Blocks before digits
When kids are stuck on place value or regrouping, go back to base 10 blocks. Have them build 64, trade a ten for ten ones, and then take away 27. Once they see it with blocks, the written steps finally make sense.
Why it works: going from real objects to pictures to symbols is a core recommendation of the U.S. Department of Education's elementary math guide.
Try it withThree Digit Multiplication WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →























