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Best Idea Ever: Mnemonic Instructions

Each week, Education World's "Best (Teaching) Idea Ever" feature highlights a favorite teacher-tested idea designed to help you teach a lesson, manage a classroom, communicate with parents, impress colleagues and administratorsand amaze them all with your energy and creativity! Included: A chance to share your best idea ever

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When Laraine Reisner's fourth grade students focus on long division, no one would blame them if their thoughts turned to food. Because in Reisner's lessons, students remember the steps to solving long-division problems by recalling the question "Does McDonald's Sell CheeseBurgers?" The mnemonic DMSCB is their reminder of the five steps, Divide, Multiply, Subtract, Compare, and Bring down.

"I use mnemonics in teaching whenever I can think of one," Reisner told Education World. "In mnemonic instruction, students relate new information to what they have already learned through visual and verbal cues."

Submitted by: Laraine Reisner, Encino Elementary School, Encino, California.

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