Don't Bother Teaching Math Facts?

Don’t Bother Teaching Math Facts? 

I recently came across an short article on Pinterest, "Are Math Facts Worth Teaching?" by Squarehead Teachers. As a teacher, I was intrigued by this article topic. It linked to an article in Teaching Children Mathematics called "Strategies for Basic Math Fact Instruction" by Andrew M. Issacs and William M. Carroll. To read the article click here .

So interesting, that just the other day, I had a discussion with a tutoring client's mother who wants me to push learning the basic math facts on her recently graduated first grader who struggles with math.  She wants me to spend half of our tutoring sessions drilling her son on basic facts. So, when I saw the article, I just had to read it to find out what the experts say about learning the math facts. I actually decided to send her a copy of the article. I'm still waiting to hear back.

Basically, it talks about not pushing math facts on kids until they have a conceptual understanding of the mathematical concept. I have to say, I completely agree. If kids don't understand how they got the answer, it doesn't matter how many times they practice it- they're still not going to understand it. Kids go through many stages of understanding before they are able to simply memorize the facts. They will use numerous strategies to help them solve basic facts. In math, students go from solving concretely (with manipulatives- finger counting or counters), to pictorial (visual representations), to abstract (just thinking about it). Even if they are at the concrete stage, they can have a good conceptual understanding, but just need the reinforcement of manipulatives.  Students also go through stages where they know certain facts, say double facts, and that can help them figure out other facts. If they know 3+3=6, then 3+4=3+3+1. I believe, like the article authors suggest, letting the students develop these strategies as developmentally appropriate and not force fact testing requirements, just because it's the way we did things in the past. Allow students time to develop their mathematical strategies and conceptual understanding. As they get to higher grades and they still don't have the facts mastered, then we need to work on the facts with them. Until then, let them develop the understanding. Please read the original article and let me know what you think! Please comment your thought below.