Elementary Math Success Using Base Ten Blocks

I've been a teacher for over a decade. When I became a teacher I was eager to teach kids differently than I had been taught. So much of how I was taught as a child was motivated by results, scores and performance. If I did well on the standardized test that proved that I was learning. Filling in the right bubble proved that I understood the question and the answer. Sadly, this was far from the truth, because I missed out on understanding what happened in between the question and the answer. I couldn't tell my teacher why choice "D" was right. I needed teachers who could show me why my answer was correct. I needed teachers who knew about math manipulatives.

Elementary School math can be a challenge for students. This is especially true when kids are taught how to get the right answers to problems, but aren't taught why their answers are correct. That's why my favorite math manipulatives are Base Ten Blocks. They are a fantastic tool for teaching the basic mathematical operations in a way that makes sense to kids. Place value, number sense, addition, subtraction, multiplication and long division are just a few examples of mathematical concepts that can be better taught, and understood, using base 10 blocks.

Base Ten Blocks are a "must have" math tool for anyone who's trying to teach elementary school math. Without an understanding of the mathematical processes involved in problem solving the correct answers are meaningless. Math manipulatives, like base ten blocks, help kids understand their answers. They help math make sense.
Some parents and educators don't know where to begin when it comes to teaching kids what to do with a math manipulative. Luckily, this is a hurdle that is easy to get over in today's information age. Base Ten Blocks activity books and Base Ten reproducible guides are readily available. They help guide any teacher though many activities that can accompany these great hands-on resources. All the work is already done for you. All you need to do is round up the materials, copy the lesson plans and worksheets and follow the instructions. You'll be amazed at how quickly kids begin to understand how to get the right answers. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to teach math better than you were likely taught.

The internet is another valuable resource when it comes to figuring out how to teach with a set of Base Ten Blocks. A simple internet search will uncover lesson plans and valuable suggestions that incorporate these great hands-on tools. You'll also discover a wide selection of Base Ten products including stamps, workbooks, plastic blocks, wooden blocks, snap together cubes and much more. When I was a child I was lucky if my text book included an illustration for the mathematical process being taught. Now, the materials available for understanding the mathematical processes are excellent and varied. We can teach so much more than our math teachers taught us when we use math manipulatives.

If you're trying to uncover the best way to teach elementary school math you want to invest in some good math manipulatives. This investment should include some excellent Base Ten manipulatives and Base Ten resources. They'll make you a better teacher. They'll make learning easier and more meaningful for your students. Learners will experience real success. You'll get real results that reflect true understanding. It's an investment you won't regret.