Everyone can be a mathematician. Every student can succeed at math! But not every student walks into class already knowing how to think like a mathematician, problem solve and think logically. So here is a list of ten things every student can learn to do and practice as they tackle math problems to become a better mathematician (and better problem solver!). This list is not my own, it's actually from a poster I used to have hanging in my Keep Reading...
The Great Debate: The Role of Calculators in Math Education
The great debate over calculator use in the math classroom, particularly in elementary school, will probably never be resolved. There are those who say there is no place for calculators in the classroom, whether elementary or high school. Then there are those who say that “mental math” is no longer necessary. That we live in an age of technology and memorizing multiplication facts or working math out with pencil and paper has become obsolete and Keep Reading...
Engaging Summer Math: Easy, Hands On & FUN Ideas
Looking for low-key ways to keep kids learning math over the summer? Find engaging summer math ideas below, including hands on practice, easy games, LEGO math and more! Ahhh, summer. A time for vacations and catching fireflies, trips to the pool and firing up the grill. While there are probably endless images and activities that come to mind when you think of summer, I'm willing to bet that doing math just isn't one of them. But the Keep Reading...
How to Find a Math Tutor for Your Child
Although we as parents are to be our child's first and most important teacher, there may come a point in their learning where you feel like a personal, one-on-one math tutor is needed. This may be because your personalities clash, they respond better to someone other than mom and dad, or because you feel like the math they're learning is beyond your knowledge and ability. Whatever the reason, before you spend your hard earned money on a tutor, do Keep Reading...
Simple Problem of the Day Christmas Countdown!
There's no denying that December is one of the hardest times of the year to get kids to stay focused! All of the excitement and anticipation get the best of even the most studious kids, making it hard to introduce new topics or review old ones before pausing for Christmas break. So if you're looking for a fun way to take your kids' excitement for the holidays and use it to actually get some math practice done, try this Math Problem of the Day Keep Reading...
Increase “Math Talk” with Your Kids {It’s Not as Scary as it Sounds!}
If you have children, you likely spent much of their early years talking to them and reading to them. Encouraging language development comes so naturally to the new mom. We repeat words, point out words and pictures, try to get our kids to repeat words, etc. I (and possibly many of you) even taught my kids some basic sign language so that they could communicate before they were able to verbalize their needs. We seem to know, without question, Keep Reading...
Dear Mom Who Hates Math…
I know how you must feel when it’s time to pull out the math books and dig in with your kids. What a struggle it must be to not only help them with their work, but to also encourage them to work hard and do their best when really, it’s something you hate. Maybe it seems pointless to you. Maybe you don’t understand the way it’s being taught. Maybe it’s even harder for you to feel motivated to get it done than it is for your kids. As moms, we Keep Reading...
Fall Addition Facts Practice! {FREE Printables!}
One of the earliest math concepts students learn is addition. This is an important concept for so many reasons! A strong foundation with addition and fact fluency will pave the way for students to understand subtraction, multiplication and more! And while there are many strategies for helping kids understand and learn addition facts, one that I have been spending a lot of time on with my daughter is number bonds. And although we have started to Keep Reading...
Solving Problems Using Guess and Check
Welcome to the last week in my series on problem solving strategies! There are so many different ways to approach math word problems, but it’s important that we share these various methods with kids so that they can be equipped to tackle them! This week I’m explaining a strategy that doesn’t sound overly mathematical, but can be extremely useful when done properly: solving problems using guess and check! As with the other strategies I’ve Keep Reading...
Problem Solving by Finding a Pattern
One important math concept that children begin to learn and apply in elementary school is reading and using a table. This is essential knowledge, because we encounter tables of data all the time in our everyday lives! But it’s not just important that kids can read and answer questions based on information in a table, it’s also important that they know how to create their own table and then use it to solve problems, find patterns, graph equations, Keep Reading...
