Paul Shoecraft

Dr. Shoecraft may be the only mathematician since the New Math in the 1960s to seriously analyze the “lowly” subject of arithmetic and how to teach it. His breakthrough came when he experimented with teaching what needs to be understood instead of “known” (memorized), like teaching why addition problems until the algorithm they are using supposedly becomes cemented in their brains. By teaching the essence of arithmetic in sensible ways and appealing to children’s love of games, songs, and movement, he’s proven that virtually ALL children can learn arithmetic — the foundation of algebra, higher mathematics, science, technology, and more, even music! When children understand arithmetic, they own it. It’s no lonver just their teacher’s math. It’s their math!

America’s children are being held back in math because of how arithmetic is drug out in elementary school. Virtually every textbook-based elementary school math program in use today is mind-numbing in its repetitiveness from grade to grade. The reason for the redundancy is to slow down the teaching of arithmetic so it can be memorized. 

Research shows that the human brain is not designed to remember things learned by rote when no longer practiced. That’s acknowledged in the “use-it-or-lose-it” aphorism that states the obvious, that we remember what we use and forget what we don’t. You know that to be true if you’ve ever forgotten things you once knew as well as your own name — things like an old address or a license plate number. 

Every child can understand base ten numeration when taught hands-on with arithmetic blocks. Thereby, every child can understand base ten arithmetic. And every child can learn how to count out the number facts, like 5 + 7 = 12, 17 - 8 = 9, 6 X 7 = 42, and 56 ÷ 7 = 8, and, if they forget one, never have to guess and risk ridicule and bad grades if they guess wrong. What matters in teaching arithmetic is not how much a child can remember but how much they can figure out if/when they forget.

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