Growing Fact Fluency: Part 2

If you read some of my previous posts, you know that I have been focusing on math fact fluency in my classroom.  The Common Core Standards have a fluency standard, but my reason for implementing the fluency program in my classroom wasn't exactly because the Common Core Standards told me to.  We all know that fluency of math facts will help our students be successful in the upper grades as the math gets more complicated.  This has been something I have been wanting to do for awhile, but now that I am finished with Grad School, I have a bit more free time.  Thank goodness!

Here is the basic rundown of how I manage the fact fluency assessments and progress monitoring:

I check to see which tests each student needs to take, and give them the corresponding assessment.  The students get one minute to answer 25 problems.  I collect the assessments, check them, and mark the results on the checklist in my fact fluency binder.  If a student passes a level, I give them a certificate that states they passed, as well as a set of flash cards for the next level that they can go home to practice.

I monitor their growth using a checklist that I keep in my binder.  I can easily see at a glance where each student is.  For example, I can see that some of my students are still really struggling with their 0's facts, while I have some students who are much further ahead.

While the checklist is a simple way of tracking my students' growth, I wanted my students to also be able to see their progress.  I do this through a "fluency data wall" that I created on one of the cabinet doors in my classroom.

I have flowers hanging on the door, with the different fact levels written on them.  0's, 1's, 2's, etc...  The students each have their own marker on the flowers that tells us all where they are as far as fact fluency.  Each student got to decorate their own butterfly to give them ownership of their growth.

I attach the butterflies to the flowers by using small closepins that I purchased from the Target Dollar Spot a few years ago.  Glad to know they finally came in handy!

As excited as I am about my little data wall, I am even more excited about how easy it makes it for my students to practice their math facts during down times.  In my school, they want us to keep our students busy at all times.  We are supposed to carry flashcards with math facts or word wall words on them, and use them as the students are standing in line waiting for the restroom.  That's a great idea, but I can't just stand in line and quiz my students on their facts.  I don't know about you, but I have to rotate between the bathrooms to make sure the students aren't stuffing the sink full of paper towels or hopping between bathroom stalls like it's their job.

So I came up with a better idea.  I color coded my flash cards to match the flowers on the data tracking wall.  The 0's facts are green, the 1's facts are light pink, and so on.

When we go to the bathroom, we grab the basket with the flashcards inside.  When the students are finished using the bathroom, they can grab the set of flashcards they are working on and practice their facts during that time.

Because we are an environmental magnet school, and also because colored paper is EXPENSIVE, I copied the flashcards front and back.  The students can practice the front and back sides of the flashcards.  Whenever they move to the next level, they pull out that color flashcards to practice.  They can also practice their flashcards whenever they have extra time in the classroom.

Oh, and because I love love love having things on rings, I punched a hole in the flashcards and now each child can grab a ring with the set of facts they are working on.  :-)  I am so clever.

I have added the data wall component to my Growing Fact Fluency pack on Teachers Pay Teachers.  If you have already purchased, go back and download the updated version to get the data wall to use in your classroom!

Of course, flashcards and fluency assessments aren't the only way we practice fluency in my classroom!  Check back soon for some ideas on how to practice fact fluency in your classroom!

Growing Fact Fluency: Part 1

Fluency.

It's an important word when it comes to reading.  But thanks to the Common Core, it's also an important word when it comes to math.

Clearly, teaching fluency in reading and math are two completely different things.  But the similarities are the key words:  accuracy and automaticity.  I expect that my students be able to recall their facts automatically, but they also must be correct.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I haven't really done enough with fact fluency in my classroom for various reasons.  This year, I decided it was time to step up my game.  So I decided to create a method to use in my classroom where I could allow my students to practice their fluency facts, track their progress, and communicate the results with parents.  I wanted to create something in my classroom that was flexible, trackable, and easy to manage.

Now I have a great way of practicing and tracking my students' fluency progress in my classroom, and it totally excites me!  It has been working well for a few months now, and I am thrilled at how easy this has been to implement!

Here's how I work on fluency in my classroom:
About 2 days a week, we take a fact fluency assessment.  I try to shoot for Tuesdays and Thursdays, though it doesn't always work out that way!  But my goal is to take an assessment twice a week.  I have a checklist where I track each students' progress through the levels.  On test day, I check my sheet, hand each student the correct assessment, and send them to their table to put their name on the paper.  It takes less than 2 minutes total.  Once everybody has their paper, I hit the timer.  They have 1 minute to answer 25 problems.  When the timer goes off, they put down their pencils and I collect the assessments.  Quick and painless.

My students have to take and pass two assessments before they can move up to the next level.  The first assessment has all the problems written the same way.  The second assessment has "mixed" problems.  My reasoning is that I need my students to be able to answer 0 + 2 and 2 + 0.  I have seen where some of my students really struggle with looking through the entire problem, so making them take the "mixed" assessment lets me know if they are really fluent with their facts or not, no matter how they are presented.  After I give the assessment, I quickly go through each child's paper to see who demonstrated mastery of the set of facts they were working on that week.  If they did, I put a check in that column next to their name.

I also created 2 different tests, an A test and a B test.  If I have students who sit near each other and are on the same level, I give them different tests.  Then I don't have to worry about cheating.

If they passed their assessment, I do one of two things:

1. Send home the next set of math fact flashcards
or
2. Send home a certificate (if they passed the second quiz!) and the next set of math fact flashcards.

Either way, they get the next set of math facts to practice at home to prepare for the next assessment.  This helps me keep the parents informed on their child's progress as well.  The kids are also very proud of their certificates and love being able to take them home!

If you are interested, my Fact Fluency program is available in my TPT store.

Even though I track their progress on the checklist I keep in my binder, I felt like it was important for the students to see their progress as well.  So I created a Student Fluency Data Wall to help the students track their progress.  I'll be back soon to share how I track student progress in the classroom, and how this helps my students with practicing their facts!




Your Turn:
How do you help your students demonstrate their fluency of facts in your classroom?  Please share by leaving a comment!