Both of my children detest Subtraction. They can do it, but they hate it and it's certainly harder for them than addition. I think my ... philosophy is that if you struggle with something the best 'cure' is lots of extra practice. Do you guys agree? I know both of my children will see it as torture. I can't make them LIKE subtraction, but I can get them to both find it very easy. My second question involves teaching borrowing. Maybe I'm 'borrowing' trouble :lol: but I am worried that it could be very confusing for ds. He understands place value and base-10 very well though, so maybe it won't be too bad. What do you guys actually SAY to teach it? I also am having to combine how he learned math (what his 3rd grade ps teacher referred to as the 'v' method) with the algorithms I want him to know for short-hand math (the basic method I learned). He is finally getting it for addition, although I noticed he still adds the 10's column first, which is a bit worrying but at least it's a step in the right direction. I can't in good conscience stick with the 'v' method for him because I think there are huge problems ahead for kids who solely use this method. (my opinion only.. not judging just explaining why I won't stick with it for him)
I don't know what the v method is, so I can't comment on that. If I were in your shoes, I would do practice problems every day, though I probably wouldn't go for excessive amounts. I would hope that after regular practice over a long period of time, they would become proficient. For borrowing, with my son I explained it as the top number has to fight the bottom number. If the top number isn't strong enough, he has to borrow some help from the next guy over. That seemed to get through to my son! Hope you find what you need.
Thank you! I love that explanation!! Sorry... 'v' method... 54-23= ? Ds would draw an upside-down 'V' with 50-20 = 30 and another with 4-3 = 1 Then another 'v' and he would add 30 + 1=31. I've seen problems with the way it treats negative numbers incorrectly, which is why I need to nix it. It does work fine for straight forward numbers, and I credit it with giving him a good understanding of place value, though.
Not exactly. I would want to figure out exactly why they're struggling and then fix it. If they're struggling because they don't understand something, lots of practice will only reinforce the confusion. To me, when you get something, you get it. The only things that need lots of practice are speed or precision (like math facts with speed or handwriting with precision). Learning HOW to do something doesn't require practice. Learning how to do something QUICKLY or do it WELL does require practice. If he doesn't understand what you're teaching, he shouldn't be doing it himself yet. You should be showing him example after example. Let him complete pieces of it to see which steps he understands and which ones he doesn't. When he's able to complete all the steps without correction, then he's ready for independent practice to work on speed.
I don't agree that more practice is better. My son was really quick to get the concepts of adding and subtracting and detested practicing because of the repitition. I thought about it and realized that with me pushing it on him he would detest school that much more. Because he is so young I figure he will get the practice as we move forward. So I continued into the mutiplication tables. Today he was about to add doubles of 2+2=4, 4=4= and so on up to five hundred and some. I was really impressed as we really don't practice. But he has gained the practice in life and in adding to aid his multiplication. As to how it was taught. I used a whiteboard and we would do a few questions together after the first few were modelled and explained. We did that until he showed me he understood. Sometimes he does need reminders still but considering he has only been at it since last Nov I think it's pretty good. Each child is different though. My DD has a really poor short term memory and so she likely will need more repetitive practice. So I would say go with what you think your child needs according to their learning style.
Thanks guys. They do understand it. It just isn't.. to the level of automaticy (is that even a word? LOL) at this point, so every time is sloggy counting it out. My 6yo dd will get lots more practice, but with ds, we are getting ready to move to more complicated problems (as in with the carrying, and with the algorithm I learned, so even that will be new). I guess I was just concerned that... there is only so much head space available for working out problems. If you can automatically do 1/2 of it, then you have plenty of head space for working out the other half. Does that make sense? I don't believe in practice just for busywork. The end goal is to make sure subtraction is as natural as breathing LOL. And even though both of my children completely understand the concept, getting the answer still takes work. Anyway.. as always thank you for your insight!! More to consider...
I find that doing a few extra examples of a concept daily -- regardless whatever else you're working on -- gets better results than working 100 extra examples all at one time.
I agree with you that the addition (up to 18) and corresponding subtraction needs to be automatic, especially when you start getting into higher level math. We have been drilling these math facts with flash cards most weekdays for about a year, alternating addition or subtraction each day. It is now getting close to automatic, but there are a few my son still needs to think about to figure out. It seems to me that this skill just comes through consistent practice over a long time.
Try this... rather than spending a lot of time on it, just throw it into the mix of whatever you're doing that day. You can change detest into motivation by spending just 1 minute (timed) doing whatever it is you want done quickly. The number of problems should reflect how many you think "can" be done in a minute (like how many you can do, minus a few). Each day, give one minute. Anything that isn't finished doesn't matter; however, the day he's able to complete all of it in one minute, he gets a prize (whatever he likes... time on a game, trip to a park, money, a new toy, etc.)
I disagree with the need to be able to do basic math quickly. As long as they understand the concepts, they will be equipped for higher math. I was never fast, but made straight A's in high school.
Sounds a little similar to Singapore's method. We are using Singapore this year and it has done so much to increase my children's mental math skills. I was always taught the standard way where I had to line up a problem and subtract the ones and then the tens. I wish I was taught the other way. Singapore does teach both ways, but teaches the standard method after the child is able to do it the other way in his head. I took a week or so off from our regular math with my younger son to give him more practice with subtraction. He didn't mind though. I used stickers and running around the room breaks after he handed me 10 correct flashcards where he had figured out the answer in 5 seconds or less.
I personally prefer the adding up method. I introduced my kids to several methods. They use the traditional method. It took my dd several years before she was comfortable subtracting with borrowing. She still needs reminding to borrow on occasion. Both kids will be in pre-algebra. Can't wait to see how she responds to negative numbers. My dh says that if you don't believe in math it won't work for you.
