Hi...I will be teaching kindergarten for the first time next year at a private school. (We are supposed to pretty much follow the state standards.) I just got a list of all the standards for math, and at the bottom was a standard that the kids should memorize multiplication facts 2's - 5's. Does anyone teach multiplication in kinder? If so, what games or activities would you do to help them memorize these facts? Thanks!!
That's ridiculous! It's not developmentally appropriate whatsoever. Kinders may be able to memorize the facts, but that's simply it...memorization, and what's the point of that if there isn't deeper understanding? Kinders should be focusing on addition and subtraction in real life situations.
At the most, I think problems like "there are three bikes in the garage, how many wheels?" would be the most you should do! Yikes! This school is NUTS!
Kindergarteners learn to count by 2s or count by 5s, but I can't imagine them actually multiplying 5x7 or things like that. It's a huge struggle to get my 4th graders to memorize their facts each year!
But before they can count by 2's and 5's, make sure they can count by ONES up to whatever number is required! Jeeze.
that is absurd. I agree with all the other posters...being able to coumt, and maybe count multiples of two (maybe!) - but knowing 5 x 3????? 15 no ways! I do have a file folder game where the student picks the correct number of apples for set of baskets...as each basket holds 3 apples, if there is a picture of two baskets, they put six apples there, BUt, it is more of an adding/find the picture that fits puzzle.... Multiplication in kinder - puh-leeze!
The most we do related to multiplication is repeated addition and skip counting. I don't even have students memorize addition facts, let alone multiplication facts. I would ask for clarification because that's just crazy.
Um. The California content standards document for K-3 math as of 2005 is posted at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ma/cf/documents/math-ch2-k-3.pdf. In discussing what kindergartners should know and do, this document doesn't even use the m-word. In discussing first grade skills, this document mentions counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's - but not counting by 2's THROUGH 5's, and certainly not memorizing multiplication facts. I think someone has misread the state standards, either unintentionally or willfully.
Multiplication in kinder is crazy. Here is a link to the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) standards for kindergarten: NCTM Kindergarten Standards This is what kindergarteners should be doing in math. I would double check with the school to make sure it's not a typo or a misunderstanding.
Wow, that is insane!!!! My kids last year could NOT have done that and I thought they were very good at math!
Thanks for all the input! I'm glad to know that I'm not totally crazy in thinking that multiplication facts is a bit developmentally inappropriate. (Counting by 2's and 5's was about what I thought they should be able to do...that's laying a good foundation for when they do start learning their multiplication facts...which my son just started in second grade.) Thanks again!
I wouldn't be surprised, especially since it was a private school if they actually did teach this. I was just writing this on a math thread - I had a parent last year who was mad we didn't teach it, because her son could multiply. Well, he couldn't multiply, but he could rattle off the numbers he had memorized, it looks good to show-off if your Kinders are multiplying, you must be really advanced (hope you can sense the sarcasm). We are required to teach some things I entirely disagree with introducing to 5-year olds, but our administration dictates our curriculum, not the state. Don't get me wrong, I agree it's ridiculous and when the kids actually go to learn multiplication it will be harder for them to understand the actual concept.
If you DO have to teach this, I would suggest trying out the CGI method. Somebody mentioned about bikes earlier, use the word problems. Jason has 3 plates. There are 2 cookies on each plate, how many cookies does he have? If they can use manipulatives, or draw pictures, they would probably be able to do a problem like that. BUT you'd have to tell them that they're doing multiplication. =) It wouldn't really feel like that!
Just in case you DO have to teach actual multiplication tables, I have a reference for you. I went to the CMC conference last November (California Mathematics Council). I attended a workshop for k-3 teachers led by Carolyn Cardamis. She has some fun ways of teaching math! She showed us some ways to teach the multiplication tables. Yes, she used these methods to teach kindergarteners. Did they actually understand the concept? Maybe. She showed us videos of the students doing worksheets with problems like 7+7+7+7+7=? and they were using their multiplication songs/movements to find the answers. I obviously haven't tried it with my own students so I can't attest to how well her methods work. If you are obligated to teach it, you might want to look at her website: www.gospeedlearning.org Good luck! And, I agree with everyone else. The only people who understand how hard Kindergarten is these days are Kindergarten teachers. They are only 5, for goodness sakes!
All this sounds like 1st grade standards: You don't teach multiplication at all! You teach them "skip counting" which means counting by two's, then you also count by 5's and 10's in no way are you teaching multiplication but simple rote counting by these specified numbers. They should also know how to write them. You're making patterns of numbers/sequence of numbers: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10... 5,10,15,20,25... 10,20,30,40,50,60,... etc. Buy a number's chart like this: http://www.teachersparadise.com/c/product_info.php/products_id/569 http://www.education.vic.gov.au/stu...urces/maths/mathscontinuum/number/N20001P.htm Check this site out: http://www.center.edu/pub/docs/chapter5.pdf For Kindergarten standards you are responsible for numbers 1-30 that they can write, count, and represent each number. Also, simple addition and simple subtraction is taught in the middle towards the end of the year. In no way do you ever teach multiplication or any form of it.
I went to the same conference earlier this year... That lady upset me a bit because even though her children have memorized the number positions on their faces or bodies that correspond to a certain number her students are not actually learning the number concepts. They've memorized the body positions that's why it looks like they know multiplication. I could sit and rote count to a bunch of kindergartners all day for weeks... They'll learn the numbers and they'll amaze you with their counting, yet if you ask them to show you how many 5-represents or how many of something make 9, they won't be able to show you because they haven't learned number concepts/number sense. I think her methods could work in conjunction with another teaching element that will have students understanding why a certain number multiplied by another gives them a specific answer. I think that her songs in balance with other teaching strategies would be helpful, but not completely based solely on just her body number routine.
That is wrong no kindergarten is not the place to learn multiplucation. Kindergarten is not required so teachers should teach stuff that can be reinfored in 1st grade!
Woo, holy cow! Ask some of the other K teachers about that one. I barely just started multiplication in 2nd grade.
