calculators for young children?

[frugalmum]

I have a 7 y.o. who really struggles in math... very simple mental calculations wrack her brain. She has gotten to the point where she cries miserably whenever I try to get her to do the simplest exercises.

Then it dawned on me-- I remember using a calculator for the SAT, and was required to use one for math and science in college. So why not let her use a calculator? If she struggles with mental calculations/ math facts, why not give her a tool, and see if she is able to grasp math concepts with that tool in hand?

With my other kids, I never let them use calculators until pre-Algebra.

Just curious what your thoughts are!

[jeffsdear]

I don't think that a calculator would help her to learn the concepts. Have you tried a math program based on manipulatives like Math-U-See or Miquon? That would allow her to build the math problem with blocks, so she can see the answer. She could gradually learn the math facts from repeatedly building the problems.

[kittie313]

Could she by chance be struggling because she can't visualize the problem and how to solve it? My 7yo dd is what I suspect to be a very visual right-brained thinker and learner, and I am going to try helping her draw a visual picture of the basic math facts to aid in her mastery of them. We use a lot of supplements for her with math already, but one of the things we haven't tried yet that I'm going to try is flash cards with the problem written on them with answer and have her look at each one daily for about 10-20 seconds each card and then try to pull up a visual of that problem to help her with memorizing those facts. We've spent a year building the problems with a base 10 set and with the Miquon rods, and it just didn't click with her so this is my next thing to try. Its pretty dry and dull, but I found last year that doing that with her worked amazingly well for her reading and spelling (and if she can pull a visual of the word to spell it for me, she is also capable of using that visual to spell it backwards because she is actually seeing the word in her mind).

I wouldn't be so quick to pass out a calculator just yet to help, it may actually make the process slower as she punches in numbers to get the answer. A good alternative may be an addition facts chart instead, where she'll see the entire problem and answer. That would give a similar result as my flashcard approach will for my 7yo dd, and be less time-intensive for you.

[moominmamma]

I second the suggestion for an addition facts chart. That will give her the opportunity not only to look up facts, but to see patterns in the chart that she might not have otherwise noticed. One of my kids struggled with memorizing multiplication facts and we used a facts chart which we laminated. When facts were so easy for her that she no longer thought she'd need to look them up, she put a sticker dot over the fact to hide it. She was delighted to see more and more stickers accruing.

Another excellent approach would be to use manipulatives as tools. These will increase "number sense" by giving her a way of visualizing numerical relationships. The AL-abacus, or base ten sets, or cuisenaire rods would all be excellent in this situation. She would see the answer and its relationship to the question, rather than just having the answer magically jump out on the LCD screen.

I think calculators can be wonderful tools for math exploration (converting decimals and fractions, trying out square roots and exponents, playing with negative numbers, scientific notation and such) but I would be hesitant to use them as a daily tool in this particular instance. She's still very young and I think there are lots of important math observations that occur as a side benefit of having to work out simple math facts. Like that 9+6 can be thought of as equivalent to 10+5 by booting a unit from the 6 to the 9... which sets the stage for regrouping place values with multi-digit operations later on.

Miranda

[cappuccinosmom]

I wouldn't. A calculator is a great help when you're doing complicated equations, pressed for time, etc. But it's important to know the basic building blocks of mathematics or you can mess up royally even with a calculator, because you won't be able to recognize when something doesn't make sense.

My oldest had similar issues up until recently. He was having a lot of trouble visualizing how mathematics works. He couldn't get 8+2=10 cemented in his mind because he couldn't "see" why 8+2 always results in 10. By comparison, his younger brother seems to have been born with a number line burned into his brain , and adding and subtracting come very easily to him.

I think a calculator would have stymied his understanding, and just made him reliant on something else handing him the answer. For elementary school, no biggie really, but when he hits higher maths, while he'll surely be using a calculator at some point the ability to think these things through and understand *why* the answer is the answer will be a huge advantage to him.

Some of it was that his brain just needed a few more months to mature. So over the summer I had him go back to the beginning. We did the number line, I found all sorts of ways to use manipulatives, he practiced and practiced until he did start realizing that he *could* grasp these things, and that was motivating enough to carry us all the way through summer. When he hit third grade math, he was suddenly very grateful for the work we'd done over the summer, because he understood what was in the lessons and that was such a relief!

[Multimomma]

It's funny you should post this. My oldest son is taking Algebra, and I thought it was so mean that the teacher wouldn't let them use calculators, adding five or six five digit numbers! My son would get several problems wrong just from the basic maths. But over a few weeks, he improved quite a bit, and I understand now why. She was more concerned with teaching them to slow down and work in their heads a little bit.

With my middle school girls, they are struggling a big with basic math, and we've just taken it back a notch. We pushed those struggling things back to simpler equations, and added in a sheet of practice for multiplication or division. They're getting success and aren't as upset, while still moving forward, and also practicing those basic skills that we kind of take for granted after practicing for so long.

What level of math is she at?

[Multimomma]

sorry, double post.

[AAK]

Skip the calculators. Let her use ANYTHING else. Calculators just give answers. Charts, a pile of beads, rods and unit pieces, etc help see the big picture. And right now, that is what she really needs to learn. Eventually, if math fact memorization just isn't happening (and she is ready for bigger concepts) you can let her use the calculator for those.

Amy

[moominmamma]

Originally Posted by Multimomma

What level of math is she at?

I forgot to clarify this and I do think it's important. I was assuming it was basic addition / subtraction facts within 20 that she is struggling with and that she was at a 1st or 2nd grade level in math. At that level of math it's almost entirely about arithmetic and the number sense that allows one to "see" relationships. Using a calculator at that stage would turn math into little more than a typing exercise.

If in fact she's working at a more advanced level and is struggling with recall of multiplication facts when doing long division, simplifing improper fractions or solving simple algebraic equations, then I think it would be fair game to use a calculator (or a multiplication chart) at least some of the time. In this case the learning is more about the concepts and algorithms execution and less about the basic arithmetic. If she's trying to figure out 18 into 562, then I think it would be fair game to use a calculator to work out 18x3 and 18x4 to take some of the pain out of the first step of the long division. Provided she knows *how* to do the arithmetic but is just getting bogged down in the mechanics of going through it so many times. (I confess I have let my 7yo use a calculator in exactly this situation.)

Miranda

[mum4vr]

Originally Posted by AAK

Skip the calculators. Let her use ANYTHING else. Calculators just give answers. Charts, a pile of beads, rods and unit pieces, etc help see the big picture. And right now, that is what she really needs to learn. Eventually, if math fact memorization just isn't happening (and she is ready for bigger concepts) you can let her use the calculator for those.

I agree with skip the calculators at all cost for now.

If by bigger concepts, you mean trigonometry, then, yes, calculators are good then c:

blessings

[luvmybaby333]

How about an abacus?

[crunchy_mama]

I wouldn't - I would look into if she is having processing issues or if perhaps the program you are using isn't working for her learning style. As others suggested I would look at using manipulatives- hands-on- abacus- counting sticks, rods, blocks. Everyone needs to know basic math without using a calculator, not the same w/ algebra(although I think it helpful). I would put away all the official math books for a while and just play games- board games- card games- dominoes. Make it fun.