Ah hah moment!

I recently had a student struggling with his multiplication facts, specifically the 9's. Whenever we would practice he would really stress out. After talking to him he said that he just couldn't ever remember the answers to multiplication problems that had a nine in them. To my surprise, he said that he had never learned how to do the nines trick on his fingers. Ever since I taught him that simple trick he has been more successful and more enthusiastic about multiplication practice. Sometimes it is that simple to give kids the confidence they need. He now says math doesn't scare him.