Place value is the very foundation of arithmetic. Place value packages numbers into groups of tens and tens of tens. This makes calculating large numbers similar to adding single-digit numbers: 3 + 4 is similar to 30 + 40, 300 + 400, 3000 + 4000, and ... Read More
Dr. Cotter on Multiplication
Multiplication has been the mathematical downfall of many children (and adults!). It's not so much the problem of the algorithms, but rather it's the problem of the memorization of the 100 facts. Before expecting the child to learn the facts, we ... Read More
Dr. Cotter on Counting
Most people think of counting as the foundation of math. So we teach kids to memorize the long string of 100 counting words. Next, to count objects, we teach them to touch each block in turn while saying the next word in the string. After completing ... Read More
2022 Summer Game #2: Next Number
The great thing about nephews is that they fill some of the room in your heart and in your schedule after your own boys are grown up and away from the nest. The great thing about math games is that they can be played absolutely anytime, ... Read More
Dr. Cotter and Geometry
For years geometry was not considered a topic that primary students could or should study, even though they are surrounded by geometrical shapes. I had no geometry in school until 10th grade. Sometimes teacher education programs provide little ... Read More
Dr. Cotter on RightStart and Montessori
Most people have heard of Montessori, but often they are not sure what it’s all about. The word Montessori refers both to a person, Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952), an Italian physician and educator, and the Montessori method of education she ... Read More