Long division is a mess--advice?

[sbgrace]

My 3rd grade boys, and one in particular, are just not ready for long division. We're using a Singapore based program (Math in Focus), so long division is introduced in the first semester of 3rd grade. We just weren't ready so I stalled to solidify things and eventually just went on to the 2nd semester book.

 

We went back to long division today. We are still not ready. I think I could force one child through and he could likely manage it, but probably not with the understanding I'd like. The other there is just no way, and he's not even close.

 

I looked in Math Mammoth 3 to see if Maria presented better and noticed long division is in 4B! Now I don't know what to do.

 

Should I just switch to Math Mammoth for 4th grade?

 

Keep plugging with long division until we can move to the 4th grade books in Math in Focus?

 

Something else?

 

If I go to Math Mammoth, will it mess up my use of Singapore's CWP? I'm working a grade behind in CWP and hoped to use 3rd grade books next year.

[Dana]

I really liked using base 10 blocks to demonstrate long division.

We spent one day only doing problems with the blocks. The next day I showed how to use math notation after first doing the problem with the blocks. Had my son do the problems then with the blocks first, then with the notation. On the third day I let him try just the notation. If he got a problem wrong, he had to show me with the blocks, then he could write the work.

 

It was kind of slow, but it really paid off.

[Guest Amach]

I was just thinking about how I love the way that BA explains long division. I am new to homeschooling (this is our first year) so I don't know if this is the common way, the way that I learned was a little different. Long division is done as repeated subtraction, like multiplication is repeated addition. So say you were doing the problem 63 divided by 4. My dd would think that 4x10=40 is pretty close to 63 so we will start there.

10

4|63

-40

=23

so after taking 10 4's from 63 you are left with 23. She would then recall that 4x5=20. Keeping track of how many 4's you are taking away it now looks like

10+5

4|63

-40

=23

-20

=3

 

we can't take 4 from 3 so there is a remainder of 3.

63 divided by 4 is 15 remainder 3.

[Alte Veste Academy]

http://educationunboxed.com/long_division_1.html

 

These videos were a huge help here. :)

[kaymom]

We just finished up MIF 4B and it was our first year to HS too. We had to go back to 3A to teach multiplication and division and then moved forward with 4A & 4B. I think MIF's way of teaching LD can be confusing (we did learn it their way, but switched when then numbers got too large to make sense doing it that way) and I had to teach my son the way I learned it 30+ years ago. I'm not sure if that makes sense. It just got too confusing and it was easier for my son to bring down the next place value with the remainder vs. bringing down the whole thing. I loved loved using c-rods and I highly recommend them for division--very good for showing how division works. I also like the idea of base 10 or even counters with the place value chart that is at the back of the MIF teacher's edition (or make one yourself). We've used MM during the summer and I like it too. I can't answer the CWP question as we have not felt the need for them with all of the WP in MIF. MIF 4A & 4B assumes you know multiplication and long division, so you'll need to master those before moving on; at least for most chapters. You could also just use the MM standalone series for division this summer and then move into the MIF books this fall, no problem.

[kagmypts]

I thought that this link was helpful:

 

http://www.homeschoo...ivision_why.php

 

There is a link at the beginning of this explanation (that explains the repeated subtraction), and I would click on that as well!

[Mommy22alyns]

You know your child best, and if you think it won't happen with good understanding, listen to that. You can use the CWP with a different curriculum.

[Crimson Wife]

I haven't seen MiF, but I thought the chapter in Singapore 3A on multi-digit multiplication and long division was HORRIBLE. I wound up taking oldest DD through the relevant sections in MM "blue" Multiplication 2 and Division 2 first and using the chapter in Singapore as additional practice. I plan on doing the same for DS (he is currently working through the measurement chapters in 3B while finishing mastering his times tables).

[garddwr]

I think it would be fine to wait and teach long division in 4th grade. You wouldn't necessarily need to switch curriculum--just skip over the long division bits and come back to them when you are ready.

 

 

If it helps, I used base 10 blocks to explain the algorithm: http://growingwisely.com/2013/04/06/long-division-with-manipulatives/