Teaching Mental Math Strategies

This is (part 3 of 3 for) a presentation by Jim Olsen and Dan Van Wetering given 10/16/2009 at the ICTM (Ill. Council of Teachers of Mathematics) Conference in Peoria, IL.

Teaching Mental Math Strategies
1. Model the strategy.
Show when to use the strategy and how to use it.  Provide examples.
2. Have students practice the new strategy.  Provide exercises in which they will use the new strategy.
3. “Mixed practice”:  Provide exercises in which students select and use strategies from the strategies already learned.