Multiplication Mania!

We’ve been doing advanced multiplication (mostly 2-digit X 2-digit numbers) this week, and I’ve taught the kids two different ways to do it. The first is the way that I learned it when I was in school. I call it the “stair-step.” It’s the more traditional method where you multiply by the Ones place digit, then put a 0 or an X or NOTHING under the ones place for the answer with the Tens place digit. The second way is the Lattice, where you set up an array and multiply digits that meet up in each box.

The kids have taken to both methods pretty well. They seem to understand the strategies, and the only errors are coming from mistakes in multiplication facts – ie, 7X9 =53.

Because of the hustle and bustle to get our science projects done by today, this morning was really the first time that I got to introduce the lattice method to my classes. We had already done a problem using the stair-step method, and so we did a lattice together with the exact same problem. Once again, I got to see the night-and-day difference between my two classes.

When we arrived at the same answer using the lattice that we had gotten with the stair-step, my morning class yawned and said, “Do we have to do more problems like that?” Whereas my afternoon class gasped excitedly and said things like, “WOW! You’re awesome, Mr. Teacher!” and “You are the genius of math!”

On another note entirely, I had to give a behavior code to one of my better-behaved students this morning during our restroom break. The restroom helper (NOT one of my better-behaved students) came out and told me that E had said a bad word to another boy. When I asked the recipient what word E had said, the boy told me that E had shown him his middle finger.

Definitely a no-no, but a bad word? Come on. Anyway, I asked E why he had flipped the bird, and he told me, “My dad said that it’s not bad, and that it means God.”

That’s a new one.

I asked E if he went to church, and he said that he did. So I asked him if he often saw a lot of people at church raising up their middle fingers. Not so much.

Lastly, a friend and colleague posted a link on Facebook last night about House Bill 400 that I found interesting. Here’s what it said:

“Mandate Relief” Bill Still Stalled: HB 400, the bill to gut class-size caps, authorize teacher pay cuts and unpaid furloughs, and undercut contract protections, was knocked off the House agenda again today because of a procedural error. That’s the third time this ill-conceived bill has been forced back to committee for correction of errors. But it still has a chance to come up again on Thursday—which is the last day that House bills are eligible for initial passage on the House floor. Keep your calls and letters against HB 400 coming! They are causing many House members to have second thoughts about this bill.“

In my opinion, I find it VERY ironic that a bill to cut funding for education has been delayed THREE times, because the people who wrote it have made errors that a better education might have helped them avoid.

EDIT: Since Blogger was down yesterday (Thursday), I couldn't actually post this then, and today my kids took a test on the 2 methods of "4th grade multiplication." OK, so maybe they didn't quite have the handle on it that I thought they had. The grades weren't so hot. Almost all of the mistakes, however, were due to basic multiplication factual errors or adding errors. Still, I think we will continue to practice this skill throughout the month of May.

Multiplication Idol

Since we've started teaching multiplication, we have a series of songs that we listen to and sing along with in class. We made CDs for all of the kids that have times tables song that are of a more rap/R&B nature, and then a tape that has skip counting songs.

This week, we are focused on the 3's. So every morning, we listen to both 3's songs and then do our minute math practice.

One of my most troublesome little girls -- who is nearly 50 years old, bullies everyone, doesn't do her work, plays, lies, doesn't pay attention, etc, etc etc -- has, amazingly, been singing the songs correctly.

Now, of course, they have a times table reference sheet that they take out to help them sing along, but still, she is actively participating and singing the words and numbers correctly.

Here's the thing, though. Her singing makes Rosanne Barr's rendition of the National Anthem sound like a choir of angels.

My little girl is loud, off key, off rhythm, and off tempo. It's almost painful to listen to her sing the songs. But by golly, she's actually doing something, and seems to be learning her facts, so I'm certainly not going to stop the nails on the chalkboard!


In Edublog Award news, the voting has begun! I was nominated for Best Teacher Blog, and if you so choice, you can follow that link to cast your vote! For some reason, most of the nominations that I made last week don't seem to have been accepted. So I apologize to Bell Ringers, Mrs. Bluebird, Joel, and Mamacita. I don't know why they didn't stick! My Happy Rainbow IS listed, so I can only assume that someone else nominated his blog as well.

stepping it up

Since we are finally finished with TAKS testing for the week, my class got back to (somewhat) normal routine today. Usually, during the few weeks after testing, we preview 4th grade for the kids by introducing them to some things that aren't on the 3rd grade curriculum, but which they'll need to know for the next year.

Today, we started 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication. And it actually went quite well. I introduced the "stair-step" method, which is the traditional method, and though there was some confusion, most kids started getting the hang of it rather quickly.

We'll practice this more tomorrow, then on Wednesday, I'll show them the Lattice method, which I've noticed most kids prefer.

We've also started division with remainders. I'm not quite ready to start long division -- that always throws them for a loop -- but we're using circles and tally marks, and they've done quite well with the remainders as well.

Behold the human calculator

I am smart. I mean REALLY smart. We're talking Earth-shattering GENIUS here!

Well, at least according to my kids.

The other day, I had picked my class up from art where Anonymous Joe was waiting at the door. I reminded them that they should thank him for getting them all copies of a multiplication song CD.

The kids thanked him and then started saying their 3s, with AJ singing right along.

3,6,9,12,15,18,21,24,27, 30.

By then, I was walking the kids down the hallway, and I added, "And don't forget 33 and 36!" since we learn the tables through 12 times, even though the songs stop at 10 times the number.

One of the little boys in line said, "Mister Teacher, do you know 3 times one million?"

I said, "Yes, it's 3 million."

About 5 kids in the line gave an awed, "WHOAAAAA" -- the same sound uttered by a crowded stadium when Lebron James jumps from the 3-point line and delivers a tomahawk dunk.

Another child asked, "Do you know SIX times one million??"

I replied, "But of course -- 6 million!"

By now there were murmerings in the line that I might be the second coming.

Another boy tested me, "Mister Teacher, do you know what is four. . . plus. . . three?"

"Um, seven."

"Oh yeah!!" said the boy, with a beatific smile on his face, as if I had just told him the meaning of life.

Genius. I like the sound of that.