Howard Schrager

Sarah and the Number Knights Howard Schrager

While writing a manual to accompany King Maximo and the Number Knights, the idea came to me to create a sequel featuring the unsung hero of the story, Sarah, who answered THE QUESTION on which the story hinges, "Which is the greatest of all the numbers?"The indications for using the story to teach mathematical concepts through hands-on activities are found within the story itself. As such, it is a textbook in story form. It is my hope that this effort will demonstrate the efficacy of this form of teaching as a means of deepening the learning experience beyond that obtained through more traditional academic instruction The story is set in a meadow. The lawfulness of nature mirrors the lawfulness of mathematics, and vice versa. In learning through the use of imaginative, purposeful activity something is stimulated which leads to the cultivation and development of capacities we should hope to find in a dynamic human being. The story links the study of mathematics to the natural sciences, and provides an active grounding in geometry. Work with the Number Knights touches on areas largely overlooked in most educational circles, including visualization, discernment, spatial awareness, body geography, hand/eye coordination, and the artistic sense in general. The work is primarily experiential, and as such it is strengthening and deepening in its effect. Finally, the story portrays children working in a spirit of cooperation, mediating competitive tendencies with more social ones. The children come to realize that each has a contribution to make to the group as a whole, and that, like the Number Knights, a group is strongest when it recognizes the unique value of each of its members.