I had a great time teaching "carrying" and "borrowing" in math today.

[nestof3]

My son was working on some word problems from a Singapore workbook I had bought with just word problems. He started the third one, and it was a subtraction problem which required borrowing.

It was really funny because I was just telling him today that when he subtracts three digit numbers, he should start with the ones because he will eventually have problems where he has to subtract, for example, five ones from three and he will run into problems.

So, he got to the first instance today, and declared, "Mom, here's one of those problems.

So, I took out the place value ones, tens and hundreds and the place value mat I just had laminated. I just wanted to say that it was fun to show something mathematically -- with manipulatives -- before just learning "how" to do something. It was great to show "why" you do the mathematical borrowing.

[JABarney]

and to think that so many miss out on these joyous moments with their children! I feel very lucky to have this opportunity with my children. Thank you for sharing.

[Nicole M]

Very cool!

This reminds me of when I taught my son to borrow, and he grumbled, "I don't know why they call it borrowing. It's really just stealing! I mean, we never give that ten back again, do we? No! From now on, I'm calling it stealing."

And years later, he still does.

[nestof3]

Nicole, that's really cute! I found myself calling it "trading" with my son. I told him it was sort of like in Monopoly Jr. when the bank runs out of 2's and we trade in our larger bills to supply the bank with needed 2's. To me, it isn't borrowing either. LOL

[Scarlett]

I've enjoyed teaching this too. My son thinks math is just the greatest thing ever. He has just started learning multiplying 2 and 3 digits with carrying. We are using manipulatives for teaching this too which he really enjoys. When we first started muliplication with no carrying I said, what is the related multiplication problem for 23 plus 23 plus 23. He knew it was 23 X 3. So then I showed him how to do the multiplication problem and asked him which was easier/quicker to solve and he said the X problem. Anyway, now he calls it 'that trick you showed me.' LOL I tried to tell him it isn't really a trick it is just math,but he insists it is a cool trick.

Btw, my mom is a retired 5th grade teacher and she believes properly understanding place value is a huge key to math success. She had to reteach place value to many a 5th graders using manipulatives.

[nestof3]

Scarlett,

Would you mind sharing how you taught multiplying 2 and 3 digits with carrying using manipulatives?

[Suzanne in ABQ]

LOL! I hate the term "Borrowing". I never use it. Liping Ma's term, "breaking down a higher unit value," is SO cumbersome! "Stealing" is good. I might use that one. :)