Math Fluency

I have a love/hate relationship with timed tests.  For reading I absolutely despise it....in no part of real life does reading for speed help you out.  Recall of basic math facts, on the other hand, is essential as math skills become more complicated.  To help with this, every Friday, we take a 10 minute math test.  Each test has 100 problems and is by number...+1, +2, +3 you get the idea.  The goal is to get 90 or more correct.  All students start the year with +1 or they may choose to challenge the math skill (they take the end of the book addition mixed test)  If they pass then they do the same process for subtraction. 

I keep track in a binder and up on a great set of cupboards that are perfectly sectioned into fours.  One for addition, one for subtraction, one for multiplication, and one for division. Each student has a baseball glove and earns colored baseballs for each test they pass.

Most students are on addition.  A few have moved onto subtraction and one is working on division. 











So when students walk in the door, on Friday, they get their test out of the math test file drawer, put their name on the paper, and turn it upside down on the desk while they work on morning work. The files match their baseball glove so they know which color folder to find their test.

I realize this sounds complicated, but students have been doing it since September and have it down to an art:-) Once they all have their test, I set a timer for 10 minutes and off they go.

Happy Tuesday,
Laurie