Don't Dismiss Math Fundamentals

Much of the current discussion about the "correct" way to teach math revolves around the "traditional vs. reform" movements in math.

People who favor the "reform" approach tend to characterize the traditional programs as the "memorization of meaningless facts" or "drill and kill." However, memorizing multiplication facts and addition facts and fraction facts are important fundamentals of arithmetic, which is the main branch of mathematics that is not necessarily being taught in elementary schools today.

Implicit in the knowledge of those facts is also an abundance of knowledge of relationships between numbers.  Schools need to emphasize the importance of these fundamental facts. Memorizing them is crucial for children at this stage of their math education.  Through using their knowledge of these facts while practicing with paper and pencil the operations of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing whole numbers, fractions and decimals, children develop "number sense."  The stronger their number sense becomes, the more they understand the relationships between fractions and decimals.  This number sense will strongly support them through their further stages of math education and will build their self-confidence to take new steps in mathematics.

Of course, simultaneously, it is also important for children to begin to learn problem-solving skills.  Using time to practice and learn math facts does not preclude this.   Students need conceptual problem-solving activities that will utilize their growing numerical abilities.

The KUMON math program includes strong instruction and practice in the fundamentals of arithmetic.  KUMON students who develop a strong foundation in fundamental numerical skills-no matter what their overall math ability-are able to move through more sophisticated mathematical concepts with confidence.