Teaching Multiplication/Division

[mom23]

Do you have your kids memorize multiplication tables; or is it enough right now that they understand the concept of it, and can use the pictures in the workbooks to find the answers? My daughter is working through Singapore 2A. I feel like she's doing very well with it, but my husband was helping her with math today, and suggested I make up a table for all the facts 0-9 and have her memorize it.

[Heart_Mom]

Do you have your kids memorize multiplication tables; or is it enough right now that they understand the concept of it, and can use the pictures in the workbooks to find the answers? My daughter is working through Singapore 2A. I feel like she's doing very well with it, but my husband was helping her with math today, and suggested I make up a table for all the facts 0-9 and have her memorize it.

I'm sure someone here may have better advice for you, but I can tell you what we're doing in my family. I'm starting by having my children memorize skip counting by each number. They already know how to skip count by 2's, 5's, and 10's. So now I'm having my children practice skip counting by a certain number until they have it down cold, then I'll switch to the next number. I read that it's easier for them if they can SEE the numbers, so on an index card I wrote:

Skip Counting by 3's:
3 6 9
12 15 18
21 24 27
30

They each read the card to me several times a day. Over time, they won't need to look anymore, then we'll move on to skip counting by 4's, etc.

Hope that helps!

[my3sons]

My ds had his multiplication facts down in about 3A or 3B of Singapore - just to let you know that's fairly normal. He's in 4B now and gets his facts right about 100% of the time. Your dd already knowing the "why" behind what she's doing really will probably be enough for her to learn her facts quite naturally over time. There's nothing wrong with using the pictures to figure it out, and it is that very process that will help her memorize her facts eventually. However, if you would like to add flashcards or skip counting, you certainly could, and many families enjoy doing so. If you do, I'd do it very slowly and make sure not to stress her out over it. I think it's important we keep the "thinking" part of Singapore math intact, as it's at the heart of its mental math emphasis. We did add flashcards in the summer, and that worked out well for us. We kind of waited until a few facts showed themselves to be toughies for our kiddos, and then just practiced those. It made for a slow memorization of the facts over time, but they sure stuck. : I just want to encourage you that it sounds like your dd is right where she is supposed to be in math. Adding flashcards, skip counting, etc. is easy to do should you so desire it, but it is not a "have to" at this stage, so it's totally up to you what route you'd enjoy most!

In Christ,
Julie

[mom23]

Thank you! Always good for us "newbies" to know that our kids are on track

[mrsrandolph]

I am using a systematic flashcard program that deals just with facts. It is called Rocket Math. You could google it if you're interested : )

[Tansy]

I'm using a "multi sensory approach" called rapid recall you can google that too see it, find it, say it, write it.. all while Mommy is out of the room.. I love it!!!!

[twoxcell]

My ds is doing Singapore 2a, and we have covered multiples of 2, and are starting 3's. I am having him memorize them. Using skip counting, flash cards, and games. He pretty much has 2's and 3's memorized already.

[momof4]

If you add skip counting, I highly recommend using a number board as they learn them.

We use Horizons Math and they do a lot of skip counting in 1st grade. At first, I thought this was ridiculous. A 1st grader counting by 9's?! Then, I gave him the number board, had him figure out the numbers and started seeing the fruit. He found all kinds of patterns. It was amazing to watch! By the end of the year, he was doing all the counting without the board (even 9's). Now, this year, he picked up multiplication without any help from me. We weren't even to that section yet! I'm now a big fan in skip counting.

As for having them all memorized, I'll worry about that next year. Like Julie said the "why" is more important and the memorizing will come with practice.

HTH.
Laurie