Flash cards are not a good way to drill the facts. Many adults, because they could not respond fast enough to flash cards or time tests as a child, became convinced that they have no math “ability.” These people are the ones with math anxiety – ... Read More
I’d like to take some time to discuss the science and art of teaching math. I call it a science because much research has been done into how children learn in general and especially math. I call it an art because each child is different, requiring ... Read More
Math anxiety can be thought of as a learned fear of numbers or anything to do with math. It results in feelings of tension and fear at the sight of numbers or math symbols, causing poor performance in math, especially on tests. Sadly, in the U.S., ... Read More
Approximately one in ten children has a learning disability. For most of these children, traditional methods of teaching math are a source of frustration and failure. Memorizing counting words, then facts, algorithms, and vocabulary is way too much ... Read More
A few years ago while on a shuttle to speak at a math convention, I started talking to a young man next to me. When he found out I was involved in math, he said he could solve story problems as long as someone told him what operation to use. The ... Read More
Did you read the blog on addition and subtraction facts? Let's continue this thought with 4-digit addition, using the Cotter Abacus. This approach and process helps child understand how and why the traditional addition algorithm works. Start by ... Read More
