How fast can you multiply 21 times 13? One minute, probably. And, what about 123 times 321? More than one, for sure. Well, Japanese children do it in no time.. Any kid can do that, even a five year old. They don’t learn numbers by heart. Instead, they draw and play.
You wonder how can it be?
Here's an example of a Japanese Maths lesson:
The class starts with the customary aisatsu (greetings) to the teacher and is followed by his question if students know how to solve a problem he had previously put up on the board. That day his class is supposed to learn how to solve equations with multiple fractions and he instructs how to approach these math problems.
The first student to finish shots a hand up. The teacher walks over, glances at the problem and circles it to signal it was correct. The student then gets up and away from his seat. Another hand shots up. But, this time the first student takes the role of the teacher.