Fractions have a bad reputation as being incomprehensible and unpredictable. Cartoons and jokes exploit this fear of fractions for amusement. Believe or not, it’s all a huge misunderstanding. Fractions are amazing. Fractions are necessary. ... Read More
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 and a method of education. Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was an Italian physician and educator. She is also the ... 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
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
Long division used to be considered the ultimate goal of arithmetic. An earlier division algorithm was so complicated it wasn’t taught until college. Today some students learn a mnemonic in order to remember what to do when in the long division ... Read More
