Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally, She’s Leaving Math For Good!

Math Is Trending!

I presumed it was an excellent day when I saw that math was trending on Twitter until I saw some of the responses and that the overall math message was lost in the problem that was trending.

It definitely got an exchange going. But I think it was the wrong discussion. 

The internet had blown up with the following problem.

So What Happened?

Let me show you. Below are the answers people were getting.

Option A has people using the order of operations. Option B has people distributing before diving because of the parenthesis around 4.

Popular Mechanics held a poll of the answers. 61% felt the answer was 1 and 39% felt the answer was 16.

The problem with this expression wasn’t that there were two different outlooks on how to solve it. The problem here is that mathematicians wouldn’t actually write it this way. They would use parentheses to clarify if they wanted the multiplication or division to be solved first. The vagueness should have been the debate. 

So why didn’t elementary teachers pick up on that? 

I think it boils down to the arbitrary rules we follow in math. I taught fifth grade the longest out of all the other grade levels I was in. I am familiar with the Order of operations common core standard. Here’s my concern with that standard, in no way, are teachers asked to look into what it is, why it works, and when it doesn’t work. There are plenty of programming languages and other types of notation systems that don’t follow PEMDAS. Are teachers and students aware of that? Or are we just giving students a bunch of rules to blindly follow?  

Math teachers need to understand WHY they’re teaching something not just HOW to solve it.

Where Is Aunt Sally In All Of This?

This is how the Order Of Operations is currently taught in math classrooms. 

Teachers use the acronyms PEMDAS (US version), BEDMAS (Canada version), or BIDMAS (UK version).

These mnemonic devices are very misleading. Elementary teachers will fight with me to the death saying “Students need this to learn the order” “It’s the only way they remember it” “The kids find this easier” etc

On the other hand, MANY upper-grade teachers state that students still don’t get this correct and how it doesn’t always work.

When you are literally writing PEMDAS, and visually the M comes before D that’s what kids remember. It’s not likely that they remember whichever one in the expression comes first. When I was looking at the adult responses to the math problem above. There were quite a few stating that M comes before D because that’s how they remembered it.

Research shows that this Aunt Sally nonsense (or Mnemonic) has actually harmed kids more than help them.

It may help students get through YOUR grade level, but there is no depth in understanding. Students don’t need a mnemonic sequence they need to know what is actually going on here. They need to know that the order of operations is useful in arithmetic and algebra, but there are areas of mathematics where this isn’t necessarily the case. Common Mistakes In Teaching Elementary Math And How To Avoid Them

So How Should You Actually Teach Order Of Operations? 

I get it. The order of operations is still a standard we need to cover. So how do you approach it? It’s essential to look at why it exists and why it’s listed in that order. It’s no longer good enough to say, “That’s what mathematicians decided long ago.” 

The order of operations exists for two reasons. ( 1 ) To be able to write down the same expression in different ways (2) so that everyone will arrive at the same answer.

Sure we typically talk about the reasons above with our students. Then show them a bunch of steps for students to follow so they could see that it’s true. It’s essential to keep in mind that our pedagogical shift is to have students not think of math as a series of steps to follow. 

The reasoning of the order works is because a higher level of operations takes precedence over lower levels ones. So what does that mean? 

The shorthand (condensed) of operations comes first, for example:

  • Parenthesis is the note from the mathematician to solve this first.
  • Exponentials are just grouped multiplication, so that takes precedence over multiplication.
  • Multiplication is just grouped addition or shorthand of addition, so that takes precedence over addition.
  • When all the exponential terms are out of the way, you are just left with a bunch of numbers that are added together.
  • The rules stated above are the same for division and subtraction. Since division is shorthand for repeated subtraction.
  • Now if several operations are on the same level or have equal precedences such as division and multiplication, then they should be solved from left to right.

If we are teaching what higher levels of operations are and how they supersede other levels, students will understand this concept better.

Aunt Sally no longer needs to be involved in math. Let’s remove her from the equation.

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Math Struggles Ain’t Just About Numbers

Let’s be B.F.F.R—math can stress kids out. You’ve seen it: the frozen-in-place stare, the pencil tapping like it’s sending an SOS, or the classic “I CAN’T DO THIS!” meltdown before even trying. But here’s the thing—most of the time, their struggle isn’t about numbers. It’s about mindset.

What if we borrowed some life coaching techniques to help our students not just survive math but actually thrive in it? Let’s break it down into simple, practical ways you can empower your students without turning into a full-blown therapist.

 Reframe the Narrative (A.K.A. Flip the Script on “I’m Bad at Math”)

Ever notice how kids say “I’m bad at math” like it’s their official personality trait? That belief is holding them back more than any tricky word problem ever could.

How to Do It:

  • When a student says, “I suck at math,” respond with: “You’re still learning. Let’s find a way that makes sense to you.”
  • Introduce the Power of Yet: “You don’t get it… yet. But your brain is working on it!”
  • Share stories of people who struggled with math and overcame it (bonus points if you can find famous athletes, musicians, or influencers).

Remind them that they once thought tying their shoes was impossible, and look at them now—shoe-tying pros. Math is just another skill that takes practice.

Teach Emotional Regulation (Because Frustration Is a Math Blocker)

We can’t expect students to push through challenges if they’re spiraling into math-induced panic mode. When frustration kicks in, their brains hit the “I’m out!” button.

How to Do It:

  • Pause & Breathe: Before jumping to the “I CAN’T,” have students take a deep breath. Try “breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4.” Simple, but it works.
  • Break It Down: Instead of tackling the whole problem at once, ask, “What’s one thing we DO know?” Small wins build confidence.
  • Normalize Struggle: Post a sign in your classroom: “Mistakes Mean You’re Learning.” Say it. Live it. Believe it! As Naruto says.

Set Micro-Goals (Because Big Goals Can Feel Overwhelming)

If a kid already feels lost, telling them “just keep practicing” is like saying, “just climb this mountain real quick.” Instead, break it into steps.

How to Do It:

  • Instead of “Get better at multiplication,” set a goal like: “Practice a doubling/halving strategy.”
  • Use progress charts so students can SEE their growth. 
  • Celebrate the small wins! Even if they only got one more right than last time—that’s growth!

Remind them “If you can memorize every single lyric to that TikTok song, you can 100% remember a few math strategies.” 
Honestly research shows long term memory is activated when we leverage different modalities in our lessons. It’s how the brain learns math.

Shift from Performance to Progress (Because Speed Ain’t Everything)

Fluency is about thinking efficiently, not racing to the answer. The goal isn’t to turn kids into human calculators—it’s to help them use numbers flexibly.

How to Do It:

  • Replace timed tests with strategy-based challenges (ex: “How many ways can you solve 12 × 8?”).
  • Instead of praising fast answers, celebrate smart strategies: “Ooooh, I love how you broke that down!”
  • Remind them that even adults use tools like calculators and sticky notes—real math is about knowing how to approach problems, not just getting the answer instantly.

 Teach Self-Talk (Because Their Inner Voice Matters More Than You Know)

The way kids talk to themselves about math shapes their experience with it. If they constantly say, “I can’t do this,” their brain believes it. Time to switch up the self-talk game.

How to Do It:

  • Teach “I can” statements: Instead of “I don’t get it,” try “I don’t get it YET, but I can figure this out.”
  • Have students write down one math strength (even if it’s “I’m good at counting on my fingers” – that’s a start!).
  • Encourage students to talk to themselves like they’d talk to a friend. Would they tell a friend, “You’re dumb at math”? No? Then don’t say it to yourself either!

Emphasize- “You wouldn’t let your best friend talk trash about you, so don’t let your brain do it either!”

Coaching Math Mindsets for the Win

At the end of the day, teaching math fluency isn’t just about numbers—it’s about helping kids believe they can figure things out. When we shift from just teaching math to coaching their mindset, we create students who are not only fluent in math but confident in life.

So, here’s your challenge: What’s one small move you can try this week? Whether it’s shifting self-talk, celebrating small wins, or breaking down frustration, pick one and run with it.

Oh, and if you want more strategies like these, check out my Figuring Out Fluency series, (Book 1) (Book 2) where we make fluency engaging, empowering, and (most importantly) actually make sense.

And if you want more math mindset strategies, grab my Guide For Teachers To Help Students With Growth Mindset