Question: My son is struggling with division. How can I help my child to understand the concept of division? — Concerned

Answer: With the access to inexpensive calculators there is no need today for children to possess the skills to solve long division problems. However, it is very important for children to develop the concept of division and to understand the division algorithm. Here are some hands-on ways that will help your son understand division.

Give Everyone the Same: Have your child count out 12 beans. Of these 12, have him count out four beans and place them in a tub. Have him count out four more beans and place them in another tub. Continue this process until all 12 beans have been placed in a tub. Ask your child, “How many tubs contain beans?” In this case, three tubs contain beans.

Once you have finished counting out the beans, it is time to show your child the mathematical relation between division and multiplication. Point out that the divisor (the number that divides another number), 4, and the quotient (the answer to a division problem), 3, are the factors in the multiplication problem.

First, have him write out what he has done as a multiplication problem: (Number of tubs of beans times number of beans per tub equals number of beans.) He will write 3 x 4 = 12. Then he should write out the division problem, which is the number of beans divided by the number of beans per tub equals the number of tubs with beans. This time he will write 12 / 4 = 3. Repeat this activity using 16, 24 and 36 beans.

Everyone Shares Fairly: Expand your son’s knowledge of division by having him count out 12 beans again and divide them equally between four tubs. Ask him how many beans are in each tub. Then have him write out what he has done as a multiplication and then a division problem. Repeat using 16, 24 and 36 beans and the four tubs.

These activities use the partition model to develop the concept of division. It answers the question “If a number of things are to be shared equally among a number of sharers, how many things would each sharer get?”

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Question: My second-grade daughter is anxious and stressed every day in school. I feel that this is affecting her academic growth. How can I help her to relax in the school environment? — Scared

Answer: You definitely want your daughter to have a more positive learning experience. It is time to make an appointment with her teacher and school counselor, who should have some solid ideas about how to turn this situation around before third grade. An investigation should tell everyone what is causing the anxiety and stress. Could it be the school work or related to her classmates?

The answer could be as simple as getting her some tools like a stress ball, or having her chew gum or sit on an exercise ball — techniques that she could use to calm herself and get her mind in a different place.

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