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"Chunking" and "Bus stop" methods for Junior School Maths

(14 Posts)
amberdogxK9 Wed 23-Mar-16 12:25:42

Have any of you wise Grandparents had to help a tearful child through this type of homework ? Apparently children have to be confident with "chunking" before they progress to the quicker "bus stop method". Any advice gratefully received.

Greyduster Wed 23-Mar-16 12:54:59

I'm afraid I haven't heard of either of these terms, but I hope someone will be along soon to help. Nothing worse than a child in tears worried about schoolwork!

ninathenana Wed 23-Mar-16 13:00:23

A quick Google comes up with a few sites aimed at explaining this to parents.

LullyDully Wed 23-Mar-16 13:03:22

Maths can be a problem when older people don't understand modern methods. Up to the school to explain imo.

oldgoat Wed 23-Mar-16 13:03:42

Luckily, GCs' school had a special evening to teach the grown-ups about these modern ways of tackling problems. Why not ask their teacher for some guidance?

grannylyn65 Wed 23-Mar-16 14:39:20

confused

LullyDully Wed 23-Mar-16 14:52:41

There is a YouTube explanation if you Google it. If your are ahead you can help your grandchild.

amberdogxK9 Wed 23-Mar-16 15:59:32

Yes, I have researched everything out there thanks ladies, just wondering if anyone has had direct experience of this. I will suggest the school do a special evening as there is more than one child floundering. The School has a Calculation Policy on it's website which (admittedly a long time ago) with a b pass at GCSE I find impenetrable. beginning to pity the teachers as well as the children.

aquagran Wed 23-Mar-16 16:15:13

Chunking is easy and fun. When I would announce to my Year Sixes that we would be doing "chunking" they would cheer!

amberdogxK9 Thu 31-Mar-16 20:06:00

Thanks "aquagran" - the problem for some children is the transition from chunking to the bus stop method. I don't find either difficult, obviously, just the calculation policy on the school website. Any tips to explain how to help a child gratefully received.

wondergran Thu 31-Mar-16 20:15:59

There are lots of practical examples online which should really help. It's almost impossible to explain without drawing diagrams etc.

Jalima Thu 31-Mar-16 21:18:14

I saw this on google:

The bus stop method for division is the only method we all find reliable, whatever the numbers are. It is helpful to start by writing out the times table of the number you are dividing by. The next step is how many 7s in 25. We can see from our times table that 3x7=21, so the answer is 3, with 4 left over.

So learning the times tables is not a waste of time after all

Elrel Fri 01-Apr-16 00:33:18

I got a respectable grade in O level maths and used margins to write out and tables I needed.
The schools certainly should arrange sessions to explain 'chunking' and 'bus stop' to parents etc. Don't the educationalists love their jargon these days?! I'm still spitting feathers about 5 year olds being taught terms such as vowel digraphs. It's not clever and it's not funny.

Elrel Fri 01-Apr-16 00:34:23

Oops - unintended 'and' in first sentence.