![]() They have to apply properties like the commutative or distributive property, and they have to think hard about place-value as they take numbers apart and put them back together again. Instead, they have to think deeply about the operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) and how the numbers relate to each other. Here’s why: When kids solve problems mentally, they can’t rely on written procedures that they may or may not understand. The main purpose of mental math is to make kids better at all kinds of math–written or mental. But solving problems in your head is actually a side benefit of mental math practice- not the main purpose. Yes, it’s helpful to be able to quickly figure out how many packs of juice boxes you should buy at Costco, or to calculate a tip at a restaurant. ![]() So, if that’s the case, why teach mental math at all? Which brings us to our second myth… Myth 2: The purpose of mental math lessons is to solve problems on the fly. Don’t miss the quiz at the end of the post to learn more about mental math techniques that you can teach your kids. (And if you’re not sure how else anyone could solve problems mentally, you’re not alone. Yes, mental math is done “in your head.” But, it doesn’t mean lining up the digits and solving the problem the same way you’d do it on paper. Scraps of paper litter our homes, and a calculator app is never far away. Sixteen into 34 goes twice, put down 2 and carry 2 sixteen into 27 goes once, put down 1 and carry 11…”īut these days, our kids don’t need to be able to solve 6-digit division problems mentally. Ma couldn’t just toss a pack of paper in her cart at Target-nor did she have a calculator app on her phone!-and so solving complex problems without writing anything down was a useful skill. On the prairie, paper was expensive, and it wasn’t readily available. Myth 1: “Mental math” just means doing math in your head. Let’s bust these mental math myths so your kids can reap all the benefits that mental math has to offer-without all the anxiety, dread, and fear of failure that Laura went through. But mental math is still relevant, even in the age of smart-phone calculator apps. (And it’s definitely not about the stress of having to keep all those numbers straight!)Ī lot has changed since Laura went to school 150 years ago. Mental math isn’t about wowing other people by solving long, complex problems in your head. Much as I love Laura, I don’t love the misconceptions about mental math that one-room schoolhouse scenes like this one have created. Her heart beat desperately when her turn came and she was sure she would fail.”Īnd then she’s given this problem to solve: After geography and grammar, Laura braces herself for the subject she dreads the most: math. Laura and her classmates prepare for weeks to show off their skills.įinally, the big evening arrives. One of my favorite scenes is the school exhibition at the end of Little Town on the Prairie. I dreamed about attending a one-room schoolhouse.Īnd one rainy Saturday afternoon, I even sloshed water all over the carpet as I “hauled water” from the bathroom to the kitchen for my ever-patient mother–because I just had to pretend to be Laura fetching water from the well. I had a green calico prairie-girl dress that I insisted on wearing to family events for years, even when the dress literally began to fall apart. I was obsessed with Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Little House on the Prairie books when I was a little girl. 3 mental math myths from Laura Ingalls Wilder, and 4 ways to bring homeschool mental math into the 21st century. ![]()
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