Number operations (or, in the early grades, addition and subtraction) are often what adults think of as “real math.”
Similarly, there is an emphasis within the Common Core State Standards on Operations and Algebraic Thinking in the early grades.
Addition and subtraction is an area of math where adults are too often tempted to lean on rote memorization and procedures, which are techniques that can be detrimental to students and simply reinforce misunderstanding. (We’ll get into that more in Conceptual Knowledge.)
To create a stable foundation for success in more complex math later in their development, we need to build on the big ideas of Number Sense and Base Ten. By leaning on these fundamental math concepts, we can foster true understanding of what addition and subtraction does in the real world.
In this section, we’ll look critically at the difference between Procedural and Conceptual Knowledge, apply the Learning Trajectory model to operations, and see the critical need to understand the true meaning of The Equal Sign.
Let’s go! Click that blue button!