Multiple ways to multiply

When I was in grade school the way I got through math was to memorize it, get it, then forget it. I was not and am not great at math. Especially basic math. I would study to memorize it do great on the tests and forget it and move on. Once I got to older more complicated math is when it hit me. I DON'T UNDERSTAND!

This section in Math 1510 70, we are learning all the different ways to multiply. TEACHING ways to do it not memorizing it. One way that I started to like very much is:

Lattice Multiplication

I feel that this way of doing multiplication is very beneficial to students who are visual learners. You can see how and why it works without just writing a bunch of numbers down.

Another way to multiply that I found very neat, is called the Russian Peasant Method of Multiplication:

I feel that this is a fairly easy way to multiply on paper because it turns multiplication basically back into addition and subtraction. Which is a basic skill. I feel that if you have time and paper this method works just as well as the lattice method especially if you do not know you times table.

Math for Elementary Teachers

I am currently in week two of my first set of Math for Elementary Teachers class. I feel that this is a very important class for anyone going into the Elementary Teaching field. Math is always very important subject and some people seem to get it and some don't. Hopefully with the help of this class I can learn how to develop the kids that don't and give the kids that do what they need to succeed!


One problem that I seem to struggle with is the teaching of the repetition and memorization. Most people that even get math, do not actually understand how exactly or why it works, they just have been taught to memorize and apply formulas. Hopefully with new tools we can get past that a learn how to teach reasoning!