Does anyone have this problem, too? You assign your child/student a list of math problems each requiring calculation. He/she hands you the completed work which is a bare list answers. Invariably, I ask, “Where’s your work?”

“I did it in my head,” he replies.

Aaargh! Many of the answers are wrong! And I have no way of knowing what he understands or doesn’t understand about the concepts because nothing is written down. It becomes a battle of wills; do it again and show your work. Or if I need complete sentences or a paragraph for other assignments, the same challenges.

Well, at last, I have learned a great way of addressing this problem. It’s all about neurons, you see. And short-term and long-term memory. Check out the post at Bror’s Blog for his open letter to kids who ‘won’t write it down.’

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