Build it, draw it, write it
Hands first, pencils second! Say "Build 243!" and watch kids grab 2 flats, 4 rods and 3 little cubes. Then they sketch what they built and write the number. Real objects, then pictures, then digits: that's the order that makes it click.
Why it works: kids understand an idea best when they touch it, then draw it, then write it, the order the U.S. Department of Education recommends for elementary math.
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