The Concept of Regrouping with Liping Ma

Liping Ma describes some differences between American and Chinese math educators, specifically concerning the idea of regrouping.

It’s always easier for children to subtract three from ten than from thirteen.

Liping Ma is an independent scholar of mathematics education research. From 2006-2008, she worked as a member of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. Her book, Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics, is quoted on all sides of the discussion about how to teach mathematics in elementary school in the U.S. She has a Ph.D. from Stanford University.

The Early Math Collaborative, supported by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, held international symposia in 2009 and 2010. The two events brought experts from around the world to share approaches to early mathematics education with teachers, administrators, policy-makers, and other education professionals. The goal was to generate globally-informed ideas and recommendations for improving math instruction in the early childhood classroom. In breakout discussions and plenary sessions, participants brainstormed ideas, identified issues, and recommended actions.