Multiply and Divide with Sticks and Steps® by Maureen Stearns: Book Review (article) by Irene Watson on AuthorsDen

Multiply and Divide with Sticks and Steps®: Teach this Easy Method in Just 5 Minutes

Maureen Stearns
Enrichment Books (2011)
ISBN 9780972690850
Reviewed by Christine Watson for Reader Views (10/10)

Maureen Stearns obviously has experience working with students. In her book, “Multiply and Divide with Sticks and Steps®,” she shares her clear and simple system for multiplying that I plan to use with my students from here on out. As a teacher and administrator, I have seen many methods attempted to help students gain understanding of multiplication. An important aspect to Ms. Stearns’ “sticks and steps” method is that she shows concretely what multiplication is, instead of just having students memorize the times tables. With a better understanding of why multiplication is used, it’s much easier for students to make sense of the process. Without that understanding, true learning is not taking place.

I am grateful to Ms. Stearns for creating a book that teaches us all how to help students understand several math concepts with better clarity. She not only teaches multiplication, but also shows how the method works with division, least common multiples, and square roots. She also uses bigger numbers to show how the process works correctly every time.

The book is simple to read and understand, and then teach to students. Students could even read this book and understand it themselves. There are step-by-step instructions as well as sample problems showing the how the process works. There is a natural flow throughout the book as concepts get more difficult and problems can still be solved using her method.

I highly recommend “Multiply and Divide with Sticks and Steps®” to any teacher looking to find a concrete way to teach multiplication and division that literally shows students on paper what is happening during the process. This is a must-have for math teachers with struggling students. I will be passing this book along to all of my teachers.

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Reviewed by LISA BrownGilbert (Reader)

Reviewed on June 1, 2012

Learning math is often a sore point with young school age kids and their parents, as most people are not mathematically inclined. While there are a great many books out there on the market that profess to teaching the easy methods to understanding and performing math functions many of them somehow fall short or present a series of confusing methods that can frustrate both students and parents alike Maureen Stearns B.A. ,M.S. who is a parent, educator and author has found the perfect method to easily teaching multiplication and division to students which is published in a book titled Multiply and Divide with Sticks and Steps.

As a parent of six children myself I understand the trials and tribulations of teaching young children anything especially multiplication and division. This book is a simplified guide to multiplication and division and it works very well. I know this system works because I tested the methods out on my own children and the results were great. Written in easy to understand language with the steps adeptly completely illustrated this book can work wonders for all students, this book even includes multiplying and dividing large numbers, common multiples and square roots for the more advanced learners. Also this book includes illustrations that map the steps out which is both a great help and a plus.

I highly recommend this book as an at home teaching tool for all students and it should be included in the curriculum for math teachers dealing with students struggling with math.