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.
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
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.
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.
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?
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!
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.