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What if Long Division Didn’t Have to be Stressful to Teach?

July 13, 2022 2 min read

If you’re like most upper elementary teachers, the thought of teaching long division probably makes you break out in a cold sweat. It doesn’t have to be that way, though! The box method is a much easier alternative to the traditional way of doing long division. This blog post will discuss why box method long division is better and how to use it in your classroom.

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Too Much Memorization

One of the biggest problems with the traditional way of teaching long division is that it requires a lot of memorization on the part of the student.

Students have to remember how many times the divisor goes into the dividend, what the remainder is, and so on. This process can be overwhelming for some students and lead to frustration.

With the box method, students only have to remember a few simple steps. They don’t have to memorize anything beyond that, which makes it much easier for students to understand and retain.

Imagine a Simpler Way

Try to imagine long division without all the steps and memorization. That’s what the box method is. Your students CAN succeed in long division.

You know that it’s a necessary skill that students must master in fourth grade. Just give the box method a try! You can even differentiate accordingly with this method way, way easier.

Box Method Long Division Made Easy

So we know that the box method solves your long division woes. It’s a simpler way for students to understand long division…but how?

Using color coding and organization will seriously make your life ten times easier. No more confusion and memorizing steps with misaligned columns. 

Why does the box method work so well? It’s because students can easily see and visualize the division process. They’re also more likely to remember the steps because it’s less abstract than the traditional long division algorithm.

So not only will this method save you time and energy, but your students will also be more engaged and confident in their abilities!

Box method long division worksheet that includes color coded boxes and organization

If you’re intrigued, I’d encourage you to try it out yourself!

I hope this post about box method division has helped clarify some things for you. Need to know HOW to do box method division? I’ve got you covered.

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