Free Education Product Review: Two Plus Two is Not Five

Is Your Child Struggling to Memorize the Math Facts?

Number lines, charts, fingers, and counters will delay memorization of the math facts.

If you are looking for a way to help children learn math facts, but just don't know where to start, read on.

As an educator who taught children with learning disabilities, I have always stressed mastery of the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts.

I realized that unless the facts are automatic, children will have difficulty learning more advanced math skills, and with solving word problems.

This is true also for children without learning disabilities.

My suggestion to anyone teaching the math facts is after the child can demonstrate what addition and subtraction means, first determine which facts the child knows automatically, that is without hesitation or counting.

Make a pack of 3” by 5” cards (flash cards) for each of those correctly answered facts.

Each day, have the children answer those facts and praise them for being able to answer quickly.

Then assign a few new facts to learn, and repeat the process so that over time, the children master all of the facts.

When the stack of cards becomes too large to go through every day, separate the newest ones from the mastered ones, and then practice the mastered ones only once a week.

*Teach children a way to remember the fact, and give them lots of written practice and review along with practicing the fact cards.

I developed many tricks and worksheets because I needed to help my students master the math facts; I wanted them to succeed in math.

Eventually, I put my ideas into two books. Two Plus Two is Not Five: Easy Methods to Learn Addition and Subtraction uses tricks to introduce the facts, and then provides many reproducible pages for practice and review.

It also has instructions on how to teach the math facts, record-keeping pages, and a certificate of mastery.

Children practice the math facts by the trick names throughout the book. You can view sample pages.

*Continue to review the tricks and their names when practicing the math facts.

A word of advice: Set the pace at the child's ability. Some children will be ready to learn new facts during each practice session; others may not. Keep the child successful.

Remember to praise your child!

Product Review: Blokus

I LOVE THIS GAME!

My good friends Hank and Nadine introduced me to Blokus last weekend. My wife and I brought our two children over to their house for a dinner/play date. After playing with the boys and chowing down on some Giordano's Deep Dish and Goose Island 312, it was Game On!

Blokus is the love-child of Scrabble and Tetris. At first glance, the game looks confusing and lame. After you play a match or two, however, the board looks more like a battlefield. Blokus requires the strategy of chess and the cunning of Texas Hold Em'.

Players take turns placing pieces on their board, each starting from their corner. Each new piece must touch at least one other piece of the same color, but only at the corners! The goal is to get rid of all your pieces. The game ends when all players are blocked from laying down any more of their pieces.

Hank's wife Nadine and I thoroughly enjoyed ganging up on Hank and swarming his feeble blue tiles and strangling any hopes for successful expansion.

WARNING: Much like Tetris, Blokus is addictive. We ran through three hours in no time. We got so absorbed in the game, we completely ignored our children! Thank goodness for Baby Einstein!!

Turn on your Brain,

Mike Ockrim
Founder

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Blokus Awards:
MENSA Select winner
ASTRA 2003 Good Toy Award
Dr. Toy 2003 100 Best
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio 2004 Platinum Award
2004 Teacher's Choice Award
2003 Parent's Choice Gold Award

Product Review: Winther Viking Tricycle

One of the perks of owning a school supply company is that I am able to get up close and personal with thousands of truly wonderful educational resources. I then get to introduce those products to parents all over the world.

When I was at the annual product expo for the National School Supply and Equipment Association (NSSEA), I came across a company out of Denmark called Winther. They make high-quality tricycles and strollers for preschoolers. I was totally impressed with their products and decided to offer their complete line on our website. I also decided to buy their small Viking Tricycle for my son.

Anyone who has boys knows that they are rough with their toys. My son pounds his Winther trike into trees, drags it across the driveway, and beats it with sticks...he also rides it, too! The trike is so well crafted. No matter what my son dishes out, the trike will take the beating well. I will be able to save the trike for his younger brother to use next summer, which makes it an excellent value!

I encourage parents, daycare providers, or preschool teachers to take a good look at the Winther family of products. They are priced higher than other tricycles, but the quality is worth every penny. To help lower the costs, SchooDoodle offers free shipping on all Winther tricycles and strollers.

Our family loves the Winther trike. I promise that your family will to. If you are not 100% satisfied with the quality of the Winther products, you can call me direct at (630) 214-9695 and I will pay to have the trike sent back.

Enjoy these last few days of summer,

Mike Ockrim
Founder