Here at The College of New Jersey, Elementary Education majors are responsible for taking a methods course which teaches mathematics for grades k-5. One of the most important topics of study is multiplication and knowing the best ways to teach this topic to students. The oldest way to solve multiplication problems is through algorithms. Newer methods such as partial product and the lattice method are becoming more and more popular. So which method is best?
After viewing a video on U-Tube titled, “Math Education: An Inconvenient Truth” I decided all ways are appropriate methods for a teacher to be fluent in for teaching multiplication. The reason being, not all students learn the same way. The traditional algorithm method applies to students who prefer to solve through formulas and repetition. The set up is the same, line up the number, if necessary carry the one over to then next place value, and then add up the results to obtain the product. This method focuses on place value and works addition and subtraction skills in a repetitive form.
The partial product method focuses on breaking up the numbers into small numbers, still focusing on the place value, but also working with mental math. This method works best for students who prefer to solve problems mentally, or do not like writing tedious applications.
The final method is the lattice method, which separates the numbers in a diamond divided square. This method works best for students who can not multiple large numbers mentally, and allows a break down of the problem into tiny, simplistic multiplication problems.
Personally, I was taught and enjoy using the traditional algorithm method, but the other methods are just as necessary and useful. Some students are going to relate to mathematical problems differently and want to solve them in numerous ways. A teacher must be prepared to alter lessons and methods so that they can conform to the needs of the students. Therefore, it does not matter which method is popular or easier, because in the long run every teacher should be familiar with as many varieties of methods as possible. Similar to the famous Forest Gump quote, “A class is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get, or who you are going to teach.”
Friday, April 6, 2007
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2 comments:
I personal love all the different ways to solve math problems. If you know me well, you know i have serious issues with numbers, however last semester in MTT i learned all alternative ways to solve addition, subtraction, multiplication etc... and I kept thinking to myself that I probably would have done much better as a student if I knew there were multiple ways to solve problems. I was done an injustice as a child, because I was never informed that there are multiple ways to solve math, and not everybody learns the same way or at the same pace. Who knows, I might have been a math wiz today if my teachers took the time to show me alternative algorithms
Larissa
I agree; however, sometimes I wonder if teaching too many different methods can almost be a disservice to students. When learning multiplication, I was taught a few methods. The method that stuck with me, was the "lattice" method. Although this method helped me learn multiplication easier, I think that I was harmed in my later years. It was almost as if learning this method was a "cop-out". I couldn't understand the larger number multiplications in my head, so I just simplified the problem and made it single digit multiplications. This method stuck with me, and I still use it today. Although it works, it takes me a lot longer (by the time I draw the whole lattice board, etc) to figure out the problem than if I did the problem using the original method. Are we sometimes complicating issues more by giving students too many ways to figure things out?
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