Why StrADDegy?
Learning theory and intuition are in agreement: if one wants something to be easier to remember, then reduce what needs to be learned. StrADDegy is built with this in mind. To learn basic addition and subtraction facts don’t focus on 121 discrete facts, cluster them according to number relationships and patterns that provide the bedrock for strategies. If facts are to be truly mastered they must be presented in problem solving contexts that invite children to construct the number patterns, relationships and structures that lead to a full understanding of the composition and decomposition of number.
StrADDegy is designed to move children away from a reliance on inefficient counting strategies and rote memorization to a mastery of addition and subtraction facts constructed from an understanding of the parts of numbers and their relationships. It targets the following patterns and strategies: Count Ons, Think Doubles, Number Bonds to 10, 10 and Some More, Make Ten
The focus on big ideas, strategies, reasoning and flexible number sense in StrADDegy has a positive impact on children’s learning well beyond the basic fact range. The “habits of mind” and conceptual understandings internalized as a result of StrADDegy makes the exploration of multi-digit computation, fractions and algebraic reasoning far more concrete.
The successful mastery of the facts will also send a positive message to the learner that with practice, persistence and flexible thinking difficult mathematical challenges can be overcome, a mindset that will pave the way to even greater mathematical discovery and accomplishment.