Hey there… Do I even dare ask how it’s going? It goes without saying that life seems to have been completely upended in the last 10 days. Trust me when I say, the COVID-19 situation is on my heart and in my prayers. But sometimes in times of crisis, we need a few things that seem normal. So today I’m presenting you with:
First, the good news. So many people have been thrown into the world of digital learning in the last week that my phone has been ringing off the hook with inquiries about services as people finish out the year. PLEASE let your friends and co-ops know that I’ve got special pricing set up for those affected by this Coronavirus. Please share with anyone that we can help during this trying time!
Now, the post. This one is inspired by the COUNTLESS times I’ve either been asked “Nicole, why does Saxon requires so much facts practice?” or have heard parents concerned because their kids are starting to struggle with more complex math concepts. The two, it seems, are connected.
Here is the hard truth: There are some parts of math that simply have to be memorized and drilled. Think about it: you HAVE to memorize the actual counting numbers or you can’t move forward. It’s the same with reading: you can’t read if you never learned the letters! Beyond that, addition and multiplication facts and other facts need to be readily accessible in the brain in order to progress even further.
I know it’s hard. I know it’s boring. I know it’s repetitive. But consider the buildings you see around you every day. Chances are, you see a lot of different looking buildings: gorgeous homes, modern office buildings, interesting shopping centers, shiny skyscrapers. They are all dissimilar and they all make life a little more interesting.
Now think about what holds each and every one of them up. That’s right: the foundation. And have you ever seen an interesting looking foundation? Nope. They’re boring. They are all the same. They don’t get featured on the cover of architecture magazines. But without them, the fancy stuff that we like to look at wouldn’t stand up.
The math facts are the foundation of the fancy problems your student(s) will one day be able to solve! Without them, they can’t build bigger concepts. That practice that John Saxon designed to be done each day is there because he knew it is necessary to have a solid base of knowledge to build the rest of the math education on. Cracks in the foundation will show. It’s just a matter of time. And the longer you wait, the harder it is to correct.
The good news? It’s not too late to shore up those math facts! If you’ve been neglecting them with your student(s), it’s time to dust them off again. If you have a student struggling with concepts, consider pulling back and making sure their foundation is sturdy before trying to go away.
The even better news? COMING THIS SUMMER I’ll be introducing some fun new ways to practice math facts. It’s all part of a plan to make Nicole the Math Lady an even richer site for your math needs. Online grading, fun with math facts? There’s hope for 2020, yet!