Do you let your kids use study aids?

[Melinda]

Things like multiplication charts? I have a 7 1/2 year old who is doing Singapore 3A. My husband gave him a multiplication chart and he is now using it for all his multiplication and division...even the easy stuff (like 5x5). Will he depend on it less as he does the problems more or should I work strictly on multiplication tables for the next couple weeks and make him quit using it entirely?

[2smartones]

I think it depends on the kid, really. Some would use it to cheat and be lazy (like me... LOL!), but those who are visual (like my kids) may learn best by burning the picture of that chart into their heads. We use all kinds of charts with great success when other methods haven't worked.

[Crimson Wife]

I allow it for enrichment type stuff like Zaccaro's Challenge Math but not for main curriculum.

[Dinsfamily]

I allow it for enrichment type stuff like Zaccaro's Challenge Math but not for main curriculum.

 

I think this will be my policy. We actually took a long break in between PM 2A and 2B because my ds didn't have any trouble with the concept but couldn't figure out answers because he just didn't know his tables. We did a lot to reinforce them over a month and he has them down (the ones he's expected to know, anyway). We're about to start 3A and I'm really glad we took that time off.

 

We're also using Zaccaro's PCM and I wouldn't care if he needed the help. It's really just for exposure and fun.

[Halcyon]

Things like multiplication charts? I have a 7 1/2 year old who is doing Singapore 3A. My husband gave him a multiplication chart and he is now using it for all his multiplication and division...even the easy stuff (like 5x5). Will he depend on it less as he does the problems more or should I work strictly on multiplication tables for the next couple weeks and make him quit using it entirely?

 

 

By 3A I think your child should know his multiplication facts cold. If he doesn't, then put SM on hold to memorize them. And no, study helps like this are verboten in our hs. :)

[LizzyBee]

I think it depends on the kid, really. Some would use it to cheat and be lazy (like me... LOL!), but those who are visual (like my kids) may learn best by burning the picture of that chart into their heads. We use all kinds of charts with great success when other methods haven't worked.

 

:iagree: My very visual learner would never have learned her math facts without charts and triangle flash cards. When we tried other things, she kept getting slower instead of faster.

[catz]

I'm speaking as a visual learner with a math degree. I personally only had my math facts down enough to get through elementary math. I went to a school with a very rote, kill and drill curriculum. Because concepts were never done, I never retained. So I don't think I really "KNEW" my multiplication facts until algebra when it made sense to know them in context and I was using the constantly to solve real problems.

 

That said, I let my oldest use a multiplication table for a long time. I still had him do some drill, etc on the computer. But I didn't force his speed on math facts to hold back his conceptual learning. Now he is doing Singapore NEM 1 as a 4th grader and has no problem with his facts. Some kids do stop and need to focus on the facts for a while. Some kids won't really learn the facts until they need them to move forward. YMMV! :001_smile:

Edited December 14, 2010 by kck

[catz]

I'm glad to read this. I have tried everything to get my son to memorize the tables and he hasn't no matter what I've done. He does exceptionally well in math though. I can't see holding him back for that. He knows how to get the answer, it's just not lightening fast. I decided to stop worrying about it. ;)

 

 

I think there are just kids like this. I always thought as long as he knew them by the time we got to algebra, all we be well. Here we are, and all is well! :001_smile: I guess my own experience made me really laid back about facts given that I was a honor math student through high school, my BS degree, and beyond and was marginal at best at the kill and drill approach.

[MamaSheep]

Maybe you could wean him off gradually, one row at a time? Snip off a row, tape over it, or just print a table without that row. Give him some notice so that he can memorize the row that will be gone next week. That sort of thing.

 

I'm a big fan of having math facts memorized. I think it's really important to functioning efficiently as an adult.

 

BUT

 

I allowed my ds to use a multiplication table for a loooong time. In his case it was because I realized that he had some dreadfully negative emotional associations with memorizing multiplication facts. It was one of the things they worked on in third grade the last year he was in public school. That was a time when, in addition to sensory overwhelm all day every day, his anxiety and OCD were way over the top, he was seriously depressed, and had even reached the point of suicidal ideation. Every time I'd try to get him to memorize multiplication facts it brought all that fear and frustration up again and we'd plunge into darkness again. But if I just let him use a multiplication table we could move ahead into new concepts without all the dark associations. He caught on to long division very quickly and adored it. Fractions were fun. And then last spring when ds and I were talking about what we wanted to focus on for the next (this) school year, he actually said he thought it was time to go back and work on multiplication facts--IF he could do it with the Math U See materials, which are quite different in "feel" than what he was doing at school. Well, normally I'd think 8th grade is a bit late for a bright kid to be learning his multiplication tables, but in this case I'm just really proud of him for overcoming such a painful mental block.

 

So anyway, yes, I think there are times when study helps like multiplication tables are very much appropriate. Not just in traumatic circumstances, this is just an example. Different children have different "issues", and to me, the goal is to fit the learning to the child, not remodel the child to fit a curriculum.

[mom-2-1]

It really depends on the child----go with your gut on this one!