Do you remember that sick feeling you used to get right before your teacher had the class take a “Mad Minute” math fact drill? Honestly, I dreaded it. And it seems, I passed that panic on to my daughter because when she was in elementary school, she literally didn’t want to go to school on “Mad Minute Day”.
So, why would I be writing a post that promotes timing students while they complete math facts? Good question!
A good question, with several good answers. First, and foremost, timing students increases fluency and accuracy. Students are routinely timed when reading, so why not math? Second, the Common Core standards require students to be fluent and accurate in at each grade level. And, third, “Mad Minute” has evolved. If implemented correctly, panic is replaced by a rush of adrenaline. Students aren’t competing against each other, nor are they required to complete all problems within a minute. Students are only encouraged to get one more problem completed than they did the last time.
You want to hear more? Sure you do. I mean what teacher doesn’t want their students to be more proficient in their math skills? Students who struggle with math facts, conversions, simplifying fractions, etc. will ultimately struggle with higher-level, multiple-step math work. Building a strong foundation is a no-brainer. Students who can complete these tasks accurately and fluently is what teachers all dream of.
The first thing you need to know is that these drills are now called “Sprints”–as in Math Sprints. And in true, ‘sprint’ fashion, many instructors don a cap and blow a whistle to start the ‘sprint’ fun.
To begin, students are given an ‘A’ sprint on a math topic. The whistle is blown and the timer is started. Students complete as many question as they can in the given time. (Depending on the skill, it may be wise to allow more than 1 minute when first starting out.) Once time is up, the teacher reveals the answers. Students tally how many they answered correctly.
Now, here is where things are different than the Mad Minutes of the past. After a short, brain break, students complete a ‘B’ sprint in the same time frame. Note that the ‘B’ sprint has similar problems, but not identical. Once again, when time is up, the teacher reveals the answers. Students tally up the number answered correctly and compare the results with the first sprint. Their goal: Get at least one more correct on the second sprint than they did on the first.
And let me tell you they will. It’s amazing the progress students will make on a skill in a short time! And that improvement does transfer to their regular math work. And…an added bonus…the kids love it! They actually beg to do “Sprints”! However, I would advise you to be careful not to over do it, as with anything, you need to incorporate sprints into your math class in moderation. If you start doing them everyday, they will begin to lose their appeal. I set aside 10 minutes twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) for Sprints in my classroom. This seemed to be just enough to see results without wearing the idea out.
You can Google ‘math sprints’ and find a wealth of resources on the web. I would highly recommend, however, you visit e2math, as I found their site to be the most comprehensive. It has step-by-step instructions, videos, plus, they have a PDF library of Sprints, K-8, that you can use in your classroom. Perfect for those just getting started. Check it out today!