After watching this video you'll understand why I decided to teach my children how to calculate using an Abacus, otherwise known as the Soroban, in Japan. You can find Soroban teachers all over the U.S. and can often find they are quite reasonable in their fees.
Math is one of the most difficult subjects, because of the way it's taught in the west. In the beginning stages math is taught using a lot of manipulatives, which I think is great. But, the manipulatives are quickly done away with before the child really has a grasp of all of the basic concepts of calculation. From then on math is taught as a totally abstract concept.
You may be thinking, "how will my child be able to take a written test if they won't let them use their Soroban during testing?" Notice how the children are tapping on the table with their fingers and no Soroban. These children are using the Abacus of the mind. Two years worth of instruction using the Soroban will have your children calculating without the Soroban. They will in fact be using the Soroban of the mind and will be able to do complex computations in their head, as fast or faster than someone with a calculator.
All this is possible through the use of one basic manipulative, the Soroban. This manipulative is used exclusively, teaching the child how to calculate without using paper and pencil until the problem is completed and the answer is written. As you can see from this video they've got the instruction down to a science and it's very effective for large groups of children, not just one or two at a time.
It is possible for our children to learn just as effectively, using the same method of Soroban instruction. We can also include our own version of the Abacus, the Awale board, as an additional manipulative. The Awale board was developed in Africa and conceptually is very similar to the Soroban, with the exception that it is used as a "game" for two people.
This game has many different versions and uses anywhere from a minimum of 12 holes divided in two groups of 6 to 150 or more holes divided in two equal groups.
The whole point here is that math does not have to be a chore for you to teach or the children to learn. In fact, you can all enjoy learning how to calculate accurately and quickly using the methods I'm outlining. Check out the links on this page, they'll take you to other websites where you'll find FREE Flash Anzan training programs available online, as well as a FREE Awale game that you can download. My children and I used the Awale game in its free form for years without ever upgrading to the paid version and it was great fun.
Making all of your subjects enjoyable is part of the key to success in education, at home or in an institution. Relying strictly on abstractions using paper and pencil is not the best way to teach, it's just very common amongst homeschoolers and public school instructors. I happen to think we can do much better using other well tested techniques. As you go through the links you'll find a number of groups in the U.S. beginning to bring these methods here with great success. Make sure to check out the Flash Anzan link, Tome Soroban and the links that allow you to download FREE worksheets.
Good Luck!
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