Have you ever wondered how to teach nothing? I’m not talking about taking a break from formal teaching over the summer – although maybe you’re doing that, too! I’m talking about the number zero. The concept of zero can be a struggle for small … [Read more...] about 2023 Summer Game #3: Zero Game
number sense
2023 Summer Game #1: Fish at the Dump
When I started using RightStart Math and we’d play the game Go to The Dump, game A3 in the Math Card Games book, I apparently didn’t read the directions well and have come to realize we were really playing Fish at The Dump, game A5 in the Math Card … [Read more...] about 2023 Summer Game #1: Fish at the Dump
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...] about 2022 Summer Game #2: Next Number
2021 Summer Game #6: Bead Trading
Do your children enjoy money? My kids do! They would always compare their stacks of one dollar bills after Christmas or birthdays and see who has more. I used their concept of dollar bills to introduce this next game. We called it "Bank", … [Read more...] about 2021 Summer Game #6: Bead Trading
Dr. Cotter on Language
In mathematics we can’t do much without using language. Even though the mathematician may write a mass of equations, she needs words to explain their meaning. Good math instruction requires careful attention to the terms used. We don’t want students … [Read more...] about Dr. Cotter on Language
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...] about Dr. Cotter on Counting
