Without a doubt, one of the most significant factors in success in maths has been for those who have learnt, then mastered their times tables - with these facts close at hand, students can focus on the strategies and not get so confused. Knowledge of tens has also helped students solve problems quickly. You may have seen them solve problems such as 34 x 7 by splitting 34 into 30 and 4, then using knowledge of tens to do this... 3 x 7 is 21 so 30 x 7 = 210 plus 4 x 7 (or 2 x 14 - using doubling and halving if they are still working on learning their tables).
OR ... 973 divided by 32 = 32 x 10 = 320, so 32 x 20 = 640, so 32 x 30 = 960 so it goes 30 x and there is 13 remainder.
If you have been helping your student learn their times tables and encouraging them in their reading by reading to them or listening to them read then I want to commend you and thank you. You have helped give them the best possible chance of maximizing their learning this year. Please keep it up over the holidays - it saves them from having to relearn, maintaining is much easier in the long run!
We have our healthy food/supermarket study coming up and our trip next week - thank you to all of the parents who said you could come - we need your support (Tuesday 18th, 9 a.m.) The turn out for the Amazing race was excellent and we can't do these things without you - A heartfelt thank you to those of you who came.
I hope you can join us at the WHANAU BREAKFAST this Friday (Yum!) and if you are around NEXT week, there is our FORCES and MOTION Technology day.
We have quite a bit still to learn and do to see the term out, please read newsletters carefully and if you can, please return the BRIGHT BLUE Curriculum Consultation form that was sent out with the newsletter last week.
Thank you
Whaea Helen.