Notes for mental arithmetic teachers: how the methodology works, what keeps students motivated, and real stories of progress.
Six months ago Mila could barely count to twenty without mistakes. Today she adds three-digit numbers in her head.
Why learning starts with a physical abacus rather than jumping straight to mental math — and what happens in a child's mind at each stage.
The first weeks are the most fragile period: the excitement of a new abacus fades fast, while results are not visible yet. What a teacher can do.
Homework often ends up a compromise between 'useful' and 'at least half-done'. A few principles that change that ratio.
