Helping students make sense of math, find joy, improve, and accelerate through our 1:1 lessons, classes, and curriculum.
Why mental math is the most underrated skill in learning
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Pencil in hand, she stared at the paper. She wanted to use a calculator, but this was a non-calculator problem. So she started counting on her fingers. It took her a moment to remember what 12 + 3 equaled. It wasn’t that she couldn’t get the answer. She could. But every problem took so long. That’s when I introduced her to a few mental math shortcuts. 12 is 10+2 right? What does 2+3 equal? Now, we add 10. Yep, the answer is 15. These weren’t tricks, but ways of breaking numbers apart so the problem felt easier. Suddenly, she wasn’t dragging through the work anymore. She started solving the problems quickly and even thought these were kind of fun. Why Mental Math Matters When a student knows how to find friendly numbers or quickly break a problem down into parts, it frees up their mental energy. Instead of getting dragged down by calculations, they can keep moving forward. And that sense of momentum makes math feel less intimidating. Tools That Work
These small shifts add up to big results. Students who once struggled to keep pace start to feel lighter, faster, and more capable. And because the strategies are simple, students can practice them almost anywhere—while riding in the car, setting the table, or even playing games. Want to go deeper into how this works? We put together a blog post with examples you can try at home with your students who struggle to add and subtract quickly: Unlock Math Confidence with Number Bonds - Get your Free Guide! Your Coach, P.S. Looking for classes to help your students gain confidence with math, or techniques you can teach your students? Set up a consultation call to find out more about how we can help. |
Ingrid | Tampa Bay Test Prep
Helping students make sense of math, find joy, improve, and accelerate through our 1:1 lessons, classes, and curriculum.
Hi there, As the first half of the school year winds down, I keep hearing the same thing from parents: I can tell my child needs support in math, but I’m just not sure what the right next step is. December is busy. Kids are taking finals. Families are traveling. College decisions are on the horizon. Some students are slipping behind quietly, while others are ready to leap ahead but don’t have the right support. So this year, I wanted our Black Friday specials to give families clarity,...
She finished the problem and said confidently, “Done!”But when I asked her to explain her steps, she hesitated.Halfway through her explanation, she stopped mid-sentence and said, “Oh—wait. That’s where I went wrong.” Just like that, she found her own mistake. That’s the power of talking math out loud. It slows thinking down, reveals gaps, and helps students turn confusion into clarity. Why It Works When students explain their reasoning, they organize their thoughts, connect vocabulary, and...
She frowned at her paper. Everything looked right, but the answer was off. She started to erase it right away. But I asked her to wait. “Instead of erasing it right away, can you spot where things started to go wrong?” A few seconds later, her eyes lit up. “Oh! I added instead of subtracting.” That moment—when a student finds their own mistake—is when real learning happens. But as parents/teachers, it’s hard to watch this process. When your child keeps missing problems they should know, it’s...