Multiplying the "New" Way

More than anything, I want to help parents see that the "new" methods they're seeing their students work on during this virtual schooling stint isn't all that new and it's definitely not scary.

The first topic I'll tackle is this meme:

I HATE these kinds of things. But this one in particular really grates on my nerves since this very strategy is SO helpful in Algebra 1 (pretty much my favorite course to teach of ALL the high school courses).
Check out my explanation here: Demystifying Elementary Math Video 1
So in the end, be patient. I promise your student WILL learn all the strategies you learned "back in the day" too - but they'll also be building number sense and reasoning skills alongside their math skills.
Got a topic you want Demystified? Shoot me an e-mail at MrsLeighMath@gmail.com

Comments

The sum is the same, no matter how you got there; so how'd you get there?

Yet another example of adults saying "But there's a better way..." No one would argue that you, adult, can add probably faster than an elementary school student. We are in the process of building UP TO that speed and accuracy. By encouraging your child to imagine the groupings, you are building their imagination (draw whatever you'd like!), their math skills (count up, make 10s), and their mental flexibility ALL IN 1 PROBLEM! Check out my NEW addition video for a little more about how this problem is VERY similar to what many adults already do! Making sense of a problem IRL isn't about having an algorithm to write out your work. Instead it's about applying what you know to a REAL situation. This is what most adults think of when they see an addition problem: But this is what many ...

It's about the learning not the grade.

I hope you (and the children/students in your life) had the chance to watch the Perseverance land on Mars recently. Or see the Dragon launch last year. Every single one of the astronauts, engineers, and technicians had years of schooling to prepare for THAT MOMENT. Every doctor or nurse has been trained through lectures, tests, and field experiences. Something that strikes me every year around this time, as our seniors are making college decisions and our juniors are taking the ACT and beginning the application process, is that not one person in any interview I've ever had has asked me about my grades or GPA. We have tied up so much time and energy into thinking that only the best survive, but we KNOW that can't be true. All that does is overstress our teens and lead them to believe that successful people never struggle. That is a damaging belief - especially when internalized by students who are struggling. Here's my take on grades:

There's HOW MANY ways to add 2 numbers?

To answer the title question - a LOT! We take for granted that most of us adults can add quickly because we "know our math facts". For many of us that may be true, but I would bet that the vast majority of adults out there do quite a few of the addition strategies your children are taught in elementary school without even knowing it! This video addresses some of the addition strategies that I've seen frustrating parents. Addition Video As always, let me know if there's a topic you'd like to see Demystified!

Demystifying Elementary Math (from a Secondary Perspective)

Search This Blog