Here’s a problem-solving model you can use with any problem. It doesn’t matter if it’s a math problem, a school or work problem, or a personal problem.

Critical thinking is one of those buzzwords that has people scratching their heads. Is critical thinking a new kind of thinking? How does it differ from other thinking? Can parents teach critical thinking to kids? Critical thinking is really an approach to thinking. It's a skill set that involves using different thinking skills such as logical reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Most of all, critical thinking is about treating the evidence with care and respect. Have you ever heard someone make a snap judgment or cite one television clip as evidence to support a conclusion? Critical thinking is the opposite of rushing to judgment. It means seeking out all kinds of information and evaluating it critically before taking a position. Critical thinkers are open-minded and respect the people they disagree with.

Help your students learn about math - even when you're not there! By teaching children that math and mathematical concepts can be found in almost every aspect of our daily lives, you will enrich their learning experiences in and out of the classroom.

You will find lesson plans that are sure to inspire even the most disgruntled math student. You will also find web links to some of the most fun Internet games out there. Check out the students' sample work too.

Parents! You can practice more multiplication with your children by using counters you can find around your house. Use beans, cheerios, peas, whatever!

Have your child make up some equal groups using their counters (we used beans). Here are some questions to ask them:

• How many equal groups of beans are there?
• How many beans are in each group?
• What is the total number of beans?
• What equation describes this?

Try rearranging the counters in the reverse groupings (for example: if you had 3 groups of 2, now change it to 2 groups of 3).

Play around with the counters. Try asking your child to make up different array combinations. An array is an arrangement of objects into rows and columns. Count the rows and columns or number of groups. Describe the equation.

Counters

1. Young children and even babies grasp on to the concept of addition very early. Together you can count and add up fingers, toes, hands, feet, cereal, raisons, bugs, toys, dots or whatever interests them and is available.
2. They will learn quite quickly that adding means putting things (or sets) together.
3. Use lots and lots of counters! Start off with easy equations. Group them in sets and try putting the sets together.
4. Start saying the mathematical equation so they learn the mathematical meanings of words such as addition, adding, add, and, plus, sum, total, equals (subtraction, minus, take-away).
5. Give your child an equation and figure out the answer together with counters.
6. Introduce the math symbols: (operations + - ); (relations =, >, < ).
7. Review the principle of ordering when you introduce greater than (>) and less than (<).
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When your child is first learning multiplication he/she needs to first understand the concept of multiplication and its properties. They also need to practice their facts in a variety of ways to gain fluency and to be able to use it quickly for problem solving and estimation in their own world.

Memorizing the facts is an important part of the learning process where creativity by the parent or teacher can really help to keep your child excited about drills. Eventually you can move on to teaching place values, 2 digit multiplication, and algebra.

This article presents some ideas with sample lessons and worksheets for you to help your child understand the principle of multiplication and to memorize the times tables facts.