Problem Solving:

Strategy: Writing and Math

Appropriate Grade Level: 3-high school

students express their feelings about math, teacher can catch misconceptions,

and the student is able to ask questions about the lesson. The following are

suggestion to use for writing and math:

1. Freewriting: Done for five minutes at the beginning of the lesson.
2. Learning Logs: A journal about materials used, their own work, their progress, or the class itself.
3. Homework: Students should write a note on the back of every assignment to discuss struggles, enjoyment, or questions.
4. Vocabulary: Students should write down all new vocabulary and methods.
5. Writing Paragraphs: Students may be asked to write a paragraph on a given topic or problem.
6. Autobiographies: Students will be asked to write their own mathematical history. This can be particularly helpful to a teacher at the beginning of the year to get an idea of how each individual feels about math.

This strategy helps students understand the language and vocabulary of mathematics as well as give them an outlet for venting frustrations. For a shy student it can be a way of asking questions without feeling threatened. Punctuation and grammar should not be corrected, content is more important.

Strategy: Mr. Three Feet

Appropriate Grade Level: 2-4

The following story can be read to students with a discussion at the end so

students get the connection.

Follow up with these questions:

The story can be followed up by making a book. Write the text on a chart so the
children can choose a layout. Have them write the text and illustrate it.
This activity can be carried a step further by using other topics the children
have a hard time with and let them make up a story to help them remember a
math concept. These activities can be done individually or in groups.

Wilson, S. E. (1993). Mr. Three Feet. Teacher to Teacher: Strategies for the Elementary Classroom, 114-115. Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association.

Strategy: Counting On

Appropriate Grade Level: 1^st and up

Students do not need to start counting from one to solve all their math problems. They can learn to "count-on".

1. Teach students to count on from the largest number in an addition problem.

2. The student counts from 7: "seven, eight, nine!"

3. The same principle can be applied when subtracting. For example:

The student counts backward from 7: "seven, six, five!"

Students can be taught counting-on before operations, and then will only need new principles taught.

Bos, C. and Vaughn, S. (1994). Strategies for Teaching Students with Learning and Behavior Problems. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Strategy: Stick Math

Appropriate Grade Level: 1-3

Students will be given the challenge to collect as many ice cream and

popsicle sticks as they can. They can write to other classes asking them to

save their ice cream and popsicle sticks. After sticks begin to accumulate

students should do the following:

1. Count the number of sticks collected and place them in groups of ten with rubber bands.

2. Add the number counted to the total they had from the day before.

3. Post a sign outside the door letting the school know how many have been

4. Have students make predictions on how many sticks the class will be able

When the project is finished the sticks could be used for an art project or other math projects.

This strategy will help students improve their speed and accuracy on daily math problems. This project found that the students involved improved on their math grades.

Strategy: Teaching Place Value

Appropriate Grade Level: All Grades

Place value is critical to students' understanding of numeration. Students' need to be able to:

1. Group by ones and tens. Students can sort buttons, sticks, blocks in

2. Naming tens. Teach students to identify numerals by the number of tens.

3. Place value with older students. The following sources of numbers may be useful for teaching place value to older students.

Strategy: Get the Commutative Idea

Appropriate Grade Level: 1^st and up

The commutative property means that when adding or multiplying any two numbers, the answer will be the same regardless of the order of operation. Students will love to hear that if they know it one way, they know it the other,

Bos, C. and Vaughn, S. (1994). Strategies for Teaching Students with Learning and Behavior Problems. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Strategy: Using Doubles

Appropriate Grade Level: 2^nd and up

When students learn to use their knowledge of doubles, they can more easily solve other basic math facts!

1. Teach doubles by using visual and auditory cues.

2. After the doubles are learned, students can easily figure out other math

Strategy: SASH

Appropriate Grade Level: 2-5

SASH is a strategy that will support children who already know single digit arithmetic yet who have difficulty recalling the steps in multidigit addition problems.

Start with the ones column whenever you begin to add.

Add together the numbers in each column.

Should I carry a numeral?

Have I carried the proper number?

This strategy should be modeled by the teacher as often as possible. For those children with learning disabilities or who have a great difficulty remembering the steps, a note card with the steps could be placed on the corner of their desk to assist them in the process.

Frank, A.R. & Brown, D. (1992). Self-monitoring strategies in arithmetic. Teaching Exceptional Children, 24(2), 52-53.

Strategy: 4 B's

Appropriate Grade Level: 2-5

The 4 B 's strategy gives assistance to students who have difficulty remembering the steps to the process of multidigit subtraction problems. The 4 B's are:

Begin in the ones column always.

Bigger: is the top or the bottom number bigger?

Borrow: If the bottom number is bigger then borrow.

Basic facts: Check all you basic facts in the problem.

This strategy should be modeled by the teacher as often as possible. For those children with learning disabilities or who have a great difficulty remembering the steps, a note card with the steps could be placed on the corner of their desk to assist them in the process.

Frank, A.R. & Brown, D. (1992). Self-monitoring strategies in arithmetic. Teaching Exceptional Children, 24(2), 52-53.

Strategy: A Supplementary Strategy for Teaching Equivalent Fractions

Appropriate Grade Level: 3-6

Procedures / Steps:

1. Give each student a multiplication matrix. Have one large matrix also

displayed in the classroom.

2. A suggested procedure for finding equivalent fractions could develop as

Comments and / or tips:

This multiplication matrix can also be used to find the greatest common
factor. Look at the equivalent fraction and then to the number located on the
top horizontal scale. An example would be the fraction 21/28, the greatest
common factor for both 21 and 28 is seven.

Source:

Coker, D., & Cook, D. (1992). A supplementary strategy for teaching equivalent fractions. Reading Improvement, 29, 14-17.

Compiled and Edited by Dr. Elizabeth Whitten
Western Michigan University
Department of Educational Studies
(616) 387-5940

Other strategies in this notebook include classroom and behavior management strategies, reading strategies, and written expression strategies.