We’re Ruining Base Ten Blocks

Recently I was working with a teacher who was starting a decimal unit. I recommended using place value blocks as one manipulative for introducing decimals. 

I was hit with something I hear quite often. “The kids are confused. They don’t see decimals. They keep reverting back to hundreds, tens, and ones.” 

Upper elementary teachers, does this sound familiar? It should because it happens more often than not. And the reason why is because we ruin base ten blocks.

We Need Them

Base Ten Blocks are proportional models. Meaning this manipulative is of exact size and ratio. The blocks provide students with ways to physically represent the concepts of place value. Students develop an understanding of regrouping or trading to compose or decompose another unit. We also use them for all operations.

legos in groups of ten

Base Ten Block Dictators

When we break out this math manipulative, we dictate an exact quantity that each block represents. 

For example, typically we label the flat as the hundreds, the rods as the tens, and the cubes as the ones. This is where we start losing the purpose of the Base Ten Blocks. We lose sight of the fact that this manipulative is all about relationships. And here is where we ruin their use.

base ten blocks on a table labeled a through d

It’s All About The Bundle Baby

Each block can represent different amounts depending on how they’re used. For example, you can alter the unit cube’s value to 5 and have students figure out what the rod would then represent. Or you could also change the rod’s value to 100 and ask the students what the cube represents.

See what I’m getting at? Students can still compose and decompose because they’re studying the relationship between the blocks. When we don’t assign set values students can manipulate this tool in a variety of ways. And when it comes to decimals they would already build that habit. Here are a few examples of how we could use them instead. 

Make them

Most students don’t have base ten blocks lying around the house. But Base Ten Blocks are meant to be at home too. Students could use virtual manipulatives that’s one option. (Virtual Manipulative Blog) But that’s not our only option. Have students create them at home. Students could glue pennies or beans on popsicle sticks. I would provide them the materials if possible. This is way cheaper than buying a set of Base Ten Blocks for each student. Let’s get real who has money for that. Students could use Legos to represent Base Ten Blocks. I’ve even seen sets made using kitchen mats from the dollar store. My point is that they can play with this manipulative at home.

https://www.sciencekiddo.com/lego-math-place-value  

https://www.entirelyathome.com/diy-base-ten-blocks-to-teach-place-value/

someone cutting a kitchen drawer mat into squares

You May Not Need Proportional Models

If we care about the relationships, you may not need the models or math tools to be proportional. What if we showed students that base ten blocks could be anything?

I’ve been to Greg Tang conferences where he held up a pencil for a ten rod, his cell phone as a hundred, and a counter as a unit. You can still cover the same concepts with different objects. Of course, a cell phone is not realistic because who has several of those lying around. However, materials outside of the norm would work. Have students hunt around their house for stuff they could use to represent values. 

So don’t make your kids think that each block can ONLY represent one thing. Remember the goal is to have students investigate number concepts.

Encourage students to create their own.

This same rule applies to other math manipulatives as well, such as fraction bars. Those shouldn’t be labeled either. More to come on that.

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