Motivational Cards for Fraction Division
I recently stumbled across a great and easy fraction division lesson from Indonesia. Children created motivational cards while learning fraction division.
Keep, Change, Flip: Are Algorithms our Frenemies?
In our zest to have children learn math deeply and creatively, professional math educators sometimes give the impression that algorithms are the enemy. In my opinion, nothing could be further from the truth.
Why is Fraction Arithmetic So Hard AND Important!
I recently stumbled upon the work of Robert Siegler, a professor of cognitive psychology at Carnegie Mellon University who is working with several colleagues to determine why fraction arithmetic is so difficult. Of course, all the researchers he’s worked with should also be acknowledged (see below), but this is one of those times you read […]
A Fraction-Algebra Sandwich
Peck and Matassa (2016) recently published a research paper that reinforced why fraction division and multiplication is such an important topic for children to master. We often hear that understanding fractions is a gateway to learning algebra, and these authors offered some pretty compelling reasons why that’s the case. Before we get to the study, […]
Teaching Fractions with Newton’s Nemesis
Today, I uploaded a new video on YouTube that condenses all the research behind my math mystery comic book series, Newton’s Nemesis. It’s fast paced and 7-minutes long. Every time I need to learn something (like my recent adventure changing a burnt out headlight in my car), I search for a video on YouTube. That […]
