"Why" is the question that leads to real mathematical learning. The reason is simple - if you don't have to take time to think about or calculate the answer to a simple multiplication problem, you're going to be able to spend more time thinking about why you're doing it. Unfortunately, the reality is that the students who know their times tables the most seem to have the easiest time doing harder problems. Some people say that students don't need to learn their times tables because they're always going to have a calculator (or a phone these days) with them. Times tables are what you learned in 3rd and 4th grade - the grid with 1 through 12 across the top, and 1 through 12 down the side, and you had to fill-in all 144 answers by multiplying when your teacher probably told you "you've got 5 minutes to complete this." Seems like a pretty easy task for a middle school student, doesn't it?įor many students, it surprisingly isn't. In my experience, the biggest skill that has an impact on student success in the middle school is a knowledge of times tables.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |