Did you know that I also make videos on YouTube to help parents and students understand math concepts?!?! Well, I do! Originally, my videos were designed to help parents understand different methods that are being taught in today’s classrooms. However, a lot of my students have watched them and learned new methods that work better for them. I’ll bet there’s one in there that you didn’t know about and wish you had when you were in school!
You can see ALL of my videos by heading to my YouTube channel! I have tons of videos all about math, online tutoring, and more!
Below you will find a few of my favorites that I created. Please enjoy and don’t forget to subscribe!
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2nd Grade and Up
Elapsed Time
Elapsed time may not seem like a difficult skill, because we use time, well, all the time. But because it doesn’t work on a base-10 system, time can be difficult to figure out. This video will show you a method of solving elapsed time problems using – get this – a time line!
Subtraction Using Base-10 Blocks
If there are issues with subtraction with regrouping (i.e. borrowing or trading) I always turn to my base-10 blocks. I show you how to use these blocks whether you own a set or not! There’s an easy way to draw these on your paper to help give a visual when regrouping.
Open Number Line Addition and Subtraction
This method for addition and subtraction can be a life saver for students who are just having a tough time figuring out number sense when adding and subtracting. It’s not the most efficient method, but can be used to help struggling students connect the concrete concept to abstract.
3rd Grade and Up
Multiplying 9s Tricks
This is one of my very first videos, and I’m still really proud of it. So many of my adult friends watch this and say, “I wish I knew that when I was in school!” This video will teach you several neat “tricks” for multiplying 9 times any 1-digit number.
Multiplying 8s Trick
There’s a multiplication trick for 8s, too. In my humble opinion, it’s not quite as crafty as the 9s trick, but it’s still pretty cool.
Lattice Multiplication
Here is a method for multiplication of multi-digit numbers (anything larger than 9). This method is very confusing for some, but very easy for others. So try it out, but if you’re not sold, I’ve got other methods for multiplying these multi-digit numbers.
Lattice Multiplication – The Sequel!
My dad actually made me realize the need for this sequel. Here is another example of how to use lattice multiplication with a 3-digit by a 2-digit number.
How to do Grid Multiplication
When I have kids who don’t really ‘get’ the Lattice Multiplication method, I turn to Grid Multiplication. It’s generally, the same concept, but the format is a lot easier for most of my students to use. Grid Multiplication is a method of multiplying multi-digit (anything larger than 9) numbers. Very similar to “Partial Products” method or “Break Apart” methods. Try it!
Partial Sums
This is another method to help students who are struggling with regrouping (borrowing, trading) when adding 2-digit or larger numbers.
Divisibility Rules
Divisibility rules can come in so handy! I refer to them all the time when I’m tutoring. In this video I show you how you can quickly find out if a larger number is divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. In all honesty, I don’t usually teach the rule for 7 and 8, but they do work, so…enjoy!
4th Grade and Up
How to Add and Subtract Fractions with the Butterfly Method
This is a cool method for adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. It’s not always as efficient as just finding a common denominator, but it does work.
Elapsed Time (Adding/Subtracting) with Regrouping
Several of my students know how to find elapsed time by starting at one time and counting on to another, but a lot of them are stumped when they are asked to “add” or “subtract” two different times – especially when it comes to regrouping hours to minutes or minutes to hours!
5th Grade and Up
+/- Positive and Negative Integers
Take a look at this video which shows you 3 different methods for adding and subtracting positive and negative integers.
Big 7 Division with Decimals
Recently, a viewer asked if the “Big 7 division” method works for other types of division problems, too, i.e. decimals. That question prompted me to make this video. I give you: “Big 7 Division – the Decimal edition” Dun dun DUN!
Prime Factorization with Factor Trees
Using a factor tree is one method of finding the prime numbers that make up a composite number, i.e. 2 and 3 are both prime numbers, and when you multiply them together you get the composite number of 6. See how easy?
Lowest Common Multiple
Up next is a video about how to find the LCM or Lowest Common Multiple. I show two different methods, but mainly focused on using the Factor Tree for the larger numbers. This is useful when you are working with adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators and need to find a common denominator. LCM is the same thing! Yipee!
Greatest Common Factor
The GCF or Greatest Common Factor goes hand in hand with LCM – except that you’ll find this useful when trying to simplify fractions with really large numbers. Again, this method uses Factor Trees to find the GCF between 2 numbers.
Square root with factor trees
Finding the square root of common, smaller numbers can be easy if you know your multiplication facts. In this video, I show you how to use factor trees to find the square root of larger numbers, even when it doesn’t come out as a perfect square.
Fraction Percent and Decimal Conversion
In this video, I show you how to convert between fraction, decimal and percent. All three forms can seem confusing, but I show you how to break each one down to its basic parts, which helps in understanding how to make sense of it all!
6th Grade and Up
Metric Unit Conversion
(grams, liters and meters)
Metric unit conversion is a topic I help students with ALL. THE. TIME. Take a look at this easy way to convert between metric units. No multiplication, division or batteries required. You will need to know your left from your right, though 🙂
Finding Percent in Word Problems
Ask a 6th grader to “find the percent of a number” and they will either look at you like you’ve got 7 heads or melt into a puddle on the floor from all the anxiety. In this video, I give actual word problems to show how to write sentences that can be converted into mathematical equations.
7th Grade and Up
Consecutive Integers
Here’s a video that will clear up some confusion about “Consecutive Integer” word problems. It is a longer video, but I show you how to solve 4 different types of these problems, and show you how to check your work!
8th Grade and Up
This video explains the “Box Method” when factoring trinomials. This method is PERFECT for factoring those tough trinomials that have a coefficient larger than one for the first term. No more guess and check!