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; therefore, they teach kids to memorize the long string of 100 counting words. Next, to count objects, they teach them to touch each block in turn while saying the next word in the string. After ... Read More
Dr. Cotter on Symmetry
Dr. Cotter has an article published in the Hungarian journal Symmetry: Culture and Science, Volume 34, Number 3! Her article is titled Symmetry for Children Using Drawing Board Tools and Tangrams. The abstract reads: Young children are unable to ... 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
Ellen on Manipulatives
“What is the Math Set for?” This is a frequently asked question. Last year, I got to meet a lot of homeschoolers at conventions. Our sales table displays manipulatives from the Math Set. They draw kids in like magnets. Kids, who have them at home, ... Read More