PARENT TO PARENT

Q: My fourth grader is still struggling with his basic math facts. He learns them without a problem but forgets them quickly. His teacher last year suggested that we drill him regularly with review sheets and flashcards. This keeps him up to speed, but he is beginning to hate math, and definitely hates the drill work. Why can't my son remember his facts?
Allison

Answer: There are a lot of theories, but I don't think anyone really knows why humans "forget". Don't feel too badly though, your son is not alone. The vast majority of students that I see don't remember their facts, either. A lot of students at my tutor center, even high school age, never learned to add properly and still count on their fingers. Most of these students did memorize their math facts, but have since forgotten them.

I don't know how to teach children to memorize 576 sets of math facts (144 each, of the four operations), in a way that they'll remember for the rest of their lives. When you think about it, it's a little ridiculous anyway.

Your son doesn't have to memorize all the basic equations, and in fact shouldn't do it in the first place. Forgive me while I digress for a moment and explain myself. First, math is the theory behind numbers. Arithmetic is the set of techniques used to calculate answers to basic equations, using the six operations of adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, powers and roots. Notice that I used the word "calculate", not "memorize", and that is the issue. Numbers were invented to make our lives easier, not more difficult. The purpose of numeration is to keep track of quantities, and the purpose of the basic operations is to use the patterns our number system naturally form, to quickly put together and take apart various quantities. Answers to equations were not meant to be memorized, but are supposed to be calculated, or figured out. "Add" is a verb; it is something you do, not something you know.

Teaching arithmetic is actually quite simple. The problem is that it is precise, and therefore difficult to describe in printed form. This is, however, one of the most common problems facing students who are struggling in math, so I am going to try to at least get you started on the addition families.

I use logic patterning - then it follows with them and grows from addition, to subtraction, on into multiplication and division, etc. Also, if you have a young student, please use manipulatives to help with the calculating. I like to use small building blocks, since you can group them by color and they stack together nicely for place value.

Start with the doubles: 1+1, 2+2, etc, all the way up through 12+12. Make sure your student knows these inside out, upside down and backwards. Take your time and get it right - almost everything else is based on these patterns. I use a system I call "Read, Write, Read" to help my students learn basic skills quickly and efficiently: On a sheet of paper, you write down the first equation, 1+1=. After your student gives the answer, write it down. Now you have written 1+1=2 on the paper. On the next line, below that, write the next equation, 2+2= and write the answer after your student has given it to you. Continue with all the addition doubles, through 12+12. Draw a vertical line down the paper, directly to the right of the column of equations you just made. Have your student read, very carefully, exactly what you wrote. Now have your student copy each equation, one at a time, to the right of the line. If your child makes a mistake and copies something incorrectly, do not let them erase the mistake and correct it. Erase the entire equation and rewrite it correctly. Also, no cheating! Children like to race through simple projects like this, and will often write in columns: all the numbers, then all the plus signs, etc. This is not acceptable. Make sure the equations are copied, with the answers, left to right and line by line. Now have your student read what they wrote, this time from the bottom line up. You are done for the day. Do this a few times and your student should become very comfortable with these equations, with little effort on your part or theirs. Remember, math is easy; it was invented that way. My dad used to say, "If you're working hard at math, you're probably doing it wrong."

This learning system continues, but the rest will have to wait until next time. I hope this is enough for you to get started. Remember, once your student has the addition doubles down, almost everything else can be "calculated" from them, and this includes subtraction, multiplication and division.

May I suggest, if you have the opportunity, to check out a website that will take you, step by step, through the process of teaching basic arithmetic skills? You can find the page at: Michele's Math. This is not my website, but it is a collection of my "teaching-math" pages.

I hope this helps,
Michele

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