Things That Should Be Banned From
the Elementary Math Class…
1) “Touchpoint Math”
2) The Calendar
3) The 100 Chart
4) Fact Families
5) Base Ten Blocks
6) “Gallon” Man
7) The “9s” Trick
8) Reducing Fractions
9) Running Equal Signs
10) Silly Mnemonics and “Cutsey Poo”
11) Timed Tests for Math Facts
12) The Words “Guess” and” Magic”
Clkr.com
1. “Touchpoint” Math
A system where digits are
assigned touch points, and
sums are figured by
counting all the points.
2. The Calendar “Routine”
What day of the week is
it? Yesterday? Tomorrow?
What month is it?
What’s the weather ?
What is the date today?
Yesterday? Tomorrow?
What is the calendar pattern?
What comes next?
How many days have we
been in school?
3. 100 Chart
The 100 chart is not an optimal model of our number system.
Visually overwhelming
Assumes tracking ability
Encourages confusing
terminology
90 is a “low” number.
2 is a “high” number.
89 is “closer” to 100 than 92 so its
bigger.
4. Fact Families
Teacher models:
2+3 = 5
3+2 = 5
5-2 = 3
5-3 = 2
Students “over-generalize”
and add:
5+2 = 3
5+3 = 2
3-2 = 5
2–3 = 5
2-5 = 3
3-5 = 2
5. Base Ten Blocks
25 + 37 with base ten blocks
“OK. 10,20, 21,22,23,24,25
10,20,30,31,32,33,34,35,35,37.
10,20,30,40,50. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10.
That’s 60. 61, 62.”
Ten Frames
25 + 37 solved with ten frames
“So, I see 5 tens, then if I put these
two fives together, I have 6 tens
and 2 left over – that’s 62.”
6. Mr. “Gallon” Man
How many ounces in a gallon?
Who cares?!
7. The “nines” trick for multiplication
facts.
8. Reducing Fractions
“Reducing Fractions”
4/8
2/4
½
If I reduce 4/8 to ½, it will be less fattening.
9. Running Equal Signs
2 + 6 + 4 = 2 + 10 = 12
13-3 = 13-3-1 =10-1 =9
(Examples from CCSS document 1.OA)
10.“My Dear Aunty Sally” mnemonics
Bottoms Bigger? Better Borrow!
Dead Mice Smell Bad
Order of Operations (?)
Foil FOIL
11. Timed Tests
Of course children should learn and be fluent
in math fact retrieval, but timed
tests perpetuate the myth
that math is about being fast
and discourage persistence
and promote thoughtlessness
and jumping to conclusions.
Timed tests are only
effective for students
who are goal oriented
and who can perform
in pressure situations.
Timed tests reward
few and punish many.
They can have a lasting
negative effect on
student attitudes and
should be avoided.
12. The Words “Magic” and “Guess”
Clkr.com
“Guess”
Stomp out Bad Math!
Stomp Out Bad Math!
Thank You!
Angela Giglio Andrews
Math Intervention Associates
Tel:630-378-0995
auntymath@comcast.net
Kdg. teacher, Math Intervention Teacher 1-3, Gifted Math Teacher 35, 1st Grade Intervention Math Specialist, Naperville #203, (1984-2005)
Asst. Prof. of Math Education, National Louis University, (2005 – 2011)
Math Recovery Specialist and Trainer, author, lecturer and
consultant.