Reply to How is your child 2 grades ahead in math

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It’s mostly innate iq and innate math ability. Twin and adoption studies prove this. Either your brain has it or it doesn’t. Pick your breeding partners wisely. [/quote]

Maybe up through basic multiple and division. But passed that, math does need to be actively taught as there are many formulas, theories and such that need to be learned and memorized for more advanced math. [/quote]
Yes but some kids see a problem demonstrated or solved and just get it. They don’t need practice or review[/quote]

Not many like that. Feynman's books make it clear he had to practice math, even the path integral, and Feynman was probably 2nd best (right behind Einstein) in 20th century Physics. [/quote]

We are talking about kids in early elementary school.  My kid at 6 could look at big brother’s HW ask once what the multiplication sign meant and then do 3rd grade level things with it.  That doesn’t mean he is smarter than Feynman, it means multiplication is easier than integrals.

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Multiplication is a memorization skill isn’t it? [/quote]

A very small portion of what is taught related to multiplication should be memorizing the fact.  Fluency is important, don't get me wrong, but it's also really important that kids have a deep understanding of the process, that they can use the properties of multiplication flexibly, and move back and forth between multiplication and division, and solve word problems, and factor numbers, and do all sorts of other things that will set them up for success and true understanding when they get to concepts like fractions with unlike denominators, and ratios, and interpreting data, and algebra.

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DP and I think you're underestimating the extent to which sheer memorization can help get you to the deep understanding of the process and the properties of multiplication. I grew up with Saxon Math, which is the epitome of drill and kill. By working a bajillion multiplication problems over and over again, in speed drills once I was good enough at them, I learned all the things you were talking about well enough to minor in math in college.

Facts before expecting critical application of those facts always, in every discipline. It's how the human brain learns - neuroscience has proven that.[/quote]

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