Teaching Tables to Children
by On realising how weak the children in our school were at knowing their maths tables, we devised an award scheme which really helped improve their knowledge.
When I first went into teaching I was a PE teacher and was given a post for one year in a secondary modern school in Liverpool, but was driven into primary education by the dreadful behaviour of the girls at that school. If I was to mention St. Trinian’s you might have an idea of what the school was like. I later taught for twenty years at my last school where I was the PE coordinator. I was also a classroom teacher and taught my own class all subjects.
When I was at school as a child my worst subject was always mathematics. I was hopeless. I never understood anything the teachers tried to teach me and was not allowed to take my GCE in maths as I was so bad. So it was a shock when I was told I was going to take over the maths at my school after the previous coordinator left. I was not at all happy. I was off school at the time recovering from surgery and feeling quite sorry for myself when the call came. I was not given a choice. I was told I was the best qualified to take it over. That was a laugh. Anyway, once I had returned to work I got stuck into the job.
I found that my lack of ability in maths when I was at school actually helped me understand the difficulties some children had with the subject. By now, after many courses, I actually understood maths and was able to work out ways of making it easier for the children to understand.
After observing many maths lessons going on in the school I noticed the knowledge of tables was sadly lacking and those teachers that did teach it did so by asking the children to recite them over and over again. I am not totally against this method as far as the children understand what they are reciting. Most of them, however did not understand and if they were asked for the answer to 6×7 they could only give it by reciting from 1×7. Something had to be done.
Together with the Special Needs teacher we devised an award scheme which gave stickers to children as they learnt and were assessed in each table. The stickers led to certificates and the whole thing was based on a football league table. I asked the teachers to spend ten minutes a day teaching the children how to work out each table quickly in their heads and learning the division facts which went with each one. Parents were sent home the methods we were using. Each child then worked at their own level through three grades of tables questions. By the end of the first term there was an excitement from the children at what they had achieved. In my class of nine year olds the brighter children could work out 23 x 56 in their heads by doubling 10×56 and adding 3×56 while the lesser able knew how to work out 4×7 by doubling 2×7 and so on. Nearly every child was awarded a certificate.
There was a real sense of achievement and all the staff felt more confident in their teaching. I must commend my colleague on all the work she put in to making the scheme a success.
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Post Commentken bultman
On May 24, 2009 at 7:53 am
Wow. I could use your help myself. My worst subject was English. I wouldn’t know a participle if it dangled in front of me.
clay hurtubise
On May 24, 2009 at 8:30 am
Great job! Are you still teaching or retired?
Thanks,
Clay
clay hurtubise
On May 24, 2009 at 8:32 am
Whoops! I know that answer: PICK ME, PICK ME…ooooh,ooh,ooh! Your retired and I’m forgetful!
CHAN LEE PENG
On May 24, 2009 at 10:42 am
Children those who’re weaker in certain subjects should be taught with patience and caring. It’s very depressing for those who can’t really do well in Maths. An effective method is essential to regain their confidence in this subject. Thanks for writing this piece.
Daisy Peasblossom
On May 24, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Nice system! I learned my times tables on the back of a hay wagon under my grandmother’s stern tutelage. Failure was not an option. I’ve noticed that teachers who struggled with certain subjects often do a better job teaching them to disadvantaged learners; those who breeze through the topic have to stop and think how to break it down for those to whom it comes less naturally.
M J katz
On May 24, 2009 at 2:56 pm
How I wish I could have had more teachers like you, Christine!Your article brought back a lot of bad memories for me regarding math! I remember us three older children not being allowed out of the house all summer long because we had to memorize our multiplication tables (one a week) and be ready to be grilled on them by our father every Sunday. If we ‘passed’, we could go outside for that day only. I ended up hating math with such a vengence that I’m just no good at it now. Just the thought of having to take an employment quiz with some math problems in it can cause my stomach to ball up!!
Thankfully, though, this hatred of math was never passed on to my oldest daughter…she loves math, physics, triganomatry, and all the other types of ‘math’ one can learn! My youngest daughter, however, is much more like me…we hate math but love to fashion words into debates!
iamrulan
On May 24, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Like you, I never understood math. Luckily for me, the high school exit exam high schoolers have to pass now to graduate with a diploma was not in effect when I was a girl or I would never have got the diploma. Lucky for me, also, my teachers realized that my problems with math was not a matter of me not trying but that I really could not retain the information they were giving me…at least not when it was called math. My school gave me math credits for a book keeping class so I could graduate.
The funny part is that we use the same math I couldn’t grasp 45 yrs ago daily but we don’t think of it as math…Shopping, figuring out the best prices per units. Payroll issues and doing taxes.
I once was a cocktail waitress…a very good one. I could take 4 different orders from a table of 10 and before I reached the bar, I knew how much total to give the bartender and how much each individual order would cost. Strange, huh? Your method sounds great.
Judy Sheldon
On May 24, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Christine, I learn better by teaching, so can relate to you coming up with an ingenious way to teach a subject you detested. You are resourceful. Passing knowledge on to our youngsters is invaluable. Thank you!
Lisa Clayton Williams
On May 24, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Great idea! What a fun way for kids to learn!
papaleng
On May 24, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Christine, I can easily relate to your story since I’ve been teaching Math subjects at school, And I might say, math teachers should be innovative in their approach and must always comes out with new tricks so students might not get bored and your ideas are really nice.
Ruby Hawk
On May 24, 2009 at 8:12 pm
You are the teacher I wish my grandchildren had. I have always been horrible at math. I do not understand any of the rules. When I was in school we learned math by rote. I give you a big thumbs up Christine.
Poetic Enigma
On May 24, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Great article here, Thanks for sharing this
Math has always been one of my best subjects
Well at least I did well until I got to precalculus.
but that is besides the point! Great write!
Mr Ghaz
On May 24, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Wow!..thats really amaze me..Thanks a lot for this brilliant ideas and wonderful tips on how to teach tables 2 our children..amazing pice..Well done!! cheeeers..U always have lots of creative and wonderful ideas my sis..
Christine Ramsay
On May 25, 2009 at 2:00 am
I am so pleased to hear I was not the only one to struggle with maths at school. Thank you all stories and comments.
Christine
Glynis Smy
On May 25, 2009 at 2:27 am
That was a good method to use. Ideal learning tool, thanks for sharing.
Betty Carew
On May 25, 2009 at 8:53 am
I hated math in school yet when I returned to school after I got married it became my best subject. My daughter had a real problem with math but after many tutors she got by now she is teaching other children . Wonderful article Christine great write and read
Mike
On May 25, 2009 at 9:46 am
Maths is always a difficult subject to teach. Teachers have always to find ways of making it interesting and accessible to children of all abilities. This award system of yours does just that.
Kate Smedley
On May 26, 2009 at 4:59 am
That sounds like a great idea to help children struggling with maths. It was my worst subject too. Excellent article Christine, interesting comment on the secondary school too. My cousin taught at one for just a year and has moved to primary for similar reasons.
BC Doan
On May 26, 2009 at 6:26 am
That was an awesome method to teach children understanding math!
jadeynlee
On May 26, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I was never able to learn my tables at school. I think I would have liked your method.
mark ramsay
On May 27, 2009 at 9:12 am
I always had trouble with my tables. Why didn’t they introduce football leagues into multiplication tables when I was at school. I am sure I would have learnt them then. A good write.
OhSugar
On May 27, 2009 at 12:39 pm
I have no doubt that your were a wonderful teacher. Your students were very forturnate to have you teach them on of the most dislike and misunderstood subjects.. My love is Business Math. Nice job.
Unofre Pili
On May 27, 2009 at 7:26 pm
You were such a dedicated and wonderful teacher maam. Your students will surely immortalize your name.
Christine Ramsay
On May 28, 2009 at 2:21 am
It is very nice of you to say so Unofre, but I can assure you it was a team effort. Thank you everyone once again for all you wonderful comments.
Christine
swatilohani
On May 28, 2009 at 11:59 pm
perfect
monica55
On June 2, 2009 at 10:31 pm
This is an extremely creative technique. You should continue to teach for the sake of the lesser able. It is not often we find a teacher who has the patience to help the as you did. Bravo! Christine.
Monica.
Melody SJAL
On August 3, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Very creative and interesting. My 8-year-old daughter loves math so much.
Nikita K
On August 19, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I am probably better at maths than any other subject in a way that I’m positive that in my GCSE results next week I will do well and my dad always told me ‘tables are the foundation for maths’ and that is pretty true. I remember learning my tables and it wasn’t really a fun experience. A good and well written article.
CA Johnson
On September 4, 2009 at 9:21 pm
I wish I had a teacher like you too. My math teachers didn’t really help me out that much and it was my worst subject. I had trouble with Algebra and Geometry, but my teachers didn’t help me out at all.
Jacques Berkeley
On December 6, 2011 at 12:56 pm
Excellent!