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"number"- mastery or understanding?
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I have begun using “living math” this year, and have started with “number” with my nine year old who has always had a harder time with math. He can understand the concept of addition, and is successful with using manipulatives, or the strategy of counting on, but he has yet to have automatic recall of facts. I chose to start him with “number” to see what concepts I may have missed with him, and/or to help him feel more confident in math. My question is, as I move through each number, should I expect that he can recall all facts that make up that number before I move on to the next? Or just that he demonstrates an understanding of adding/ subtracting within each number, as we will be constantly revisiting the numbers that have some before as we move up towards ten, and reinforcing facts as we go? I fear that if I stay on each number until he has automatic recall, he will get bored, though if we move too fast he won’t have the foundation he needs to move forward. I’d appreciate any thoughts on the subject.
Hi Erika,
Yes, that first year in Number is really for investigation, exploration, building a comfort, and beginning to develop some good habits in Number. There will be a constant revision with simple sums without manipulatives (mental math) if your son is able. Watch to see when he is no longer looking at his manipulatives before ever moving on to some simple sums without them. Also, change up the manipulatives used on the next day so they don’t become boring and don’t let the questions become stale either.
If he has had a poor experience in the past or has some math anxiety then you will want to be vigilant to watch for frustration. Keep in touch with the Lord here. Personally, one of my children couldn’t get enough questions involving the ages of his cousins while for the other that was a bit abstract and those types of questions waited a year. It is a developmental thing as well if you consider how long it takes some children to read and then they go on to become voracious readers.
Remembering these facts might not come until the following year when the tables are built with coins or other things readily found and then they are worked with a view to learning them. I say “following year” but really, this is at his pace. It’s on his effort while you ensure the methods used are living and that it is a consistent daily 20 minutes.
You are right, you want to set a good foundation and a good atmosphere. Try to keep the lessons lively with changing up the questions and adding in the numbers already studied after the introduction and work with each consecutive number. Ask him to come up with questions for you to work. We did these questions while running errands or doing chores but it was always kept lively.
Though Charlotte said the “play way” wasn’t the way to the mind, if you have a game that involves dice it might be a good experience to play in the evening or afternoon. This isn’t a “math game” which means it isn’t really contrived (which kids sense) but a bit more unstudied. We have a vintage “Aggravation” game in which each player rolls a set of dice and then has to move his marble the appropriate number of spaces so adding and counting happen twice each turn.
I hope that helps. Each day is a new day for wonder and it is a big thing that you are taking the time to do this with your son.
Best,
Richele
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