I’ll admit it, and I’ve even said it myself: “Until Little Johnny shows me mastery of this skill….I can’t extend him.” However, I would now like to go back and apologize to Little Johnny and all those students that I didn’t offer extensions to, because I wrongly thought they should show me mastery of a … Continue reading There’s more than one way to skin a cat!
Addition and Subtraction Facts
What the heck is a rekenrek?
Never heard of a rekenrek? You’re not alone, but I’m here to tell you, it is one of the best manipulatives for developing number sense in early primary, and you can make it yourself! Originally developed in Holland, it looks like a mini-abacus, but functions quite differently. Although you can have many rows in a rekenrek, … Continue reading What the heck is a rekenrek?
The Facts about Facts!
Why bother?! In this age of technology, do we still need to learn number facts? Absolutely! Thinking flexibly about numbers opens up thinking for more complex mathematical problems. Mental math is also a survival mechanism when you are out in the real-world! Think of how often you use it: How many km am I going … Continue reading The Facts about Facts!
The good, the bad, and the ugly about number bonds
What are number bonds? Number bonds are just another way to visualize addition facts and are a huge component of Singapore math. What is Singapore math? It is a collection of computation strategies that arose out of Singapore, where students are supposedly ranked among the best in the world in math achievement. So are number … Continue reading The good, the bad, and the ugly about number bonds
Math Milestones with my little men 