I'll be teaching a math lesson at the afterschool program today. We'll be talking about word problems, and how they seem corny in a textbook. But then I'll break out a game I just got called "Allowance", which is basically Monopoly with money earned from chores and spent on bubblegum rather than on real estate. I'm going to make them write word problems based on their actual transactions during the game. And then, hopefully, at the end of the game (who knows - Monopoly can go on forever - I'm hoping this game has an actual end to it), they'll exchange papers with their problems on it and make the other students figure out the word problems. Sweet, right? Too complicated as well, but if it all works out, I hope to make tiny synaptical connections between textbook learning and real world application in the students' minds.
I remember how my favorite part of elementary math was "real life" math. We'd learn how to fill out a check. We'd use store circulars and plan a meal with an imaginary budget. It was ridiculously fun, because it was like playing pretend - and it was officially endorsed through state licensed professionals!
Also since grade school I've been fascinated with the concept of bartering (also with the word "broach" which I memorized as "to bring up" by making a heaving sound when saying the word). Money, in its essence, is just metal metaphorically representing what used to be valued in salt, chickens, cows, other livestock, or any other tradeable good.
I broach this topic, because I need a hair cut. The last time I had a hair cut was in May, and my sister-in-law's sister cut my hair. She's a freelance hair stylist who stays home with her children and takes customers when they and she are available. Back in the day of steady employment, I was all set to pay her with greenbacks, but she told me to bring my sewing machine instead, and I could repair her son's overalls in compensation for the haircut. And it was a very good haircut - and my older brother had his cut at the same time as well. He bartered his lawn cutting services. Now I need a haircut, and my bartering hair stylist is in Maryland.