Abstract:
A method, device, and kit that utilizes tabletop education displays to allow parents and educators to expose the basic fundamentals of Education to subjects throughout the early developmental stages of learning; then, building on the basics, exposes the subject to more complex ideas. It also has the advantage of being customized in the final stage to the interest or strength of a subject. This provides the parents or educator the ability to challenge and develop the subject in its area of interest.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of education and more specifically to the field of leveled education devices. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Tabletops often utilize coverings for various purposes. A primary form of table covering includes table cloths and perhaps table mats proximate to each seat. Table cloths are typically adorned with artistry, often simple repeating patterns or pictures. Exposure to ordinary commercially available table cloths and table coverings may be relaxing, but other goals may be pursued with these common implements. 
         [0003]    A family that sits down to meal, whether at a restaurant or within the home, remains for a substantial amount of time. A family meal may include many attention-drawing attributes, such as conversation or simply staring at a plate searching for the fork&#39;s next target. Even the most intriguing family meal involves down time; a participant may not be engaged in any of the active meal activities, and instead, stare randomly within the home or at the table. This lack of focus may result from discussion boredom, inattention due to medical issues, or an early finish. 
         [0004]    Current educational devices largely ignore this substantial period of time in which one may insert information into a regularly scheduled activity. Therefore, there is a need for educational equipment capable of passively presenting itself to a subject during moments where educational materials are traditionally unavailable for substantial stretches of time, and that is capable of quick, simple, and repeated upgrades to suit the educational abilities of the subject. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The present invention is directed to an educational method. The education method allows passive education to be directed at a subject in multiple phases of the subject&#39;s development. The method includes indentifying an operational stage at which the subject is currently situated. Operational stages may include any of the following stages: preoperational stage; concrete operational stage; or formal operational stage. An operational tabletop education display is then suggested for/to the subject. The operational tabletop education display includes at least one educational subject matter representation that corresponds to the contemporaneous operational stage of the subject previously identified. 
         [0006]    A tabletop education display series is then formulated for the subject. The display series includes a horizontal phase and a vertical phase. The vertical ordering of the series begins with the contemporaneous operational stage of the subject, or in the case of multiple subjects, the lowest identified operational stage. One of the tabletop education educational displays in then placed on a tabletop of the subject for a substantial period of time. 
         [0007]    The tabletop education educational displays may be exchanged with another tabletop education display from the horizontal phase of the tabletop education display series. Such exchanges will be for operationally equivalent educational subject matter representations. The tabletop education displays may be replaced with another tabletop education display from the vertical phase of the tabletop education display series. Such replacements will be for more operationally advanced educational subject matter representations. 
         [0008]    Therefore, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide an educational method and device capable of passively educating a subject. 
         [0009]    It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide an educational method and device capable of leveled education. 
         [0010]    It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide an educational method and device capable of education according to established principles of cognitive development. 
         [0011]    It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide an educational method and device capable of discreet use. 
         [0012]    It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide an educational method and device capable of preventing boredom. 
         [0013]    These aspects of the invention are not meant to be exclusive. Furthermore, some features may apply to certain versions of the invention, but not others. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art when read in conjunction with the following description, and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a view of an embodiment of the process of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a top, plan view of a tabletop education display of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a top, plan view of a tabletop education display of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a tabletop education display of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , a basic embodiment of the passive education method  100  of the present invention is shown. The passive education method  100  includes identification  102  of the operational stage of a subject. By passive education, it is meant that the present invention is capable of educating a subject at least by virtue of its presence alone, i.e., both actively and through mere presence. The subjects of the present invention may include humans that have cognitively matured beyond the sensorimotor stage of development. Human cognitive development can be divided into four stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. 
         [0019]    Sensorimotor stage of operation generally spans the birth of a human to the approximate age of two years. Infants mainly make use of senses and motor capabilities to experience the environment. The present invention screens subjects for development beyond this stage and identifies  102  subjects currently found within this stage of development. The screening portion of the identification includes requesting information related to the experiences and development of the subject or subjects. Such information will be linked to the cognitive development of the subject, and may include questions regarding current education levels, interaction with objects, interaction with people, memory retention, subject verbal strength, and the like. Subjects identified within the sensorimotor stage of development are advised  104  against current use of the present invention or receive suggestions  104  regarding a formulated  106  suitably-delayed schedule for the method  100  of the present invention. Software embodiments of the present invention may return a Boolean value of “false” in the identification step of the present invention. 
         [0020]    A second stage of operation is the preoperational stage and typically includes children aged from two to seven. This stage is characterized by the use of symbols, such as language to represent objects. A child is now building a foundation for learning. A third stage of operation is the concrete operational stage where a child begins to think logically and typically includes children aged from four to nine. Operations are associated with personal experiences. Operations are in concrete situation, but not in abstract manipulation. The formal operational stage is the final stage of development. A child in this stage, typically aged eight and beyond, now has the ability to think abstractly. The child can now solve complex and hypothetical problems involving abstract operations. 
         [0021]    On the basis of the identified  102  operational stage of the subject at the time of processing information related to the stage of development of the subject, the method  100  suggests  104  operational tabletop displays that correspond to the contemporaneous operational level of the subject. Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the tabletop display  200  of the present invention is a tablecloth with a body  202  bearing at least one educational subject matter representation  204 . The educational subject matter representation  204  of the present invention may include any subject matter desired to be learned by the subject. The educational subject matter representation is restricted to those amenable to cognitive digestion appropriate to the operational level of the subject. For tabletop displays  200  corresponding to the preoperational stage of development, numbers, colors and letters are stressed. For tabletop displays  200  corresponding to the concrete operational stage of development, numbers, colors and letters are retained but the representation emphasizes the actual information. By way of example, a world map is appropriate for both the preoperational and concrete operation stages, but the former will emphasize shapes of countries brightly contrasted one to the other while the latter will emphasize cities, rivers, and mountains. 
         [0022]    For tabletop displays  200  corresponding to the formal operational stage of development, few limitations apply. Educational subject matter for any stage may include world geography; American geography; chemistry; solar system; music; animal kingdom; engineering; civics; history; English; math; earth science; and the like. The educational subject matter representation  204  is applied to the body  202  of a tabletop cover  200 , such as a tablecloth. The tablecloth of the present invention may include any pliable device adapted to fit the dimensions of the sides and upper surface of a table, and is fabricated of any material adapted to deflect or absorb food and drink stains to a degree amenable to simplified table cleaning, e.g. vinyl. 
         [0023]    The dimensions of the display  200  includes those of any commercial tablecloth, such that the display body  202  covers the entirety of a table (not shown) upper surface with body portions remaining to overhand side surfaces of a table. A kit of the present invention may include multiple displays  200  of equivalent subject matter representation of leveled operational stages, multiple displays of distinct subject matter representation of equivalent operational stages, or multiple displays of distinct subject matter representation of leveled operational stages. 
         [0024]    As  FIG. 3  shows, the method may include a tabletop cover  200  with a variable vantage point educational subject matter representation  204 . The variable vantage point educational subject matter representation  204  utilizes educational subject matter capable of arrangement such that multiple subjects may accurately view the educational subject matter from multiple vantage points.  FIG. 4  shows a distorted educational subject matter representation  204 . The distorted educational subject matter representation utilizes pre-existing shapes and skews them to suit multiple vantage points of multiple viewers, e.g. concentrically-arranged, curved color blocks. Such an arrangement is advantageous when a tabletop display is crafted for multiple subjects meant to occupy a single table, or when a subject does not have a regular seating arrangement. 
         [0025]    Returning to  FIG. 1 , the method  100  may include formulating  106  a tabletop education display series having a horizontal phase and vertical phase. The tabletop education display series is a customized series of tabletop education displays suited to the current operational stage of the subject and the expected development schedule of the subject. The horizontal phase includes those tabletop displays within the same contemporaneous operational stage of the subject. The vertical phase includes those tabletop education displays more advanced than the contemporaneous operational stage of the subject. For this disclosure equivalent educational subject matters of distinct operational stages are referred to as “leveled,” i.e., either one vertical level above or below. For a subject identified to be in the preoperational stage, for example, a tabletop education display series may include a horizontal phase of tabletop displays having colors and numbers, and a vertical series of multiple tabletop displays for both the operational stages of the concrete operational stage and the formal operational stage. 
         [0026]    The tabletop display is the positioned  108  over a table or other frequently occupied furniture surface. The display is used for any period of time desired by the user, until the method  100  of the present invention advises that another tabletop display should be exchanged  110  therefor, until the method  100  of the present invention advises that another tabletop display should be replaced  112  therewith, or other appropriate period of time, such as complete intake of information thereon. The series is ordered from the contemporaneous operational stage of each subject for which the tabletop display device is created. By exchange  110 , it is meant that the tabletop display may be removed and a new tabletop display of equal operational stage may be placed  108  on the tabletop of the subject. By replace  112 , it is meant that the tabletop display may be removed and a new tabletop display of more advanced operational stage may be placed  108  on the tabletop of the subject. Replacement and exchanges may occur at the whim of the subject or upon readjustment of the tabletop education display series due to an updated identification  102  of the operational stage of the subject. 
         [0027]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.