How to Teach Multiplication: What We Are Trying
We are on an amazing journey with our oldest son, Henry. He is teaching us so much about how to be more patient people. We are learning to breathe deeply, to let things go. I am working on lowering my obsessively high expectations of others. I am learning to focus in on the positive rather than drill down on the negative. Even questions like “how to teach multiplication” require thought and intention because of the challenges he has (and the challenges that Matt and I have that exacerbate Henry’s challenges).
Henry’s therapist is recommending a full assessment because he suspects ADHD and a learning disability. I share all of this publicly because I believe that the more we share with each other and the more vulnerable we are, the less alone we all feel. And that goes for Henry, too. I don’t want him to feel any shame if it turns out that he has ADHD and/or a learning disability. I want him to see these things as differences that will feel like challenges at times but will also reveal themselves to be incredible assets in other ways.
He struggles to memorize spelling. Handwriting is also a big challenge. He also never learned his addition facts with rapid recall. Now that he is in 3rd grade, we are moving on to multiplication.
I love this free online program for memorizing math facts, but it stresses Henry out. So instead we are trying flashcards and written practice tests.
I made a multiplication chart so he can track facts as he masters them. We call it Karate Math so he can earn “belts” as he progresses through. I used wood beads we had at the house and colored them with different sharpies. As he masters a level, we add the bead to a keychain on his backpack. When he masters all of them, we are going to celebrate by taking him to his favorite restaurant and letting him pick an activity.
I’m trying to minimize the amount of homework he does each night. He needs expansive time for playing and relaxing and generally feeling successful. We’ve reduced it to spelling, reading to and being read to, and practicing multiplication facts. I wish we had time for (writing, math word problems, math fluency, etc.). But I have to cut back. This feels like a good compromise so far.
21 Comments
Melissa
Sara, I’m a math teacher for 3rd graders, so I’ve thought a lot about how to help kiddos memorize multiplication facts… and I’ve found that traditional flash cards can be really frustrating for kids with learning differences. My favorite flashcards are ones that have a pictorial representation of the fact on one side and the full equation on the other. The first step is for kids to be able to quickly say the full equation that goes with the pictorial representation (when they are learning, it is okay to count or think logically to figure out the equation) and then once they have visual meanings that they associate with each fact, ask them to move onto giving you the product in the equation. Visuals that I use are ten frames for the doubles (x2), double doubles (x4), and double double doubles (x8). I also use arrays on a 100’s grid that is marked in quarters for the 5’s, 6’s, 7’s, 9’s and 10’s.
Sara Cotner
That makes sense, Melissa! Do you have a link to the particular kind of cards you like? Thank you!
Erin Fields
Do you use the Montessori multiplication checkerboard? It makes me so mad that I was made to memorize math facts instead of actually learn how math works. Things like cubes and squares of numbers make literal, visual sense in ways they never did even though High School math (where I did well).
Sara Cotner
Hi, Erin! Yes, the Montessori materials are so helpful!
Marie Appling
Greg Tang flashcards is what Melissa is referring to. I use them in my class. Greg Tang has a book to go with them too.
See here—>
https://tangmath.com/collections/single-decks-bundles
That link takes you directly to his store and you want the Great Times flash cards.
There is also a game that is lots of fun called Kakooma.
Honestly, I think you would love his entire site (gregtangmath.com) AND he does professional development. I have thoroughly enjoyed his workshops.
Sara Cotner
Hi, Marie! Great to “see” you around here! I think I ordered Greg’s stuff a while back (when we were still working on adding). I’ll go back and see if we have the multiplication stuff. Thanks!
Melissa
So I knew about Greg Tang’s books (love this one– https://www.amazon.com/Math-All-Seasons-Mind-Stretching-Scholastic/dp/0439755379), but I didn’t know about his cards. They look very cool.
I think I was probably inspired by Jo Boaler’s printable cards, available here: https://www.youcubed.org/tasks/math-cards/, but I wound up making cards that use the visual representations from the math program used in my school district.
Sara Cotner
Thank you so much for sharing, Melissa!
Tracee
Hi Sara! Long time reader! I just want to say that some of Henry’s struggles sound like my sons. After years of problems we finally got a diagnosis of adhd/odd/ and a phonological processing delay. Basically dyslexia for sounds. He literally could not sound out words and forget spelling. It’s not well known and a lot of people miss it so I wanted to mention it. Reading therapy helped a lot along with a lot of hard work. Sending good vibes your way!!!!
Sara Cotner
So interesting, Tracee! Thank you for sharing! If you don’t mind my asking, what route are you taking for the ADHD/ODD?
Tracee
We did diet elimination and behavioral therapy for the adhd/odd. I noticed a huge difference in his ability to concentrate when he didn’t have complex carbs. I’m not sure if you have IEPs in Montessori but his classroom modifications helped a lot. He was able to move around or stand up if he needed to. We initially tried medication but he asked to be taken off as he didn’t like how it made him feel. It’s been about 8 years now since his inital diagnosis
Sara Cotner
Thank you, Tracee! I definitely think nutrition impacts Henry, as well as what’s going on in his gut. We have seen a huge spike in his defiance for the past two weeks, and I realized he was on antibiotics for a staff infection. I’m wondering if it wiped out all his good gut bacteria as well. I also think he doesn’t handle gluten well. It’s a journey!
Allyson JB
Hi Sara, Thank you for being open to sharing your parenting journey with Henry! It so helped me to feel less alone when I read this post! My son has ADHD-combined type, dyslexia, and dysgraphia. I have learned SO much on this journey with him and it has helped me evolve so much as a parent, a professional, and a community member. There are some fabulous and supportive Facebook groups that may help you help Henry. Would it be helpful to share these recommendations? Will you be seeing a neuropsychologistfor the evaluation? PS I totally get the after school homework struggles! When our kids work so hard at school to try their best despite everything being soooo much harder for them, when they come home – the downtime and decompression they need is downright medicinal. 💜💜💜
Tracee
Me again, I forgot to mention that while my sons delay was phonological it never presented in his speech patterns as he was and still is extremely articulate which is how the drs missed the diagnosis at first, so reading therapy is much different than speech therapy. I always forget to mention that it can affect more than speech sorry!
Sara Cotner
I will be sure to mention it to the diagnostician!
Allyson JB
Hi Sara, Thank you for being open to sharing your parenting journey with Henry! It so helped me to feel less alone when I read this post! My son has ADHD-combined type, dyslexia, and dysgraphia. I have learned SO much on this journey with him and it has helped me evolve so much as a parent, a professional, and a community member. There are some fabulous and supportive Facebook groups that may help you help Henry. Would it be helpful to share these recommendations? Will you be seeing a neuropsychologist for the evaluation?
PS I totally get the after school homework struggles! When our kids work SO hard at school to try their best despite everything being soooo much more challenging for them, when they come home – the downtime and decompression they need is downright medicinal. 💜💜💜
Sara Cotner
Hi, Allyson! Thank you for being here! Yes, please share your recommendations. That would be great!
Along the lines of what you are saying, my therapist has helped me start to develop more empathy for how hard Henry has to work during the day. And for how hard it is for him to follow what seem like basic directions to me. I’m writing down “All the Things to Remember About Henry” and one of them is: Don’t Get Mad About Things He’s Not Doing on Purpose.
I really have to grow as a parent and person. I need to hurry and process more of my trauma to release the things that exacerbate Henry’s issues.
You just inspired me to add a new thing to my Henry Guide: “Remember I Am Becoming a Better Person Because of Henry—Feel Constant Gratitude for that”
Thanks, Allyson!
Mary B.
I taught for an Alternative school in my local public board, and we did a big push on using number talks to explore different strategies for multiplication rather than traditional drill and memorization. We found this worked much better for some of our exceptional learners, and also helped students learn to evaluate problem-solving strategies and their effectiveness. Number talks focus on mental math strategies, but can also incorporate hands-on tools.
Sara Cotner
I love number talks, Mary! Thank you for reminding me about them. I haven’t thought about them in a long time. Here’s a book if others are interested as well: https://amzn.to/3243XbA
Katie Zaback
Wow Sarah, your willingness to tackle tough issue in the space is amazing. I just wanted to share with you that I can remember being that kid who struggled with memorizing of any kind. I still remember studying hours every night for spelling tests. Only to get different words wrong each of the 5 times I took them. I never scored more than a C in spelling and to this day when employers ask about my greatest weakness I still say Spelling! At some point I just came to terms with the fact that my brain doesn’t do memorization. With computation, I never figured things out until I got into higher level math and could define logical approaches and patterns to help me. But I remember the greatest gift my parents gave me is encouragement to try new strategies, confidence that I would figure things out, permission to advocate for myself and a willingness to meet me where I was. I use those things every single day and they are the things that have allowed me to thrive as an adult. As you work through this with Henry and yourself keep in mind that learning isn’t always about the outcome, it’s the process that you go through to get there that is just as important. Let Henry know that he will get it, because he will, and you’ll be there when he does. (I know you know all of this as an educator, but I had to share because these struggles are such a huge part of my learning story).
Sara Cotner
I LOVE this, Katie! Thank you for sharing! Everything you’re saying is so aligned with Montessori. The idea is that each of us has different things that we’re good at, and we should lean into our strengths instead of feeling shame about the things we aren’t good at. Everyone is good a different things, and together we make the world go around! I struggle with this so much because I can foresee all the ways in which Henry will struggle in school if he can’t spell or write legibly. But he will struggle more if he feels incompetent and ashamed of himself. Thank you for the reminder!