How Can You Motivate Your Class to Learn Math Facts?
This year, I have had the most competitive success when I have given attention to students progress on Reflex (an online math fact video game-like program for learning math facts–Read more about Reflex here). Each Friday, I pass out the reward certificates and recognize students who get a certificate at our morning meeting. Students who get a certificate also win a little prize with each certificate. What has helped the classes become most competitive is the bar graph I have hung in the hallway. Each class name is at the bottom of a bar. I update this graph nearly daily. Every time students go down the main hallway, they look to see if their class has grown on the graph. I have placed the graph below…
As you can see the taller bars are the 3rd-5th graders which have gotten VERY competitive. On our last contest 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place were only 1 point away from each other! I took a picture of the classes who won on the last contest to place beside the graph. I personally reward the 1st place classes with a party. This time I was so proud of the special ed class who won 1st place!
In addition to the above graph, one of our teachers has developed a class thermometer for her individual class competition out in the hallway. She moves each student’s name on a clothespin closer up the thermometer to 100% fluency each week.
I am not paid a dime to say this, but I must say Reflex math is the most effective tool I have ever used to teach math facts!
I must be honest. I hope the wall isn’t red underneath the paper at the end of the year. I think that every time I color on the paper to fill in the bars…the paper is kind of thin.
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