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How Kids Learn Maths

August 18, 2014

My favourite subject to teach is maths. This is not because I have a personal affinity with the subject, but because I believe that it can be taught in an extremely engaging way. I prefer to dispense with mundane text books and mindless mental math activities and concentrate on games and outdoor maths lessons such as the one I came up with called Mission Impossible.

To me, maths is an everyday skill with real relevance. That relevance must be apparent to the students. If they can’t understand why we need addition or fractions or measurement, how on earth will they be able to apply what they have learned?

That’s why I’m against teaching times tables by heart as an end point. Sure, students may be able to recall 9 x 7 instantly, but if you ask them how many tickets were sold for a sell out concert if there were 9 rows of seat with 7 seats in each row and get a blank response, they just haven”t got it!

I appreciate studies into maths like this one, but ultimately, I think it is about finding an engaging way to show how maths is applied in everyday situations:

Stanford University researchers first peeked into the brains of 28 children as they solved a series of simple addition problems inside a brain-scanning MRI machine.

No scribbling out the answer: The 7- to 9-year-olds saw a calculation — three plus four equals seven, for example — flash on a screen and pushed a button to say if the answer was right or wrong. Scientists recorded how quickly they responded and what regions of their brain became active as they did.

In a separate session, they also tested the kids face to face, watching if they moved their lips or counted on their fingers, for comparison with the brain data.

The children were tested twice, roughly a year apart. As the kids got older, their answers relied more on memory and became faster and more accurate, and it showed in the brain. There was less activity in the prefrontal and parietal regions associated with counting and more in the brain’s memory center, the hippocampus, the researchers reported Sunday in Nature Neuroscience.

The hippocampus is sort of like a relay station where new memories come in — short-term working memory — and then can be sent elsewhere for longer-term storage and retrieval. Those hippocampal connections increased with the kids’ math performance.

“The stronger the connections, the greater each individual’s ability to retrieve facts from memory,” said Dr. Vinod Menon, a psychiatry professor at Stanford and the study’s senior author.

But that’s not the whole story.

Next, Menon’s team put 20 adolescents and 20 adults into the MRI machines and gave them the same simple addition problems. It turns out that adults don’t use their memory-crunching hippocampus in the same way. Instead of using a lot of effort, retrieving six plus four equals 10 from long-term storage was almost automatic, Menon said.

In other words, over time the brain became increasingly efficient at retrieving facts. Think of it like a bumpy, grassy field, NIH’s Mann Koepke explained. Walk over the same spot enough and a smooth, grass-free path forms, making it easier to get from start to end.

If your brain doesn’t have to work as hard on simple math, it has more working memory free to process the teacher’s brand-new lesson on more complex math.

“The study provides new evidence that this experience with math actually changes the hippocampal patterns, or the connections. They become more stable with skill development,” she said. “So learning your addition and multiplication tables and having them in rote memory helps.”

Quiz your child in different orders, she advised — nine times three and then 10 times nine — to make sure they really remember and didn’t have to think it through.

While the study focuses on math, Mann Koepke said cognitive development in general probably works the same way. After all, kids who match sounds to letters earlier learn to read faster.

Stanford’s Menon said the next step is to study what goes wrong with this system in children with math learning disabilities, so that scientists might try new strategies to help them learn.

Click on the link to read A Father’s Priceless Reaction to his Son’s Report Card (Video)

Click on the link to read Maths is a Very Poorly Taught Subject

Click on the link to read The Obstacle Course that is Teaching Maths

Click on the link to read Top 10 Math Apps for Children

Tags:brain-scanning MRI machine, Dr. Vinod Menon, Education, hippocampus, maths, Stanford University
Posted in Maths | Leave a Comment »

Up to 1 in 10 US Students Have an Inappropriate Relationship With Their Teacher

August 16, 2014

Surely there aren’t as many student/teacher relationships as suggested in this article. If it is anywhere near as bad as that, it is a terrible indictment on our profession:

Critics suggest that as many as one in 10 U.S. public school students — or about 4.5 million children — are involved in some kind of inappropriate teacher-student relationship.

But it’s not easy to identify — accusations involve everything from physical contact to inappropriate comments or looks — and can have a crippling effect not only on those involved but on the student body and their parents and educators.

“It’s devastating to the rest of our students,” said Dan Unger, president of the Northwest Local School District Board of Education. Two of the three teachers from his district have already been convicted and this year imprisoned. The third case is pending.

“When (the other students) think about the accomplishments of the class of 2014, they’ll think about that. This is what they will remember,” Unger said.

It’s become easier in a digital world where smart phones can dominate conversation, for teachers and students to communicate. That’s good when it’s used to discuss school work. But sometimes it can turn criminal.

“The biggest reason this occurs now is social media,” Abbott said.

A text, Facebook post, Instagram or Snapchat message can give teachers and students greater access to each other than ever before. All three of the Northwest Local School educators relied heavily on Snapchat, Facebook and text messages to communicate with the victimized students.

“It seems to be when the conversation goes private like that, the teacher says and does outrageous and outlandish things they’d never say in person,” Abbott said.

Those private contacts allow predatory educators to exploit students, enhancing the control teachers have over their students. Students want to be liked by or get attention from the educator.

Click on the link to read Facebook Exposes Yet Another Bad Teacher

Click on the link to read Why I Won’t Be Celebrating Facebook’s 10th Anniversary

Click on the link to read If You Ever Wondered How Some Kids Become Bullies …

Click on the link to read The Researchers into Cyberbullying Should Review Their Findings

Click on the link to read The Use of Facebook in Cyberbullying Activity

Click on the link to read A Positive Approach to Tackling Cyberbullying

Tags:Children, Cybersafety, Education, facebook, kids, Parenting, social media, Teachers, Teaching
Posted in Professional Conduct, Social Media | 2 Comments »

Things Teachers Wish Parents Knew Before the School Year Begins

August 13, 2014

A great list courtesy of Lisa Flam:

1. Happy parents make happy teachers.

“Keeping parents happy is definitely the hardest part of the job for teachers,” said Adam Scanlan, who teaches fifth grade at E. W. Luther Elementary School in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “We have 25 sets of parents in our classes, many of whom want different outcomes from one another.” The need to please parents, more than anyone else, he says, is “constantly in the back of your mind,” he said. “I think a lot of parents expect perfection from teachers but in reality, we’re humans, too, and we do the best we can.”

2. Give new teachers a chance.

Have you crossed your fingers wishing your child would not get the newbie teacher? Kristina Hambrock was nervous as she made her teaching debut a year ago. She was often still working in her classroom until 9 p.m., hoping to create an environment where parents would be happy to send their children every day. “What I lack in experience, I can make up in the amount of time I can dedicate to your student,” she said, adding that newbies like her bring enthusiasm, motivation and excitement to their jobs. “Trust them, give them the benefit of the doubt,” she urges parents. “As hard as it is, they’re going to work twice as hard to earn your trust and respect.”

3. Embrace new ways of teaching.

The way kids are taught today is different from how it was even several years ago, let alone how different it was when their parents went through school. Teachers wish parents would embrace the changes more. “Our kids don’t bring home folders because they’re all on the computer,” says Laura Kerrigan, who teaches at Bay Lane Middle School in Muskego, Wisconsin. Supporting your child today means reading a classroom blog or checking your child’s Google Drive. “Embrace those avenues of learning,” Kerrigan says. “Sometimes it’s hard for parents to wrap their minds around.” She urges parents to “get comfortable with this changing environment. It’s not going away.

4. It’s okay for kids to fail (especially in middle school).

Parents don’t want kids to fail, period. But teachers say there is time and place for that: middle school. “This is a safe place to fail because we’re here to support it,” Kerrigan said. “Let’s teach them how to get back up for when they don’t have as many support systems in places like high school and college.” But just as kids need to learn to pick themselves back up, they also need to speak up for themselves more often. Students “should be the ones to ask the questions or tell me they’re stuck, instead of the parent because the parent has already gone through seventh grade.”

5. Testing is not the end-all be-all.

As a former teacher who is starting his first year as a principal, Todd Nesloney wants parents to know that for him, education is about much more than a test score. “Sometimes, with the constant conversation of testing and scores and accountability, parents begin to think that we are just here to get their kid to pass a test.” Yes, the principal of Navasota Intermediate School in Navasota, Texas, does want his students to do well on state tests. But his overall goal is to encourage kids to enjoy learning. “We just want parents to know that we deeply care about their children, and we are trying to prepare them for a crazy world out there, and that’s not all about this testing.”

6. Be a good listener.

It can be hard for parents to hear that their child is having a social or academic problem, but Scanlan urges parents to be willing to listen. “Know that every child and adult, myself as well, needs improvement and not to come in thinking it’s teacher against parents,” he said. “It’s not a battle. It’s trying to work together to help the child succeed.”

7. Your child’s homework is not your responsibility – it’s theirs.

Scanlan heaps on the praise when his students take responsibility for something like forgetting to bring their homework, rather than shifting the blame. He urges parents to stop making excuses for their kids by saying things like homework didn’t get done because of football practice. “You’re not modeling good acceptance of responsibility,” he says. “You’re telling your kid there’s always an excuse for something.”

8. Stay involved, even when your kids are in high school.

Parents may have dutifully attended every back-to-school night and stayed in close contact with teachers when their kids attended elementary and middle school but find themselves pulling back during high school. Don’t, advises Michael Woods, a special education science teacher at Santaluces Community High School in Lantana, Florida.

High schoolers may tell their parents they don’t need them, but Woods says, “That couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Everything in high school is credit-driven, test-driven,” Woods says. “It’s a lot of pressure, and they need a team — the parents and teachers.” He urges parents to meet the teachers and get in touch before progress report or report card time. “I celebrate when a parent calls me or emails me,” says Woods, who is starting his 22nd year as a teacher.

9. Teachers get sick, too.

No parent is happy to hear that a child’s teacher was out — again. But teachers need to be operating at “110 percent,” Hambrock says, and don’t take sick days lightly. “It’s way more work to get a sub and plan for the sub because you want your kids to be taken care of,” she says. “When we get sick, we’re really sick.”

10. Shhhh … don’t let kids hear negative talk.

When you’re dishing about school, make sure your kids are out of earshot. “Your child’s opinion is affected by yours,” Weidmann says. “So please make sure that if you discuss any negative feelings toward classmates or teachers, that your child is not listening. We can always tell when it’s coming from the parents.”

Click on the link to read The Worst Parent in the World May be an Australian

Click on the link to read 10-Year-Old’s Marriage Advice to His Teacher

Click on the link to read The Science of Parenting

Click on the link to read Why the Call to Fine Parents for Not Reading to Their Children is Utter Stupidity

Click on the link to read Children are Precious!

Click on the link to read Is it Ever OK to Lie to Your Kids?

Tags:Education, Embrace new ways of teaching., Happy Teachers, It's okay for kids to fail, new teachers, Parenting, Teachers, Teaching, Your child’s homework
Posted in Parenting | 1 Comment »

3 Examples Why Robin Williams Would Have Made a Great Teacher

August 12, 2014

Robin Williams was an incredibly talented man. He could make us laugh one second and cry the next. I will miss him and his genius dearly.

I always thought that Robin would have made a great teacher. Whilst some so-called experts argue that teachers should refrain from using humor in the classroom, I can think of few more powerful tools for engaging students, developing relationships and cultivating an enthusiastic environment.

I give three film examples to prove my point:

1. Dead Poets Society:

This film is a favourite among teachers, and while I enjoyed it, I had some reservations about the overall message. One scene I absolutely adored however, was the scene where he encouraged his students to rip a mindless, pompous, introduction from their poetry text books. A good teacher has to be able to buck trends and allow their students to make their own assessments and form their own opinions.

2. Patch Adams:

Patch Adams is a good movies for teachers to watch, because the same inhibiting rules that are confronted by doctors apply also to teachers. Both doctors and teachers are taught not to get emotionally involved with their subjects. But, this is what can happen when they do:

3. Good Morning Vietnam

One of the most overlooked areas of teaching is the importance of teaching in an engaging manner. Worksheets, mindless activities and classroom tasks abound. Students really appreciate it when a teacher takes the time and energy to make lessons exciting. I apologise for the swearing in this clip, and of course I would never teach my students curse words, but the technique is still valid. Avoid the text book and make your lessons real, alive and relevant:

Rest in peace Robin!

Click on the link to read Failure is Part of Success

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Click on the link to read Stunning Homeless Experiment Revealed (Video)

Click on the link to read Teachers Need to Have High Expectations for all of Their Students

Tags:Education, how robin williams died, News, Robin Williams, Robin Williams dead poets society, Robin Williams good morning vitnam, Robin Williams most memorable movies, Robin Williams most memorable scenes, Robin Williams patch adams, Robin Williams rip, Robin Williams suicide
Posted in Education Matters | 1 Comment »

The Worst Parent in the World May be an Australian

August 11, 2014

I am appalled of this photograph and ashamed that it is attributed to an Australian citizen.

It just goes to show that teachers can only achieve so much. At the end of the day, a child’s prospects for building a good character is largely dependent on the experiences and teachings he or she receives at home:

KHALED Sharrouf’s son, a child raised in the suburbs of Sydney, struggles with both arms to hold up the decapitated head of a slain Syrian soldier.

In a conflict awash with gruesome images, this single photograph — posted on Twitter by a proud father with the words “Thats my boy!” — may come to symbolise the savagery that has become the hallmark of the Islamic State and the depravity of its army of foreign fighters.

The image was taken in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa, the capital of what has been declared an Islamic Caliphate by the Islamic State. It was posted on the Twitter account of Sharrouf, a Sydney man who fled to Syria last year and is now an Islamic State fighter.

It was one of a sequence of photos posted by Sharrouf, who security agencies believe travelled to Syria with his family. One shows him holding a decapitated head, the same one as his son.

Another shows Sharrouf dressed in camouflage fatigues and posing with his three young sons, the flag of the Islamic State displayed behind them. In this image, just like their father, the boys are dressed in dull green fatigues. And, like dad, they are all holding guns. They appeared to be aged around four, six and seven.

But it is the image that security agencies believe is Sharrouf’s son, struggling to hold the head of the decapitated soldier, that is utterly shocking. The little boy is dressed as if heading out for a picnic. He is wearing a pair of checked pants and a blue shirt, with the insignia, Polo Golf Kids. He has a green cap on his head and a blue plastic watch on. Over his shoulders he has ammunition pouches.

Click on the link to read I Love it When Children Think for Themselves

Click on the link to read 10-Year-Old’s Marriage Advice to His Teacher

Click on the link to read The Science of Parenting

Click on the link to read Why the Call to Fine Parents for Not Reading to Their Children is Utter Stupidity

Click on the link to read Children are Precious!

Click on the link to read Is it Ever OK to Lie to Your Kids?

Tags:“Thats my boy!”, boy holds up head, boy holds up severed head, Education, head of the decapitated soldier, KHALED Sharrouf, KHALED Sharrouf’ twitter, KHALED Sharrouf’'s twitter account, KHALED Sharrouf’s son, KHALED Sharrouf’s son decapitated head, KHALED Sharrouf’s son head, Mohamed Elomar, News, northern Syrian city of Raqqa, Parenting, Sharrouf
Posted in Parenting | 1 Comment »

4 Tips for Encoraging Healthy Competition in Kids

August 10, 2014

I am much more comfortable avoiding competition in my classroom. I know some see competition as a motivator and others see it as a skill extremely useful for dealing with the competitive realities of the real world. I worry about its effect on classroom unity and friendships. I want my classroom working for and with each other instead of ‘dog eat dog’.

I am very grateful to have stumbled on a useful article that gives 4 ways to encourage healthy competition:

1. Don’t focus on winning

Not everyone can win every competition, whether it be athletic, academic, or just for fun. By focusing on the event itself, rather than the outcome, children can both try to do their best and not be devastated if they lose.

“It’s not all about winning,” Kenneth Barish, a clinical associate professor of psychology at Weill Medical College at Cornell University, told NPR. “It’s also about teamwork. And it’s about effort … becoming a better player.”

David Johnson, professor emeritus of educational psychology at the University of Minnesota, suggested that parents, coaches and teachers not inflate the benefits of winning or coming in first.

“If the stakes are low, the emphasis is placed upon sheer enjoyment of the activity,” Johnson told the Deseret News.

Those who didn’t win the game, score the most points or come in first should still feel like they had an enjoyable experience and got something valuable out of the activity.

2. Let kids learn from failure

Since life will inevitably bring failure at some point, experts recommend letting kids develop coping skills in a low-risk situation.

“Parents see failure as a source of pain for their child instead of an opportunity for him to say, ‘I can deal with this. I’m strong,’ ” says Madeline Levine, Ph.D., author of “The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids,” in a Parent.com article.

While it can be devastating to watch your child suffer, teachers like Jessica Lahey have learned that children perform better when given the chance to fail and accept the consequences.

“Year after year, my ‘best’ students — the ones who are happiest and successful in their lives — are the students who were allowed to fail, held responsible for missteps, and challenged to be the best people they could be in the face of their mistakes,” Lahey wrote in The Atlantic.

3. Don’t make your love conditional on their success

While this may seem like a no-brainer, parents can inadvertently send the wrong message to their kids.

A recent Deseret News article discussed a study by Harvard University that found children and teenagers are three times more likely to agree with the statement, “My parents are prouder if I get good grades in my classes than if I’m a caring community member in class and school.”

“It’s good for kids to value excellence as long as they don’t feel valued only for their excellence,” Sylvia Rimm, director of the Family Achievement Clinic in Cleveland, wrote for the clinic’s website. “Parents’ messages that ‘we like children who win, who are the smartest, and who excel,’ should be changed to ‘we like children who try, who are responsible, and who make positive and sincere efforts.’ ”

Rimm pointed out that highly competitive families can sometimes instill a belief in the child that winning is associated with their self-worth, which can make future failures impossible to handle positively.

4. Have fun and focus on priorities

Parents don’t need to protect their kids from the stress of competition or the failure of losing, but they should make sure that the situation — a soccer game, a spelling bee, a board game or simply getting good grades — is a fun and positive experience.

“When asked whether they would rather be warming the bench on a winning team or playing regularly on a losing team, nearly 90 percent of children chose the latter,” reported the Deseret News, referencing a Michigan State study.

Kids will compete naturally, and want to be the best, but parents can help children understand that competition is not just about winning; it’s about having fun and learning important skills, psychologist David Johnson told the New York Times.

“By taking the emphasis off winning and putting it on mastery,” Johnson said, “the individual and the team — classroom, country, world — will grow in the process.”

Click on the link to read Proof that the Goodness of Our Youth Cannot be Underestimated (Video)

Click on the link to read Teaching Kids to be Competitive Often Leads to Needless Pain

Click on the link to read Two High School Athletes Brawl During Race (Video)

Click on the link to read Tips for Teaching Your Children How to Lose

Click on the link to read Preparing Students for the Real World

Click on the link to read Is Competition in the Classroom a Good Thing?

Tags:Competition among children, Competition and kids, Competition in the Classroom, Education, Healthy Competition and kids, Parenting
Posted in Competition in the Classroom | Leave a Comment »

The Worst First Impression a Teacher Could Ever Make

August 7, 2014

Some people are just not cut out for the job:

IF you think Cameron Diaz’s performance in the 2011 movie Bad Teacher was good, then you must read about Lorie Hill’s first day — or rather morning — at her new school.

Hill, a newly-appointed teacher at Wagoner High School in Wagoner County, Oklahoma, was found in a classroom drunk.

When two of her new colleagues saw her, 49-year-old Hill promptly took off her pants.

“They didn’t know who she was,” Wagoner Police Department Chief Bob Haley told Fox23.

Haley said officers found vodka in Hill’s car parked outside and she admitted she had been drinking.

She was arrested and charged with public intoxication. No charge of driving under the influence could be made due to a lack of evidence proving that she had consumed the alcohol before driving into work, Haley added.

It was the first day back for teachers after a holiday. It was a pupil-free day.

Pupils return to school today. although it is doubtful Hill will.

Wagoner School District declined to comment.

Click on the link to read Teacher Claims he Didn’t Think Sex Abuse Was a Crime

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Tags:Bad Teacher, Education, Lorie Hill, Lorie Hill teacher, News, Wagoner High School, Wagoner High School teacher
Posted in Professional Conduct | Leave a Comment »

Bullying from a Teenager’s Perspective

August 6, 2014

Courtesy of clinical psychologist Barbara Greenberg:

Hello Parents,

Your teens are getting ready to head back to high school and some of them are just beginning as freshmen. All summer long, I have been working with focus groups of teens and they have been talking to me and to each other and have been quite candid about their thoughts about bullying. They have shared their most intimate experiences, their concerns and their very creative ideas about how to deal with bullies.

This is what your kids want you to know about the bullying experience, but might never tell you. You see, they don’t want to upset you, disappoint you, worry you and are even concerned that you might not be interested. They are wrong. I know that but they don’t. Here is what they are not telling you:

1. The majority of your teens report that while they may not have been bullied, they have witnessed a peer being bullied.

2. They have not always been sure how to intervene at these times, but they have ideas.

3. They frequently and in large numbers report that an adult should be told about bullying incidents, but feel that even when they tell adults the adults are NOT likely to intervene effectively. They report that adults look the other way, don’t take bullying seriously enough and even give meaningless consequences to the bully.

4. By and large, the well-spoken and passionate teens feel that the adults are letting them down in this arena. YIKES. I know that no adult in a position to help teens wants to be seen as ineffective and dismissive.

5. Your kids have some very creative ideas about how to handle bullies including:

a. attempting to befriend them in the hope that a bully can become an ally.

b. making the bully laugh so that the bully learns a different style of interacting.

c. letting the bully know the impact that they are having on others. Many teens feel that bullies are clueless about their painful impact on others.

d. asking them about their lives. Many teens feel that bullies are probably hurting. It’s amazing isn’t it that teens feel empathy for bullies?

AND

e. they have even expressed that you raise your kids to have empathy so that they are less likely to act in a socially aggressive and emotionally painful manner. These large groups of male and female teens have been telling me all summer long that they are concerned that some parents may inadvertently be raising bullies.

Your teens would also like you to know that:

1. They see many parents acting as bullying role models for their kids. They worry that you may be encouraging exclusivity, cliquey behavior and even physical aggression. Teens are and always have been watching the adults around them.

2. They think that adults should curtail gossiping because kids mimic them and gossiping is one of the worst and most hurtful forms of social bullying. They are on to something here; aren’t they?

3. They worry that you are bullying your kids in the privacy of your homes and that your kids are going to school upset, frustrated and looking for a place in which to practice what they have learned at home.

AND

4. They are concerned that you might not even have given consideration to the idea that your own kid may be the bully. They think that you should consider this idea and work with your teen to be a kinder and more empathic individual.

I do not want to leave you with the impression that teens all blame the adults in their lives for the bullying behaviors of teens. Many teens reported learning empathic and pro-social behaviors from their parents. Amen to the child-rearing style in those homes. We need more of that. We need parents to realize that you are your teens’ most important role models. I have been saying this for years. Take this important opportunity in your life to teach your kids that their words and behaviors can either soothe and comfort or destroy the hearts and souls of their peers. Do not ever rule out the thought that your own child may be the bully at times and if you suspect this then work with your child to change this behavior.

We all remember own experiences being both the bullies and the bullied. None of us flourished from these experiences. In fact, many of us became emotionally and physically sick during these times. Your kids and I are calling upon you to be aware of your role and power in helping to both raise good kids and to become even more aware of the terrible interactional cycle of bullying that continues to persist in high schools all over.

Good luck.

Own your power.

Help your kids.

Dr. BG

Click on the link to read Girl Gets taped and tied to tree and ‘sexually assaulted’: Where Were the Teachers?

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Tags:Acceptance & Inclusion, Aggression, Anxiety, Bullying, Cliques, Dating, Depression, Education, Emotional, Friends, Friendships, Intelligence, Parenting, Popularity, School Phobia, social media, Suicide, Teachers, Teasing, Teens, Violence
Posted in Bullying | Leave a Comment »

The Outrageous Pro-Gun Picture Book for Kids

August 6, 2014

I’ve seen it all! A picture book aimed at children with the intention of making kids aware of their constitutional right to bear arms.

Can we stop using picture books as a means to pedal propaganda? Can we instead use literature to foster kids’ imagination and understanding of people and their place in society. Keep the propaganda for spam and leaflet drops:

A new “wholesome” picture book by two Michigan-based authors aims to show children the benefits of having parents who openly carry handguns.

The authors of My Parents Open Carry say their goal is to provide “a wholesome children’s book that reflects the views of the majority of the American people, ie that self-defence is a basic natural right and that firearms provide the most efficient means for that defence”.

The book depicts a day in the life of the not-so-subtly named Strong family – Dick, Bea and daughter Brenna.

As the blue-eyed trio leave the house for a fun Saturday out, Dick and Bea “retrieve their handguns from the locked gun safe and check them to make sure they are loaded. They place the handguns in their holster … in plain sight on their hips.”

Going about their weekend chores, the pistol-packing pair bump into various townsfolk who admire their decision to “open carry”, including neighbour Mr Wright.

“I see you are both packin’ as usual, good for you,” he says, cheerily. “You just never know when you might need to protect yourself and loved ones … It’s best to be prepared I always say.”

Brian Jeffs, president of a pressure group called Michigan Open Carry, co-authored the book with Nathan Nephew, a founder of MOC.

On the MOC website, Jeffs sets out the benefits of displaying a large-calibre pistol while shopping and socialising.

“It’s true that open carry has many advantages: a faster draw, a larger calibre handgun and greater round capacity; sure it’s been shown to deter crime, and it is immensely more comfortable to carry in warm weather, but it is much more than that,” he writes. “Open carry brings gun ownership out of the closet. It shows your friends and neighbours, your state and your country that you are not afraid of taking on the responsibility of protecting yourself and the ones you love from evil.”

The MOC website also carries a list of positive comments apparently from sources including James Towle, host of American Trigger Sports Network (“Outstanding, outstanding…every person should buy five copies of this book…”) and Alan Korwin of gunlaws.com (“I love it…boy does this fill a vacuum!”)