My first-grader has decided he wants to learn division. We’ve been doing things like dividing marbles among muffin tins, but should we go any farther, or will it interfere with his understanding of addition and subtraction?
While it is impressive that your first grader wants to learn division, it is imperative that your son master his addition and subtraction facts first. A solid foundation of these basic facts will be necessary as your child progresses through school.
Mastering addition and subtraction facts is more than being able to quickly find the answer using fingers or other manipulatives. Your child needs to be able to provide answers to addition and subtraction facts promptly. Although it may seem like an unfashionable term, math facts need to be rote. When an addition or subtraction problem is presented, the answer needs to be automatic.
Playing with the concept of division is a fine activity for some free time. However, before concentrating on learning division facts, make sure that addition and subtraction are mastered.