Math

I have given more and more attention to math these days.  Caleb's math is getting harder and Annalise is not far behind him.  I am no stranger to muddling through math.  When I was in high school, I did well on the language portions of the ACT and only fair in math.  I was determined to raise my score, so I studied and studied.  That is why, when I read the teacher's guides for the kids books, I find their explanations so helpful - since it's geared at children, they explain things completely and include games and activities to reinforce the lesson.

We use Singapore Math and, honestly, we first used it because it was the least expensive option among the popular math curricula.  Singapore moves rapidly and has a heavy emphasis on mental math and word problems - heaps and heaps of word problems.  Now that I am on my 3rd time through 1st grade math, I understand better why they do things things the way they do.

I am sure no one doubts the value of word problems, but I had a conversation with some friends whose kids go to school and the mental math did not agree with them.  One of the friends is actually a math teacher and she said that if the child does not show the work, you can't know how they got the answer.  I see that argument in a classroom setting, but in a homeschool setting, you can watch your kids answer mental math problems and see that they are doing the work.  And it's from sitting with the kids and figuring mentally right along with them that I have become a fan of mental math.

Believe it or not - I can solve a math problem with more accuracy using mental math than using traditional vertical, pencil/paper math.  I was shocked.  The bottom line is this - the more actual figuring you do, the more room for error there is.

With mental math you have to use strategies to organize the number in your head to figure it.  For example - one strategy is to use "expanded form" - stretch a number out into hundreds, tens, and ones and add each part separately.  It is easier than it sounds to "hold the number in your head" as you go along.  Another strategy is to use "friendly numbers" - numbers that end in 0.  Instead of thinking 98+35, you think 100+35-2.  Same answer, easier math, less room for error.  The expanded way would be to say 98+30+5.  I personally like friendly numbers better!

I want to note that Singapore DOES teach traditional vertical math.  There are some problems that need that.

One thing that I've found really interesting - in Chinese they do not have words like eleven, twelve, or forty.  Eleven is simply called 10 and 1.  Forty is called 4 10s.  I think this is why Singapore math is so big on friendly numbers.  These numbers are so simple.  It makes the word twelve look like 16 ounces in a pound.  Do you realize how hard it is to divide by 16!!!

I read recently that English is intentionally complicated. I am not sure why that is a benefit!  But then, maybe I do see a reason - the Swiss family Robinson and their garden planted in "tasteful confusion" with "and aspect of a English garden".  There is something pleasant about appearing to be random  (tastefully).

But no, I'm with Asia on this one.  I even misspelled twelve the first time I typed it.