practice

Engage Students in Rocket Math during schedule gaps at test times

Filling testing-created gaps in your schedule.

Posted on by Dr. Don

Many schools are starting spring testing soon, and it wreaks havoc with the daily schedule. People outside education don’t really understand how much school schedules are disrupted by attempting to test everyone in the school on the available computers. Not to mention catching all the students who are absent during their assigned time. Disrupted schedules create small gaps in the schedule, which are hard to fill, even more so when not every student is present. Let me present an option to fill those small gaps–do Rocket Math! Here’s five reasons why you should.

1) By this time of the year, students know the Rocket Math routine, so it should not take more than ten to fifteen minutes to run, start to finish. So Rocket Math can fill small gaps.

2) Even if Rocket Math has been done once during the day, a second or even third session during the day will NOT harm students, it will actually help them progress faster. (As long as you have at least a half hour between sessions).

3) It is beneficial for the students in the room even when some students are out doing make-up testing. It won’t require you to re-teach a lesson.

4) In contrast to free reading or make work activities, which only fill time, students doing Rocket Math will be learning critical skills that are necessary for future success.

5) In contrast to the stress of the accountability tests, Rocket Math is something students know well and have success at. They know what they are doing and they see their growth. They know they are learning. This is a powerful antidote to the not-so-straightforward tasks, questions and expectations of the accountability tests.

I highly recommend keeping Rocket Math folders handy for filling those small gaps in the daily schedule caused by testing.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Posted on by Dr. Don

If you are seeing this in your school, you need Rocket Math!

Recently I gave my pre-service student teachers at Portland State University an assignment to do screening tests of basic skills in their placements. I was shocked to see how few of the screening tests showed students who were fluent with basic, single-digit math facts, where they could answer math facts as quickly as they could write. When children cannot answer math facts quickly and easily they are placed at a unnecessary disadvantage when it comes to doing math.

It is true that learning math facts takes time. No one can learn all of them in a matter of a few days or a week. It takes most students daily practice for months to learn all the facts in an operation. But when you consider that we require students to attend school five hours a day for years and years, it is pretty shocking to realize how many children do not have fluent mastery of math facts when they get to middle school. When the job can be done in ten minutes a day, and every child could become fluent in all four operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division by the end of fourth grade, why isn’t it?

Sometimes, teachers have been taught in their schools of education that helping children memorize things is somehow harmful. With that belief, teachers won’t try to do something systematic like Rocket Math. But after a year or two teaching, especially upper elementary grades, and struggling to teach higher math concepts to children who are interrupted by finger counting in the middle of every single computation, teachers learn that belief is simply wrong. Children are helped immensely by memorizing basic math facts. It enables them to have “number sense,” to easily appreciate the relationships among numerals, and to easily do computation.

Probably the main reason more students are not taught math facts, to the level they need, is that teachers are not aware of a tool that can help them do that. They don’t know that students enjoy doing learning math facts when it is done right. They don’t know that it can be done as a simple routine that takes ten minutes a day. They don’t know how easily students can master all of the facts. In short, they don’t know that Rocket Math exists. Someday a friend of theirs will tell them, because that is how Rocket Math spreads–by word-of-mouth.

If you read this, and you have never seen Rocket Math in action, you may be skeptical. Tell you what, write to me and if you need to see it in action to believe me, and don’t have a friend using Rocket Math, I’ll send you a free subscription to try it out.

Getting stuck in Rocket Math Worksheet program–A solution

Posted on by Dr. Don

A teacher asks:
We have several students that are highly skilled in the math area but are also on the borders of perfectionism. They are having difficulty passing the writing “40” goal even though they all did more than that on their “Writing Speed Test.” They easily pass when they say them orally. What would be your recommendation to do with these students or tell their parents? The classroom teacher is willing to listen to each one of them to see if they can pass all levels on just one oral try but really doesn’t want all students or parents to start expecting this. He says these students are truly some of his top students (95th % on state standards).

Dr. Don answers:
Thanks for letting me know about their results in the Writing Speed test, and the fact that they can answer over 40 problems in one minute orally. This is clearly an example of my nice clean theory meeting the mess of reality. There is no logical reason why students who know the facts well enough to pass orally AND who have the handwriting skills to write the answers are not able to pass the written tests. It doesn’t make sense to hold them back from moving along and learning more facts if they are automatic with the facts–as demonstrated by the oral test on each level. The point of the Daily One Minute tests is to find out if the students know the facts without hesitation. If you know that is the case, you want to move them along to learn more facts, BUT…..
You want a policy that encourages students to pass the written test if they can at all, because that is more efficient and more fair. On the other hand you don’t want to hold students back completely if they really know the facts without hesitation.

Here is a possible policy that will balance the two. If a student feels he or she really knows a level, after two tries in class that student can choose to stay after school (or in at recess or come in early) and take another test with the teacher. [This allows the teacher to watch the student take the written test to see if there are any maladaptive behaviors such as erasing answers or skipping around that are causing the problem.] Then if the student doesn’t pass on the written test, the teacher can then listen to the student orally say the answers and if the student answers more than 40 problems in a minute, award the level as passed. One level at a time.
The students still have to try in class two days and try once more after class, but then can move on if they really know the facts. This puts some of the burden on the students.  We want to be sure they aren’t just doing it orally because it is easier and gives them more attention. This two tries policy gives them an opportunity to save themselves some time if they can pass in writing, but ensures that they move along as they need to academically. It also allows the teacher to watch the written testing to see what is going on there.  I think it will seem fair to the other students (who are passing in writing) because these students are not getting a special pass–instead they are having to come in on their own time to do this.
As I noted in another post it is extremely important to preserve the value of doing the work to pass the levels in Rocket Math. The work and the level playing field makes the whole exercise of Rocket Math meaningful and valuable. Don’t let anyone pass levels without doing the practice and taking the tests on each level. Otherwise you make the other students feel like dopes for having to work at it when others get it for “free.”

Teaching the value of hard work

Posted on by Dr. Don

A teacher asks:     

Our teachers just had parent/teacher conferences and had a few parents concerned about their student “not passing” levels in Rocket Math. The students AND parents of these students are having a hard time with their child struggling on Rocket Math when it is apparent that they “know” their facts. Their parents don’t know why they should have to have the speed when they clearly know their facts and these students are truly some of the top students (95th%ile on state standards). Although it has given those students some perspective on what it feels like and how you handle not accomplishing something with ease.  If they score 60 or above on their two minute timings consistently, should they be required to pass all levels?  What would be your recommendation to do with these students or tell their parents?

Dr. Don answers:

One of the most important benefits of Rocket Math is that it teaches students the value of hard work.  By practicing orally with their partner each day, and doing the correction procedure properly, students find they can learn math facts to the level of automaticity–to where they can answer them instantly without thinking and without hesitation.  That takes some practice and work, even for gifted students.  But everyone can do it with enough practice.  Although it is only ten minutes a day, the work of Rocket Math is very important in teaching students the value of their own efforts.  Students learn that even if they can’t pass initially, if they practice every day (and maybe some more at home with a parent or sibling), they get to the point that they can answer those problems as fast as they can write.  When they achieve this they are justly proud of themselves, because they know they earned the achievement through their own efforts.  Learning this lesson is quite possibly even more important than the math facts themselves.  This is an important lesson for life–that you benefit from working hard at something even if it doesn’t come easily.

The only way you could take that away from those students is by rewarding some of your brightest students with the same accomplishment without having to work through the levels.  You can use the placement probes to determine if students even need an operation–they can “test-out” of the operation in the beginning of the year.  But once you have determined that students need to work through the operation, the worst thing you could do to the class would be to suddenly announce that some students have “passed” without doing the work.  That would make everyone else feel like a dummy for having to work at it.

I will write a separate post on the things you can do for students who get stuck and can’t pass in six tries.  However, I want to stress that a key outcome of Rocket Math is learning the value of hard work in school.  Don’t do anything to undermine that.

Are extra practice sessions helpful?

Posted on by Dr. Don

More practice is helpful as long as it is motivating.

Rachel asks:
When doing Rocket Addition with my daughter: I plan to do 2 three-minute practice sessions during our school day with the one-minute timing after the second one. Then, if she doesn’t pass, should I have her work on those facts again in the evening, perhaps with Dad? Or do we just pick up again the next day?

I’m encouraged to hear that with enough time and practice she will be able to memorize math facts to automaticity. This is good news and motivation for me to keep working with her. Memorizing has always come easily for me, and I’ve tried many different techniques while remaining at a loss as to how to help her. After reading the teacher directions, I can see that I was introducing new facts too quickly, before the others were completely memorized. I love how helpful and directive Rocket Math is! Thanks again.

Dr. Don answers:
Rachel,
As for another session with Dad in the evening, it will only be beneficial if it is motivating and that depends on how you structure it and how she perceives it. It could be punishing or it could be a motivating treat. If she has some control over whether or not to do it, but she is “allowed” if she wants to show Dad how well she can do them (and more importantly he reciprocates by being impressed!) then by all means, “let” her do that. Also, if she doesn’t pass her test after the second session, and she wants to, she could have a special bonus chance to try to pass with Dad, but that would mean practice AND a test with him. Either of those scenarios could make the extra practice session in the evening a motivating treat and that would be good. If she perceives it as no fun and extra work when she should be enjoying time with her father, then don’t do it.

Oh, and in that regard do have her fill in her Rocket Chart and color in the levels as she passes them. That’s definitely something to show Dad when he comes home. And take a look at the Achievement Awards and use them from time to time.

By the way, as someone who has struggled with sport-like skills my whole life, it was a huge revelation to me that I could learn to do things if I was willing to work longer and harder and more consistently at it than anyone else. Knowing that I could develop mastery was the prerequisite to be motivated enough to persevere until I got there. If you can help her persevere until she masters these things you can help her develop the perseverance habit itself–which is way more important than math facts. You’ll need to be impressed with her hard work and mightily impressed by her accomplishments but once she sees for herself that she can achieve difficult things if she perseveres, she has learned a most important life lesson.

How much practice is enough in Rocket Writing for Numerals?

Posted on by Dr. Don

Students balance a desire for comfortable mastery against a desire for novelty.

A home-schooling mom asks:
After having read the Rocket Writing for Numerals teacher’s directions, I have a question about implementation: Should I have her do the same page twice in one day (at separate times) to help her get more practice? After re-reading the teacher directions again today, I also think I need to go back and do more demonstration and air writing.

Dr. Don answers:
Regarding Rocket Writing for Numerals, the focus of the air writing and demonstrations is to achieve accuracy and consistency in the way to form the numeral. Once she consistently knows how to form the letter (starting in the right place, making the strokes in the right direction, etc) then the rest is developing the motor skills. More air writing is not needed once formation is consistently correct.

Yes, you can have her do a page twice in a day. How many days in a row is needed before you can move on to a new page is not established by research. It would be different for each student anyway. If you watch her, then you can decide, or you can encourage her to decide.

You want a page to become easy or routine for her. She doesn’t have to do it perfectly, but don’t move on if she still seems to be struggling or having to go very slowly. You should move on if she seems to be unchallenged by the page. You can also engage her in deciding if she feels she is ready to go on to the next sheet or wants to practice on the same page some more. Generally, once children get the idea of what it feels like to master a performance, they want to do so and students balance that desire for comfortable mastery against a desire for novelty. My favorite image is of skateboarders in the park who practice and practice until they have a particular move down–but then move on to try something new when they think they have it.

How can I get my 1st graders to practice in pairs effectively?

Posted on by Dr. Don

Picture from a great blog Fun in First on blogspot

Ann asks:
Hello, Don.
I’m trying to get first grade teams on board with Rocket Math and would appreciate some tips for that grade level. I am very experienced with Rocket Math, but not sure how successful partner tracking is at grade 1.
Any tips?
Thanks so much.

Dr. Don answers:
Did you watch my YouTubevideo on how to teach your students how to practice?

You will need to model by being the student, and have a student model how to track, and how to correct errors and hesitations. Continue doing this in front of the whole class until the student does it perfectly and then enthusiastically praise that student for know how to be a “good checker.”
You need to choose other students and do that same modeling and practicing procedure. You’ll have to show them how to sit, how to hold the papers etc. Do this until every student can be a “good checker” and then practice some more.

You can then bring up pairs of students and have them model for the class how to sit, hold the papers, and practice and how to be a “good checker.” Praise them for showing everyone “how to be a good checker.” Then when you turn your class loose to actually practice in pairs you must circulate, listen carefully, praise and recognize being a “good checker.”

First graders can do paired practice and do it well. They just need more teaching.  Check-out the Fun-in-First blog above for more ideas on how to have first graders work in pairs.

Ann answers:
That was very helpful. Thank you. It’s exactly what we do to train fluency partners.

Does research show that student achievement increases from timed daily drill?

Posted on by Dr. Don

Students memorize math facts by practicing a limited set of problems with a partner who corrects all errors and hesitations.

A teacher writes:
Could you point me toward some research showing student achievement increases from timed daily drills. My superintendent is a hard sell and will ask me to prove the strategy works from independent research.

Dr. Don answers:
Your superintendent is right to be skeptical. Student achievement does NOT increase from timed daily “drills.” The typical “mad minutes” program is generally worthless in improving student knowledge of math facts.

Students memorize math facts by practicing a limited set of problems with a partner who corrects all errors and hesitations. In Rocket Math students practice with a partner and become fluent with only two facts and their reverses at a time. They take a one-minute test to see if they have learned those facts to the level of fluency. Only then, once they have learned those fluently, are two more facts added on the next sheet. [Here’s a 3-minute video that explains how practice works in more detail.]

Once students finish learning the facts in an operation you can measure that by giving them a test of all the facts in that operation and they will be able to answer far more facts in a timed test than students who have to figure out and count on their fingers to answer those facts.

General achievement in math is improved by ready knowledge of math facts to the extent that one measures students’ ability to do computation. Nonetheless the Common Core includes fact knowledge in these standards:

CCSS.Math.Content.2.OA.B.2 Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies. By end of Grade 2, know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.
CCSS.Math.Content.3.OA.C.7 Fluently multiply and divide within 100, using strategies such as the relationship between multiplication and division (e.g., knowing that 8 × 5 = 40, one knows 40 ÷ 5 = 8) or properties of operations. By the end of Grade 3, know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers.

I would recommend a test of Rocket Math within a few classrooms, compared to an equal number of classrooms that don’t use Rocket Math. Measure each class by means of the two-minute timings of all the facts in the operation and see if there is a large difference (over time) between the students who learn using Rocket Math and the students who continue to do whatever the district is doing now. Be sure that the same ten-minutes a day is used to study math facts in both groups.

Here is my offer from my “Studies and Results” page of my website:

NOTE TO TEACHERS, SCHOOLS, DISTRICTS: While I am waiting for others to conduct and publish research on Rocket Math, I make the following offer.

If you conduct research comparing Rocket Math to some other method of practicing math facts and share your results–I will refund half of the purchase price of the curriculum.
If you find some other method is more effective, I will refund 100% of your purchase price.

I am certain it is the best math facts practice curriculum available but I have to wait for more researchers independent of me to confirm that fact.

What if students become stuck?

Posted on by Dr. Don

 

Something is wrong if any student cannot pass a sheet within the six tries shown on the Rocket Chart. Do not allow this condition to persist. Intervene with one of the ideas below.

  1. If the student has never passed a timing, perhaps the child can’t really write that fast. Try testing the student orally, with the student telling you the answers. In oral testing the student says only the answers—not the whole problem. If the student can orally answer at least 40 facts in one minute, then the student is satisfactorily fluent with those facts. The handwriting goals must be too high. Reset his/her goals at the previous best and let the student move on to the next set.
  2. The most frequent reason a student does not progress is because the student does not practice the right way. In other words he/she avoids saying the problems out loud or skips the correction procedure when they are hesitant. Or they will simply go on after a hesitation or error rather than going back three problems and trying again to see if they are faster now. The remedy is for the teacher to practice with these students as recommended and see if that makes a difference. It often does. Let us tell you: This is typically the “magic bullet.” It is fascinating really. Carrying out the practice procedure as I have written it, is VERY powerful. I wouldn’t lie to you. If the teacher practicing with these students does help, arrange to see that they practice the right way consistently during peer practice. You may have to change partners or watch over them daily until they start practicing the right way. Consider increasing motivation through more rewards and recognition to keep students practicing the right way.
  3. The student may not be trying because he/she is unmotivated. Watch to see if the student is doing practice correctly or giving the test their best effort. Most often this is a result of failing to succeed rather than a cause. [That’s really a very important understanding for you to have, so I’m going to say it again!] Lack of student motivation is most often a result of failing to progress rather than a cause. Consider practicing with the student. Think about ways to increase student motivation, including use of student achievement awards and social recognition for success.
  4. Watch to see that the student is “on-task” throughout the timing. Some students fail to realize that looking up around the room during a timing will slow them down so much they won’t pass. [Really, I kid you not. I’ve seen kids, who stopped to check the clock several times during a one minute timing, be surprised that they didn’t pass!] If a student really cannot stay on task for 60 seconds you might try cutting the goal and the time in half—give a 30 second timing with a goal cut in half as well. That may do the trick. It is often necessary to point out to younger students that erasing takes too long. Have you ever watched a second grader erase something? One could grow old waiting. Point out to students that perhaps putting a line through a mistake and writing the correct answer would save time.
  5. If practicing with a student the right way doesn’t make a big difference, then the student may be stuck because he/she is “in over his/her head.” The student has officially passed several sets without completely mastering them. This should not happen if students always have to meet or beat their previous best—but sometimes it happens anyway. A sign that this has happened is that they have several facts in the set with which they are hesitant. You can tell just by watching over their shoulder as they complete a timing—there will be hesitation on several of the facts.
  6. The basic remedy for kids who are stuck is to back up in the alphabet until you find a letter they can pass. You can either test back all at once or have the student move back one letter a day until they do pass after one day’s practice. Get them a new Rocket Chart to start over. Once you find out where the student is successful, make sure their goals are as fast as they can write—that you’re not letting them pass even though they are hesitant on some facts. If you announce a policy of “six tries and then you have to move back” and you announce this policy ahead of time, fewer students will get to six tries without passing! Being proactive is the key here. It is important to cover all of your bases prior to bad things happening. It is much better to pre-correct for something than to have to go back and re-teach a procedure or try to introduce one when a student is upset and losing motivation.

Warning (Yep, another warning. I am being proactive too!): Do not reduce the criterion to pass each sheet, as that will make working through the sets in Rocket Math increasingly difficult for the students! They will not be learning each small set as well as they need to and you’ll be adding more facts faster than they can handle. The cumulative task will get more and more difficult. Only reduce the criterion if the student simply cannot write that fast—otherwise (with enough practice) they can learn all the facts to the same speed as they learned the first set.