Number bonds vs fact families, and maturity?

[Janeway]

The other day, I was talking with my sister. I told her how my daughter knew all her math facts but was missing the problems that were number bonds so I assume daughter just isn't in to the school work right now. It is summer. She seems more focused on her dolls and playing and such. But my sister, who used to be a teacher, told me number bonds take a higher order of thinking and if daughter didn't want to do them or was simply missing them, I should skip them. She says they are not important. Ok, my sister was not a math teacher at all. In fact, she had a completely different focus and would tell you she hated math growing up, never liked teaching it in the classroom, and math was the one thing she really is glad to never have to teach again. But, when I think about it, I do not think I have seen other programs present number bonds like this. Everything else seemed to be more about fact families. I would love to hear opinions.

[Sarah0000]

How do you know the math facts but not number bonds? Or is it that your daughter just doesn't understand the terminology or purpose when asked to provide number bonds?

I start with number bonds straight away at three years old when first learning to count. I don't think it requires any particular maturity but I can see how it could seem that way if that kind of flexibility with manipulating numbers wasn't introduced for years after starting math. 

[nixpix5]

I definitely don't agree with your sister. Having worked in a Montessori environment I will never downplay what a young child can grasp mathematically when presented in a concrete way. Number bonds are critical to fully grasping numeric relationships. To me a number bond IS a fact family. In fact, when I draw number bonds I tend to put a minus sign down both of the sides and a plus across the bottom bond to show that fact family relationship. I do the same thing with multiplication/division fact families. They are an important piece to grasping algebraic missing numbers, and my DD is so happy to not only have mastered multiplication facts but get their relationship with division as it has made long division a breeze for her. I say don't listen to your sister ?

[Tanaqui]

One of the enormous problems we have with education in the US is the fact that people who are iffy on math go into elementary teaching and spread those iffy math feelings/skills to their students. Shockingly, people with weak arithmetic skills and a dislike of the subject aren't good at teaching it - and no matter how much experience and what degrees they have, I simply don't trust their opinions on the best way to teach arithmetic either.

[Ellie]

3 hours ago, Janeway said:

The other day, I was talking with my sister. I told her how my daughter knew all her math facts but was missing the problems that were number bonds so I assume daughter just isn't in to the school work right now. It is summer. She seems more focused on her dolls and playing and such. But my sister, who used to be a teacher, told me number bonds take a higher order of thinking and if daughter didn't want to do them or was simply missing them, I should skip them. She says they are not important. Ok, my sister was not a math teacher at all. In fact, she had a completely different focus and would tell you she hated math growing up, never liked teaching it in the classroom, and math was the one thing she really is glad to never have to teach again. But, when I think about it, I do not think I have seen other programs present number bonds like this. Everything else seemed to be more about fact families. I would love to hear opinions.

What are "number bonds"? I've used Rod and Staff Publishers and Saxon, besides having done math myself in school elebenty million years ago :-) . and I don't remember that term.

[Tanaqui]

Number bonds are basically fact families, except instead of memorizing 4+5=9, 5+4=9, 9-5=4, 9-4=5 as four separate facts students are encouraged to think of them as one fact. They sell flashcards around that principle, triangles and each point is a different number so you can hold them up with one number covered and have the kids give the covered number.

[Crimson Wife]

2 hours ago, Ellie said:

What are "number bonds"? I've used Rod and Staff Publishers and Saxon, besides having done math myself in school elebenty million years ago ? . and I don't remember that term.

Right Start calls them "part-whole circles". The whole goes on top and the parts stick off of it. My friend Jenny wrote a blog post illustrating it: https://teachingmybabytoread.com/2013/08/26/part-whole-circle-math/

[EKS]

Number bonds aren't something to memorize (and the term "number bond" isn't something that a person needs to know).  They are something that people who are fluent with arithmetic understand and use naturally.  If your daughter doesn't see the relationships now, just keep pointing them out, and she should eventually.

[letsplaymath]

I have an article explaining number bonds on my blog. You might find it helpful. It includes several game ideas to build fluency:

• https://denisegaskins.com/2007/01/13/number-bonds-better-understanding/