There are no silver bullets in math education and the memorization of multiplication tables alone will not solve all of the problems our students face. However when people make statements about memorizing math facts or “going back to the basics”, people likely have very different interpretations as to how we should get there. Memorizing Math Does Not Equal UnderstandingĪlthough the debate between traditional and reformed mathematics has been going on for decades, I think both groups ultimately want the same thing: students to be proficient in mathematics. There is no doubt in my mind that having multiplication tables memorized allows for making calculations without taxing working memory. If we recall what memorizing multiplication tables looked like when we were in school, you might picture flash cards, repeating products aloud or writing out your 7’s times tables repeatedly until it was engrained in your mind. It’s important that children understand this type of maths because there is an obvious benefit to knowing your multiplication tables when solving problems, but is it only the memorization of basic math that students lack? To help your children understand multiplication from a young age, you might want to consider giving them extra multiplication worksheets outside of school to ensure they understand the skill. This can be problematic for children as they grow older, multiplication will be widely used when they’re older and working. It seems that whenever things aren’t going well in the world of math education – or more poorly than usual – people are quick to claim that it is because students don’t know their basic math facts namely, memorizing multiplication tables. Liz Sandals – Ontario Minister of Education Understanding vs. That’s actually a great homework assignment: Learn your multiplication tables.
As you may have heard in the Globe and Mail or in my recent post, Ontario Education Minister, Liz Sandals recently tossed a comment into the media about the need for students to know their math facts:
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