Base 10 Manipulatives



I was never introduced to base 10 manipulatives as a child, even though they have existed for a long period of time.  Maybe it depends on what country we grow in, or maybe it's just a teacher's preference.  I'm really not sure, but even now I meet some teachers that aren't very comfortable to use them in their classrooms.  I don't know why many mentors prefer not to use them, even though they can be very powerful in explaining many things in Math. 

When I recently got introduced to the base 10 manipulatives in one of our University Education classes, and by the way I did not know what they were called, I was shocked and I wasn't sure how using "toys" would be beneficial in Math.  Our instructor's enthusiasm and ease of guidance helped me realize that it would be a waste not to use them for various reasons.

1) It is easier for students to remember things and learn about them if they've seen them and have dealt with them rather than just heard about them.  For example, if students are learning about subtraction using base 10 manipulatives, the process becomes very clear in their mind when they actually see what happens step by step.

2) Base 10 manipulatives help students stretch their imagination.  With that aid, they would be able to relate what they're learning to real life situations. 

3) Problem solving becomes a second nature for students who use manipulatives, because in most cases, it is likely that there is more than one solution available.  They will be able to successfully choose the best strategy in each situation.

I was very happy and thankful to be introduced to the base 10 manipulatives.  If I ever have my own classroom, I will definetly use them wherever is applicable.