I like that you are looking at this basic question. I know when I was learning math, I would get hung up on things such as why is a negative number times a negative number equal to a positive number. And I couldn't move forward until I grasped this concept. Seeing math as concepts to be understood is a better approach than rote teaching.
Also kids need to understand that having a question is more important than knowing the answer. Einstein once said that it is "better to be amazed that to understand." Kids can go farther in life AND in their education if they feel comfortable in not knowing something and are excited about the quest of searching for the answer, even if they don't find it. Too much stress is placed in school on right and wrong answers, in my opinion.
I like that you are looking at this basic question. I know when I was learning math, I would get hung up on things such as why is a negative number times a negative number equal to a positive number. And I couldn't move forward until I grasped this concept. Seeing math as concepts to be understood is a better approach than rote teaching.
Also kids need to understand that having a question is more important than knowing the answer. Einstein once said that it is "better to be amazed that to understand." Kids can go farther in life AND in their education if they feel comfortable in not knowing something and are excited about the quest of searching for the answer, even if they don't find it. Too much stress is placed in school on right and wrong answers, in my opinion.