Scary Division Strikes My Class

We started division this past week in math class. Oh my.....My students are scared of it! I think it is such a new concept and new way of doing math that they just freaked out a little bit and began to think they couldn't do it. We used manipulatives. We did group practice. We did individual white board practice. We even divided the students in our classroom by standing up and moving around the room. They had confidence doing it with me leading them through the steps, but then we got to individual practice time and the hands went up all around the room in confusion.

After this first day of panic over division in my class, I talked with the other third grade teacher, researched online and in books, and got ready for the next day of math. Somewhere along the way I found a teacher who had put hand motions to the steps of division. I took what she had, added a few little touches to it, and our division chant was born!

The second day of division I taught them the division chant. It goes like this:

- Divide (Make a division symbol with your two fists)
- Multiply (Make an "X" with your arms)
- Subtract (Fold your arms form the X into a straight line)
- Bring it Down (Wiggle your fingers down and wiggle to the floor)
- Repeat! (Jump up in the air and start the division chant over again)

After doing this about 20-25 times that first day, not only were my leg muscles sore from a nice work out but, I think it was starting to click. We did it the next day as well and will continue to do it. It is a fun way to practice the division steps and also gets it in their heads (It is catchy after a while!).

However we got to individual practice again on Friday and once again panic arose in my class. I stopped class, gave them a pep talk on how I knew they could do it and they needed to have the same confidence in themselves. They looked hesitant at first. They also complained, "This is hard....it makes my head hurt...I don't like to think this hard..." My reply, "Yes it is hard. Yes it does make your brain hurt. But guess what, not everything is easy! You can do this. I have confidence in you!" I then banned asking me questions for five minutes to force them to conquer the math on their own with me standing there doing silent cheerleader motions every time a sad "its hard" face looked at me. Well...some refused to work for these five minutes so it increased to 10 minutes working by yourself without asking me a question. And guess what? They did it!! :-) We celebrated their success of doing it on their own and I pointed out that they didn't need me to think for them afterall.

Their confidence grew a bit after that! We shall see how they did on this weekend's division practice homework... :-)