"Why are we teaching math differently? If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Here's my response to this (Part 1)

(Part 2)

If anyone wants the YouTube video so it's not two separate videos, here it is:

I love explaining to kids that the “difference” is literally the space between two numbers. It doesn’t matter if you count up or subtract to find the difference.

I use the EXACT same reasoning when talking about multiplication using the area model. Especially since that model scales up perfectly to polynomials in high school.

This is your best video of the year! Thanks Howie!!

Wow! Thank you!

I taught this strategy to my 5th graders today for subtracting mixed numbers. So much easier for so many of them.

“Learning” multiplication facts was a disaster for me. I finally learned them by rote but didn’t understand what 4times5 meant until I was in a college math ed class. I literally thought that “times” was some process that produced the answer—saying four fives finally made sense.

You, sir, remain an absolute gem, as always. I recommend your work to everyone who’ll listen.

Thank you!