Math and Catch-up

So apparently we have been so busy that I took a break from our blog without even realizing it.

So, there will be lots of posts within the next week to catch everyone up. :-)

First a little about math...

When you were learning multiplication facts, did you have trouble remembering some of the bigger facts, like 6 x 7?  Back in the 'old days', facts were learned through drill and kill. There was very little understanding involved. Thankfully, things have changed. Students are now encouraged to use strategies to learn their facts.

What exactly does that mean? It means that students use facts they know to help them understand facts they don't. 
Students usually master their 2s facts fairly easily, because they are closely connected to addition. That is, 2 x 4 is the same as 4 + 4. The 4s facts are double the 2s facts. So if students know that 2 x 4 = 8, they can double that to find 4 x 4= 16. Extending it even further, the 8s facts are double the 4s facts, so 8 x 4 is double 16, or 32.

This is the way it is taught in our classroom, so if you are working at home on facts and are wondering why we are not just "memorizing", think about giving your child  piece of paper in order for them to use their strategies and eventually, fluency and the memory piece will come.

(Also, everyone had a set of fact triangles go home about 2 weeks ago that help practice our facts. Students should be practicing at LEAST 3-4 times a week)

Until next time...
Mrs. Farkas