Allison TX Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 My ds9 (almost 10) is having such a hard time with memorizing the multiplication facts. We have tried flash cards, drill sheets, holey cards...nothing is sticking. He does know all the easy ones (0,1,2,5,10). We have been working on this for more than a year! He is going into 4th grade and I'm worried that he will not be able to move forward in math until he has these facts memorized. I sure would appreciate any ideas. Thanks! Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Have you tried using movement or music? For music, check out Schoolhouse Rock, I'm pretty sure they have some multiplication songs. For movement, something like doing them while jumping on a trampoline, or throwing a ball, might help. Finally, have you tried using games for practicing recall? It's more important to be able to call it up when you need it than to recite a table, so playing multiplication war with a deck of cards (like regular war, but you lay down two cards each and have to multiply them, and highest wins, or multiply the one card each together and student wins if they get it right, or get it faster, depending on which is more useful at the time), or finding a multiplication game for the computer, software or online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 is what I use with my daughters... they memorize a story that goes along with a math fact. My dd8 only needs to hear it once and then she just...knows it from then on. We just started and we'll be through by end of summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 We have the same problem here and haven't conquered it yet. One friend told me that she took just a handful of the flashcards for some of the hardest ones and had her dd go through them five times, five times/day. When they were solid she went to the next group of hard ones, etc. I think with the 6, 7, 8s this might be a good idea instead of just going through the whole stack over and over and staying slow (or getting wrong) the hard ones - which is sometimes our experience. Dana's Times Table the Fun Way sounds like a great idea too. And I have another friend who bought the school-house rock stuff recently. Good luck and tell us what works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I gave my oldest (who would NOT drill :glare:) a table, told her she cold use it for her lessons, but NOT her tests She never missed one on a test and knows them now..... I have issues with drill i've discovered - i had a HORRID 5th grade teacher, and making my kids drill multiplication tables brings back the worst of my school memories..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 is what I use with my daughters... they memorize a story that goes along with a math fact. My dd8 only needs to hear it once and then she just...knows it from then on. We just started and we'll be through by end of summer. :iagree: I second this. I've used the CD and workbook with both of my boys now. We've had a lot of success. The CD is a little pricey, but really worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 We used the book 'Times Tales' and - no joke - my girls had their facts 6-9 memorized in 1/2 an hour. Give it a try :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I too gave my dd a multiplication table and have seen a lot of progress with that. She's a visual learner and it means she's just plain seeing the numbers a lot, seeing the relationships, seeing numbers that AREN'T the ones she's looking for but are in the same row, meaning they come to her faster too. In other words, her division is going faster from using the multiplication table to do her multiplication. I found one online and printed it off, nothing fancy, and just leave it in her math book. We still do the Flashmaster, Abeka drills, triangle flashcards, etc., but for my visual learner, using the table has been really great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathy in IL Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I tried all the things mentioned with my dd. Nothing worked. I even tried paying her a dime for each fact memorized. Finally I decided to simply not make it an issue. If she gets stuck on a fact while working on her math, I tell her the answer. This method is working. She only has a couple she needs to ask about anymore and is enjoying math again. Every now and then she still like to use Quarter Mile Math. I have her do some multiplication on it, and I let her practice facts she chooses too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Have you looked at the Flashmaster? I just ordered one from Amazon for about $55. You can search the archives for other people's comments on it. It sounds like it's very useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 My ds9 (almost 10) is having such a hard time with memorizing the multiplication facts. We have tried flash cards, drill sheets, holey cards...nothing is sticking. He does know all the easy ones (0,1,2,5,10). We have been working on this for more than a year! He is going into 4th grade and I'm worried that he will not be able to move forward in math until he has these facts memorized. I sure would appreciate any ideas. Thanks! Allison I'll just add a different twist to all the great answers here....I was worried about ds at the end of 3rd grade for the same reason. So, we worked on some drills last summer on our short break. Then, he was getting overwhelmed with it, so I quit until we started up our regular R&S program which included drills through the year. Now we are on the other side of 4th grade, and his facts have vastly improved. hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obi-Mom Kenobi Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Been there! My son didn't know his math facts very well until the middle of his sixth grade year. He will sometimes waver a bit on one or two, even now, but he seems to sense when something seems wrong and stops himself to figure it out. We just kept going with his math lessons, without emphasizing the fact that he hadn't yet memorized them. He still used his flashcards, played the license plate game (take the first two numbers of the license plate in front of you and multiply them together, repeat with other license plates you can see), filled in a multiplication grid, found other ways to figure out the answer (6X8 is the same as 3X8 doubled), played mutiplication war (flip two cards instead of one and multiply the numbers to get the higher score - Jack was 10, Queen was 11, King was 12, and Ace was 15) and used his multiplication grid when he really got stuck. I think me getting uptight about the math facts only slowed us down in the end. I wish I'd relaxed about them sooner. Good luck and happy summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shalom22 Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Have you looked at the Flashmaster? I just ordered one from Amazon for about $55. You can search the archives for other people's comments on it. It sounds like it's very useful. :iagree: I have the same problem with dd 11, she was having such a difficult time the multiplication. I have used the flash cards, making her fill out a times sheet on a daily basis, etc. I decided to give the Flashmaster a try. I found a used one on homeschoolclassified.com for $42.00. As soon as we got it, she grabbed it up and has been doing the timed drill on it. I think that it is great, so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayle in Guatemala Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 after this :banghead: for a year. I tried everything and what finally made it stick was the Schoolhouse Rock videos on multiplication (they have 0-12) I found on YouTube. Seriously. Do you remember these from when you were a kid? I still remember these. It's what finally worked with him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allison TX Posted July 1, 2008 Author Share Posted July 1, 2008 Thank you for all the suggestions! I am going to look into all your ideas. It is nice to know I am not the only one who has a dc like this. I am on family vacation right now and have been hearing over and over again from the in-laws that ds is "behind in math" because he hasn't memorized the facts! They are not fond of homeschooling. :glare: I am ready to pull my hair out! Thanks again for all the ideas and the reassurance.:) Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly on the prairie Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 We used the book 'Times Tales' and - no joke - my girls had their facts 6-9 memorized in 1/2 an hour. Give it a try :) I swear by this program!! We were finished with our oldest in about an hour and I couldn't keep my youngest out of the stories. We only had to go back to review one time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love2Learn Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 We used the free version of Timez Attack. My son loved this! It is video-game like and teaches the tables 1 through 12. http://www.playkidsgames.com/games/timezAttack/timezAttack.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 We used the book 'Times Tales' and - no joke - my girls had their facts 6-9 memorized in 1/2 an hour. Give it a try :) What she said! Worked like a charm (the computer version). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nutmeg Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I gave my oldest (who would NOT drill :glare:) a table, told her she cold use it for her lessons, but NOT her tests She never missed one on a test and knows them now..... I too gave my dd a multiplication table and have seen a lot of progress with that. She's a visual learner and it means she's just plain seeing the numbers a lot, seeing the relationships, seeing numbers that AREN'T the ones she's looking for but are in the same row, meaning they come to her faster too. Similar to these ladies, but I gave my eldest a blank times table daily. After she filled it out, she could use it for the day's assignments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2boys Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Not the original poster, but I am having the same problem with my ds11. Thanks for all the great advice ladies! :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 After doing lots of drill with my two, I let it go and allowed them to have a tables sheet on their desks. It wasnt long before they knew them, but it took the pressure off and the stress. I just don't think you can force something like that. I would at least give it a break. I personally dont think it holds kids back in maths to not have their tables down cold- if they have done drill, its all in there and it will come. Some kids just dont memorise so easily as others, but mine seem to know them now that they use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabrina Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Math facts are important when you get into the higher levels of math. It is very easy to get lost during an algebra problem if you have to stop to figure out a multiplication fact. However, you have some time to work on that. I think that giving a child a table will help a visual child. It is a great idea to keep you from getting behind in other concepts. Eventually the child won't need to look it up. You should still keep drilling. Playing War works well. Another good game is to roll two ten sided dice and multiply the numbers that come up. Also any of those game that you buy where you have to manipulate the numbers. DK used to have a good one and Discovery Toys sold on also. With flashcards I have alway started with all and going fast will throw out the ones the child can get by the count of 5 (then I move down to a 3 count, 2 count, etc). This way you are left with the "hard" ones to work on but they have built confidence on the "easy" ones. Another thing that has worked for us is that you only need to learn facts one way. I am a certified math teacher and I never memorized 8 x 7 b/c I know 7 x 8 is 56! Don't make a child learn things that they don't need. Show them that multiplication is commutative and cut their work in half. I hope that this helps a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockala Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I had this problem too. My children are very right brained and this year at convention I picked these up. The idea is things stick better in your right brain and commit to long term memroy for right brainers quickly when you use color and humor. These are large cards that tell stories and show a colorful picture that go along with the story. Velcros it in quick. My kids are 11 and 12 and now just learned them- we struggled for years..flashmaster and all before discovering this one. www.dinnecraft.org kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisychics Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 www.dinnecraft.org kathy I was trying this site out :confused:.... I saw this website... I think this is the one? :D Right Brain Multiplication Cards. http://stores.diannecraft.org/Detail.bok?no=14 Thanks for sharing this Kathy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Similar to these ladies, but I gave my eldest a blank times table daily. After she filled it out, she could use it for the day's assignments. Dang, i wish i'd thought of that! Brilliant! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockala Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Yes that is the one, the story is on the side not shown. I know the $29.99 price tag is a lot for flashcards. We really struggled and this went right in and so made it worth it for us. It is helpful in all other areas if you do find out you have a right brainer. My daughter makes up stories and colors in a paper whenever whe has to remember something and it really helps her. it is true that the color/humor thing works. You could just make your own!:001_smile: Kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 http://www.emit.org/flashcards.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allison TX Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 Thanks for all the great ideas! I appreciate it. :001_smile: Allison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supermom Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 The best site I have found for quick and easy drilling is www.honorpoint.com . My kids have used that for just 5 or 10 minutes a day. We click on "Drills". They are being timed and they repeat trying to get a better "time". It's not a game. You don't register. It takes 10 seconds for the page to come up and you can be done in just a few minutes. Really convenient and to the point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apheartsong Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 One thing that is really important while she's memorizing is input. Have a set of flashcards with the answers on them. Don't "test" or drill until she has had enough input. Let her memorize the cards with the answers on them so she doesn't guess and learn the wrong answers. If you look at http://www.littlegiantsteps.com they have Math Facts in a Flash for all the operations. You do it 7 minutes total per day. HTH Allison in TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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