10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency FAQ
Is the training necessary?
The training is absolutely essential! The training emphasizes so many important points to successfully implementing the program. In the long run, it will make it easier to implement the 10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency. The training is just like attending a full day workshop with me. The advantage to a DVD or online training is that you can stop/start at your convenience.
Is this my math program?
No way! This is the dedicated five to nine minutes of “drills to thrill” for math fact fluency practice! The sole purpose is to give students automaticity with basic facts. This is NOT a teach for understanding program. This is the practice plan. When I coached basketball, practice had many parts. Think of it as the “lay up drill” of mathematics. The 10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency is the skill builder!
Do I have to do it everyday?
It is imperative to do this schedule everyday! Children need repeated daily practice of the basic facts. Most teachers experience firsthand what happens to students’ skills after the summer layoff. We want those math facts to be automatic so the time spent will show the results!
What if all my students don’t need this?
One of the amazing side effects to the 10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency is the high level of motivation created from the structure and diversity of the schedule. You will find that students do not complain about being a part of the daily schedule whether they know the facts or not.
What about the amount of paper in the program?
The trainings address this! The pages in each book imply lots of paper but I recommend less paper. You will be shown how one sheet of paper can be used for weeks! Also many of the drills and the games will be done on a response board. The included pages are there to show you how to utilize the drills and games.
Materials like the pattern sticks are made once and used throughout the whole school year. One important hint to prevent the massive amounts of paper is to set the copier at 61%. That will allow for two copies of a page on one face of the paper. Run the paper front and back and you will have four copies on one piece of paper. Drill Doughnuts are a major component of the program and the described strategy really pays off.
What if I have mixed grade levels?
Remember that the goal for the end of second grade is for all students to know the addition and subtraction facts. If you have third through fifth grades, the goal is multiplication and division fact fluency. The really tough combination is second and third together! A teacher must make some tough decisions with this grade split. To make this manageable, a teacher can separate students using two different drill commands. The second graders would use an addition or subtraction drill command. The third graders would use a multiplication drill command.
What if I have most of Kim’s books?
The books included in the 10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency are Do The Math, Dynamic Dice, Math Drills to Thrill, and the Number Line Workbook. The book includes the Random Number CD from Math Drills to Thrill and a special CD of Ron Brown’s music just for this program. There is a schedule with a plan for every day of the school year. That is not to say that a teacher couldn’t design his/her own schedule using my materials. Each book includes only the parts of the above books necessary for that grade level.
How is the music different?
The music is a special CD made only for this program by Ron Brown. I wanted teachers to have everything needed to make math fact fluency happen without purchasing nine different CDs. Ron Brown is amazing to make this happen for teachers. I cannot thank him enough. His creative genius has enabled thousands of students to learn the joy of mathematics through music.
Can I watch the online training at school?
That is NOT in our control. Many schools have firewalls, spam filters and slow internet. Check with your technology expert in your building for the best possible results! Planning ahead will allow for the best possible viewing.
How long is the training?
Each of the trainings are full day sessions. These trainings were filmed with an audience of teachers who were being trained to use the 10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency! The front end of the training is all about the teaching for understanding models for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
What if the program takes longer than nine minutes each day?
Initially it will take longer than five to nine minutes because the teacher and the students are learning the format of the activities, games and drills. After the first month, it will go much smoother. The pacing of the drills, games and activities are teacher-directed. If the teacher needs assistance with efficiency I recommend the strategies in Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov! The strategies are extremely powerful and helpful for classroom management.
What if the students do not have fluency with a computational strategy after 10 days?
One of the big advantages to this plan is, if that occurs the teacher can repeat a block until fluency is achieved. Remember, you are looking for marked improvement by the students! The pre- and post-assessments can be used to determine the fluency.
What if my students do not need 10 days on a particular strategy?
Move on! Some of the blocks will definitely not take 10 days! Hum “Pomp and Circumstance” and celebrate in your classroom! Focus on the success not the failure! If you make a big deal of this your students will be motivated to achieve success faster with each block!
Can you individualize the program?
The drill command for each game, drill and activity will allow for individualization of the program. A drill command determines what computational strategy will be practiced. Remember that your sanity is important! Sometimes less is more. I have known few teachers who can completely individualize for each child separately. Think big picture!
Can I repeat an activity if it is not suggested in the plan?
Of course! The teacher will make decisions based on his/her time and the layout of the day. Students will make requests for certain activities and a teacher can “reward” them by doing a game or activity more frequently than prescribed. You will find some activities, games or drills that you facilitate easier based on many factors. You as a teacher will grow into the materials and your comfort with using all parts of the 10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency.
Can I change the order of the blocks?
Please keep the blocks in the prescribed order! This consistency within a building is so important. When making this schedule for each grade level I put careful thought, purpose and research into designing the schedule. Trust me on the order! A friend of mine is using the 10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency. She questioned how I put the even/odd rules at the front end of the order. She told herself to trust the order. She reported she understood after watching how her students performed.
Why isn’t the textbook enough?
Most current textbook series have switched the focus to intensive math content without practice of basic facts. Some have drill and practice as a separate part that never gets used! Many of the textbooks do not have any drill and practice. Teachers feel overwhelmed planning for the meaningful lessons. Time for planning for basic facts often gets overlooked. That is why I created the 10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency.
Can I get the same results doing something else?
It really depends on what is done! If it is mixed fact practice only the top 17% of our students will improve and they already have fact fluency!
Why are fifth and sixth grades doing the 10 Block Schedule for Math Fact Fluency?
In a perfect world, our students should be fluent with facts by the end of fourth grade! Fifth and sixth graders would be using the facts on their grade level content without having to practice daily. I have not seen that yet! Let’s work towards that goal!