Hello blog world!
My name is Ally Rourke and I just started being a Learning Coach for a 5th grade student enrolled at Agora Cyber Charter School, a free public online school for Pennsylvania students.
I am really excited about this format for schooling. It wouldn’t suit everyone, but my student, RB, seems to love it! Today we did two Kitchen Chemistry experiments (growing rock candy and making ice cream); he also began taking academic assessments which will place him in the appropriate spot in the 5th grade curriculum in math, language arts and science. At the end of the the day, we collaboratively planned his assignments for tomorrow, so that RB can begin working even while I have my hands full of little ones (I am a work at home mom who runs a small scale day care out of my home.) RB and I felt really happy about our first full day working together. It feels so good to bring joy back into learning for a very bright, motivated, independent-minded student who just wasn’t thriving in a classroom environment.
We are off to a good start!
Today we take on memorizing the times tables! I am excited. I hope RB will be too!
ReplyDeleteHey Rocky!
ReplyDeleteToday I want us to look at your times tables. I have observed that you already know your 1 and 2 tables. That leaves 28 facts left in the 3-9 tables.
Can I make you memorize these tables? No. I can’t *make* you memorize them anymore than I can *make* Ryan take a nap. But, it will be much more convenient for you if you do memorize them (both backwards and forwards, meaning multiplication and division 3x4=12 AND 12/3=4 and vice versa.)
So, I have set up four sets of flash cards just for you. I would really like you to work on this for 20 minutes today and then 2 or 3 minutes every school day for the rest of the year. Math will be so much easier for you if you have your multiplication table memorized!
I have divided your practice into four manageable pieces.
The first one is doubles (AKA square number vs. square roots)
That takes the 28 facts down to 21 facts.
Next, Let’s do the nines. Remember, All the answers to the nines tables if you add their digital roots equal 9. (For example, 3x9=18 and 1+8=9, this is part of why the hands trick works.)
That takes care of six more facts. Now there’s just 15 left!
Let’s break those last 14 facts up into two groups: 3s and 4s: 9 facts
And, finally, 4s, 5s, 6s, 7s and 8s: 6 facts