Thursday, July 25, 2013

Number Cross Puzzles


Numbers confuse me.  I'm lucky I can remember my phone number and address and how to add, subtract, multiply and divide. 

Ask me to do any higher math problems and all you'll get from me is a blank stare.  Numbers intimidate me.

When I heard about Rich Rollo's new Number Cross Puzzles from Xlibris I was intrigued.  Why?  I have no idea.  I usually shy away from anything that involves numbers.

I can only guess that Rich's description of the book caught my attention.  "A quick and challenging workout for your brain", is what it read.

Lord knows my brain can use a workout.  I'm 60 years old and like my body, my brain needs the exercise.  

Flipping through its pages it occurred to me that the book is not so much about numbers but about problem solving.  One of the big things stressed in schools today is 'higher learning skills'.

I should know, I'm a teacher.  I'm always stressing to my students to push their cognitive skills, to think outside the box and challenge their brains.

Number Cross Puzzles does just that.  I plan on using some of the exercises in my class and to share the book with other educators.  What an excellent resource to teach young people to use logic and solve strategies.