Student Free Essay Example

As quoted from Duvall, Maclaughlin and Sederstrom’s paper’ “Higher order mathematical skills are sought and handsomely paid for in today’s competitive job market.

“(Duvall, MacLaughlin, ; Sederstrom, 2003) In order to learn and master these higher order mathematical skills, one should be accurate and fluent in their math facts.  In fluency, one needs to be efficient, flexible and accurate.  In accuracy, one must get the exact answer (“Math Facts and Algorithms: Meeting State Standards”).Researches have shown that children solve mathematical problems using counting strategies (Duvall, MacLaughlin, ; Sederstrom, 2003).  However, these strategies are not efficient when it comes to solving more complex mathematical problems.  For instance, you can no longer use the method of finger counting when you are adding three-digit numbers.

  It will be much more efficient if the student master how to add, subtract, multiply or divide without the use of these counting strategies.  Also, students must not resort to memorizing subtraction facts because this is a very inefficient way in subtracting more than two-digit numbers.Most students have difficulty in subtracting numbers up to 100.  In order to learn and master subtraction, one must first understand the relationship between addition and subtraction.  That is, one must know that addition is just the operational inverse of subtraction.

  If the student is already fluent in addition, then he will not have difficulty in developing his fluency in subtraction.One way to develop students’ fluency and accuracy in subtracting numbers up to 100 is through the teacher’s use of flash cards.  Instead of using it by answering as fast as the student can, the teacher can instruct the student to divide the pile into two categories — facts that the student don’t know and facts that the student know.  Then pull out cards from the second pile and help them to remember the facts through other known facts.  For example, in subtracting 89-35, the student knows that 90-30 is 60.

  Then subtracting five from 60 he gets 90-35=55.  Finally, subtracting another one from 55 he gets 89-35=54.  In this way, children will develop obtaining facts through remembering other facts that they already know.It is highly recommended that students should learn and master fluency and accuracy in math facts because this will greatly help the students in solving more complex mathematical problems.  Furthermore, mastering basic mathematical skills is a plus in applying for any job.