L is for Light Bulb

We're on triple digit subtraction. Let's just say I'm happy for the three day weekend...

But a glimmer of hope presented itself today. I believe the best sign of learning is that students can teach what they've learned to others. I've seen the best  proof of this during math lessons.

I've had one little darling who can add all day long, but subtraction takes him a bit longer to figure out. He had troubles with two digit regrouping and I told him not to worry. I assured him that he had more time to work on it when we got to triple digits.

Well, we got there today. I was sitting with just this little guy and trying to show him how to regroup  the tens AND that you have to borrow from the hundreds to do that. He kept forgetting to take from the hundreds place and was 100 off on about 8 problems.

I was wracking my brain trying to think of what would turn on his light bulb. Being the kind of kid he is I said, "Who do you think you are? You can just give the tens place more for free! You've got to go next door and borrow some from the hundreds' place! Sheesh!"

He cracked up and fixed the rest of the page without forgetting to borrow.

15 minutes later, I let him put on a Math Wizard hat and help some of his classmates.

I overheard him saying, "Don't you know that you just can't give the tens place some without going next door and taking some away from the hundreds to give to the tens? They don't just get it for free, they gotta steal it from the hundreds!"

I consider that light bulb lit!