| 7 X 8 = 56 7 X 7 = 49
7 X 6 = 42
7 X 5 = 35
7 X 4 = 28
7 X 3 = 21
7 X 2 = 14
7 X 1 = 7
7 X 0 = 0
|
I
would
rather
be
cleaning
toilets.
|
|
To a
young student, math means arithmetic, and arithmetic can be dull. We tell them "math
is fun!" and they tell us, "no, it’s not." They’re right - the
fundamentals can be tedious and dull. But they are essential. While educators debate the
role of calculators in mathematics education, don’t let your children depend on them.
As your child moves through school, a quick and ready command of the "math
facts" will help him more than you can imagine.
Consider a journey in a wagon with a slipshod wheel - a bit dented, a
bit rough. That wheel will impact every mile of the journey, making its presence
known every step of the way. True, it will get the travelers where they're going,
but the ride will be lumpy and ll slow, and make it very difficult to enjoy the view along
the way. The travelers will be anxious to jump out of that wagon at their first
chance.
Now consider that same journey with a wheel that is smooth and polished.
The travelers forget the wheel, and get where they're going with less effort, and
less agony. Without having to concentrate on the wheel, they can concentrate on what
they're seeing, and free their focus to take in the journey as they go.
A quick command of the math facts will be like that smooth and polished
wheel - getting your child where he's going smoothly and quickly, freeing his mind to see
the bigger picture, and the more difficult concepts.
"But I hate them." Yes. Let's be
honest. They are tedious, and dull, and they make us tense.
True enough. But there are ways.
Adapt. There are a zillion ways to sweep a room - start
at the corners, circle to the center- or maybe wide horizontal strips with a vertical
sweep of the gathered piles - kids can come up with ways we would never dream of.
Customize the learning of the math facts to suit your child. There are
many ways to get there. Some ideas:
- Created Flash Cards - Flash cards are an old
idea, and they serve a good purpose. They individualize each fact onto a separate
card, helping the child see each as distinct, and proceed at his own pace. Flash
cards are readily available, but they are easy and fun to make, and the act of making them
is a learning tool in itself.
- Charts - Making number tables and charts can be
a great way for a child to discover patterns. Patterns thread through all of
mathematics, and recognizing and using these patterns will help your children learn, make
connections, and recall previously learned facts.
- One Step at a Time - It is easy, as adults, to
forget just how many "math facts" there are. Let your child proceed at his own
pace, and help her realize her progress along the way. Sometimes we're so anxious
for her to know all the facts, we focus more on what she still needs to learn, rather than
what she has already learned. When the task is already tedious, more pressure
doesn't help. Instead, use the time at home to tailor the learning to the pace and
inclination of your own child. At school, she has to adapt to the teacher's way, but
the work and learning at home can be designed to work for her.
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