How should you teach times tables to kids

o you belong to the team "I hated maths as a kid"

Then, it must be difficult to convince your kids to love maths right?

Recently Adi attended a birthday party where kids were asked to recite the multiplication table. Adi was silent, he didn't know the tables. so he chose to keep quiet. He was upset about it.

I don't know the fascination parents have with multiplication tables. But I have come across parents who like to display their kid's ability to recite multiplication tables. 

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Perhaps it's their trauma of suffering in their classroom as a child that they now force kids to mug up the tables. 

Adi is taking his own time to learn timetables and I am seeing that he can make more sense this way. He knows that 2 times 6 is 12, he is not randomly memorizing it. 

I have spent a lot of time understanding if maths tables should be forced on kids. So here are some snippets from my research

According to Jo Boaler who is a British Education officer " “Drilling without understanding is harmful, I’m not saying that math facts aren’t important. I’m saying that math facts are best learned when we understand them and use them in different situations.”

On the other had Mary Morris who is a senior advisor at Kumon (which offers after-school Programs), “You need that automaticity to build a foundation and go to the next step"

She pointed out brain science studies that have shown that repetition helps build synapses in the brain. “Until you have the repetition, you can’t build the paths,” 

But Like Boilers says that this memorization should come from the usage of tables not just drilling before they even understand the purpose and calculation behind it. 

I rather choose to go with Boaler, so I create opportunities where my son would need to use the tables, hence he will learn it automatically. 

There are many benefits of learning times tables in maths. 

Firstly, it helps children to understand concepts such as place value and multiplication. Secondly, it also helps them to develop problem-solving skills.

Thirdly, learning times tables can also help children to improve their memory and concentration. Finally, it can give them a head start in preparing for more advanced maths concepts.

Yes, the Learning Times table can help but we need to give context to kids

Learning time table is important in Maths there is no denying that. However, mugging up the timetable is not the most fun activity for kids. As a result, they start to hate the subject and eventually perform poorly in exams. If you are looking for ways how to get your kids to love multiplication, then read on.

One way to help your child learn their timetables is to use multiplication games and activities. Though there are apps and games to teach multiplication I realized that when we spend time with kids, helping them understand maths by giving them some real situations they can make more sense of how it works.

How I take it easy with maths

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I think we make too much fuss when it comes to teaching maths to kids. Sadly kids start hating things we like them to learn. 

We have started practicing maths in the holidays, just so that he doesn't forget everything. 

We decided we could work on maths every day for 20 minutes. This way it wouldn't be too much for him. 

I also tried using an app called Prodigy, so that he would learn in a fun way. But soon I realized, he was losing interest. 

It was working better when I worked with him. So now, I make sure to be available when he is practicing his sums. 

Things that we should never do when teaching times tables to kids

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1) Don't force them to mug up: If they are struggling with understanding, let them take their own sweet time.

2) Stop comparing them with others: Each child is different and learns at their own pace. Do not compare and put pressure on them.

3) Get rid of the fear of Maths: You need to make sure that your child is not scared of the subject. Maths is all about having fun and solving problems.

4) Do not make them do boring activities: If they are finding the activities dull, then they will not be interested in doing them.

5) Quit being a helicopter parent: It is important to give your child the space to try and solve the problems on their own. Do not be a helicopter parent and hover around them all the time.

6) Every kid is different- Remember that kids are different. Some might be good at memorizing while others would like to calculate logically. You need to find what works best for your child and help them accordingly.

7) Try different methods: If one method is not working, then try something else. There is no single way in which kids can learn their timetables. You will have to experiment a bit to see what works best for your kid.

8) Encourage them: Encourage your child and tell them, they are doing a great job. This will help boost their confidence and they will be more interested in learning their timetables.

9) Take a break: If your child is struggling, then take a break and try again later. Do not force them to learn when they are not in the mood.

10) Do not give up: It is important to never give up on your child. They might struggle at first but with a little bit of help, they will be able to understand and learn their times' tables.

11) Give opportunities and situations where kids will need to multiply and understand how it makes their calculation easier: When kids see that they need to use multiplication in real-life situations, it will help them understand the concept better and they will be more interested in learning it.

Multiplication is an important maths concept, but its not the end of life. With a little creativity, you can make learning times tables fun for your kids. 

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