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...] about Dr. Cotter on RightStart and Montessori
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Dr. Cotter on Flashcards
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...] about Dr. Cotter on Flashcards
Dr. Cotter on Teaching Math
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...] about Dr. Cotter on Teaching Math
Dr. Cotter on Math Anxiety
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...] about Dr. Cotter on Math Anxiety
Dr. Cotter on Learning Disabilities
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...] about Dr. Cotter on Learning Disabilities
Dr. Cotter on Problem Solving
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...] about Dr. Cotter on Problem Solving
