I realized recently that the boys were taking longer and longer to do their math lessons. I would catch them adding up multiplication problems using their fingers, toes, and noses. Yes, I said noses. Their scrap papers that they worked out their problems on where full of tally marks. Many times they got a problem wrong because they were off by one digit. They had simply miscounted. It is time for them to memorize their multiplication facts.
I remember trying so hard to do this as a child. I did flash cards all the time but I am not a visual learner. I am a kinesthetic learner. That does not mean that I have to act out the lesson or bounce on a ball. I am a note taker. There is something about writing it down that just writes it into my memory. Typing it out does not work. I have to write it with my hands and then it is permanently engraved on my brain. Some days I write out my grocery list and forget it at home but as long as it was hand written, I can remember what was on the list.
This is why copywork is so awesome. Copywork does not have to be for language lessons alone. Copywork is a great way for children to memorize their math facts. I created worksheets for my kids to copy and memorize their math facts.
My worksheets give the student 3 tools for recalling their multiplication facts.
- repetition- They are copying the facts over and over for the first 2 days.
- skip counting - If they can remember how to skip count to 12 in each number, they don't have to add up.
- commutative property- They see that numbers can be multiplied in either order. So if they forget what 4x3 is but they remember 3x4, they know their answer.
These worksheets are NOT a full math curriculum. They are for when you need to take a pause in your math lessons and focus on the facts so that you can go forward more easily. Teaching Textbooks does a great job teaching the multiplication facts. And there are many games and apps out there too that practice the math facts. But if your child is a kinesthetic learner like I am, you might want to try some copywork.
Here are the worksheets that I made for my boys. Feel free to download and print them yourself.
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