Introducing my 8-year-old to imperfect squares. Take note of how I don’t directly tell her what to do. I lead her to discover it on her own, letting her make mistakes and redirecting her in the right direction until she is able to make the connection on her own. This is the best way to learn something – earning that “Aha!” moment. It sticks better that way! Teaching this way is called directed discovery. You don’t just let the child flounder, but aim her in the right direction while giving clues about where to go next.

The ideas in this video come from CrewtonRamonesHouseOfMath.com – specifically these videos…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZe8QhC_oHI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxFQgyUZOE8&feature=relmfu

Using manipulatives to introduce math concepts brings clarity and reduces math anxiety.