 20, and the youngest professor ever in the history of the school. Demaine home schooled while traveling around the United States with his father, a goldsmith and glassblower. Demaine started college when he was 12, and finished his bachelor’s degree two years later at age 14. In addition to being a mathematical and computational genius, Demaine is something of an artist. He wrote his dissertation on the computational logic of origami, and is known as the leading theoretician of origami mathematics, which uses paper origami models to understand mathematical concepts and apply them to disciplines like architecture, robotics and molecular biology. In 2008 Demain collaborated with his father on an artistic collection of mathematical origami, which was displayed at the Museum of Modern Art and ultimately incorporated into the museum’s permanent collection.

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Reading, Writing, and Reciting Poetry: Bringing Back Lost Arts!

Classroom Help, Informative

Published with Permission
Written by Maggie S. Hogan
www.BrightIdeasPress.com
www.TOSMagazine.com

Yes, your family can enjoy reading, writing, and reciting poetry. If you take the time to follow the suggestions in this article, you may find that poetry can become a glue that helps bind your family together. Really! Consider this: Funny poems will get the family laughing, thoughtful ones provide conversation starters, and Godly ones can unite a family in praise. Granted, not all children or teens are going to jump at the chance to sit down and recite poetry with Mom, Dad, and little brother, but persevere! Years later, grown siblings will look back and share laughs about poetry time . . . as they carefully preserve this tradition in their own families. Let’s look at the “whys” and the “hows” of cultivating this tradition in your family.

Why Memorize Poetry?

Memorizing or “learning by heart” was an important educational element for most of history until the mid twentieth century when misguided educators decided that rote learning somehow dampened creativity and learning. On the contrary, the benefits to memorizing are numerous. (more…)

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365 Ways to Simplify Your Life

Informative, Just For Fun, Organization, Projects

Published with Permission
An Interview with Patrice Lewis
Written by Amy Nicholson
www.TOSMagazine.com

“And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing” (1 Thessalonians 4:11–12).

These verses guided Patrice Lewis’s family as they moved from a hectic life in the city to a simpler life on a farm. In her book, The Simplicity Primer, Patrice suggests 365 ways to simplify our lives. I had the pleasure of interviewing Patrice.

AMY: When did you leave your hectic city life?

PATRICE: My husband and I were working as professionals in the city. One day there was an accident on the highway. It took me two hours to get to the office. That night my husband and I looked at each other and asked, “Is this really the way we want to live?” After a great deal of thought and research, we left it all behind and moved to Oregon. The house was in rough shape, but we fell in love with it.

AMY: What did you learn? (more…)

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