I can’t believe it’s March already, but it’s a perfect time to brush up on math skills. There are a few little known facts about learning math.
- Children can only understand small increments of math at a time. It’s never a good idea to overload concepts in order to teach number sense. Teach one or two concepts at a time and leave it there.
- Use the mastery learning approach to teach math. Students can’t move on with comprehension when they haven’t learned the concept that the new concept builds upon. Just as addition is used to teach multiplication many math concepts build upon each other. Ensure that students have mastered a concept before teaching another.
- Memorize facts in a verbal sentence. Seven time one equals seven. When student verbally recite facts in this way it sticks. They won’t be able to say “Seven times one” without completing the thought.
- Monitor student progress. Students should have goals, and if they are having difficulty making those goals they will need help.
- Provide immediate feedback. When learning math facts, students must have immediate feedback in order to help them continue in the right direction. One of our favorite ways to do this is by using online math curriculum that give an immediate response for the student.
