Uphill idealist

Last week I was introduced to a young teaching musician from Birmingham England, Clifford Harding , or NK for short. NK teaches multiplication math facts via rap rhymes (Tunes times tables) to help primary students learn and better retain math information, as well as making it more fun. He began this method of teaching after his son came home from school frustrated because he did not know his math facts. At that point, NK admits, " I did not know my times tables either! So how could I help my son with a problem I had not mastered?" NK began the process of writing rhymes to the times tables, set them to a beat and now has been teaching them since 1998. In the times we spoke during his visit to the Jamestown area last week, NK spoke of the shift in his own attitude in life when he became motivated to help others. NK had grown up in a working class city environment and faced the challenges of choosing the high road, when so many of his friends did not. At youth group last Wedne...

Last Friday my husband Ian and I had the opportunity to have dinner with NK of NK Kreations . Nk developed a method of teaching times tables by combining it with rap style rhythm and rhyme. Here is a video of his oldest son, who inspired him to start this effort due to his difficulty in learning times table, performing the 8 times table with no trouble at all. Now maths is nothin' for him and many school children in the Birmingham area to master! NK will be performing at the James Prendergast Library in Jamestown NY at 7pm on Tuesday and Thursday evening. Come learn a new means of learning math facts - before you know it, it will be nothin' for you too!