WIZARD MATH KIT FOR YOUR DISTRICT

I started teaching in Oregon in 1969 at Tigard ISD in 6th grade.  Many of my students did not have their math facts memorized, but used the elementary chart to find the answers.  More time should be spent with flash cards so these remedial combinations would be memorized.  

I started a daily practice of simple math facts with 100 of these simple random combinations on each page for add, subtract, multiply and divide with a total of 400 points.  I timed it from three to five minutes for each page until I found that if they could finish with a perfect score in twenty minutes they had them memorized.

I had two sixth graders at that time with low scores in multiplication and division.  I said, “Give me your math books and take the math kit every day until you get a perfect score.”  “They grumbled!!” But they were excited each day to start the recorder with my voice telling them to move onto the next page, only to see how many more points they would get.  It took five weeks and they both were finally getting perfect scores. I handed back their math books and they could then progress in the math program.  

I’ve been tutoring for five years since I retired from teaching and used the math kit on middle school students, many of which were not even able to attempt the multiplication and division pages, but had to depend on calculators.   

Math should always be on the brain!   Every child deserves to be great at math.  It is the foundation for a lifetime of learning.  But not all kids have access to the same opportunities to develop competence and confidence in math early in life.  This creates an opportunity gap that is leaving some students behind. If we can step in and encourage a love for math early in a child’s life, everything can change.

My claim to fame was teaching third graders, by January of each year they had all of their math facts memorized with speed.  They begged to take the test again and again to see how many more points they would get or how much faster they could finish.  The record was seven minutes and forty-five seconds with all 400 points correct. The following year, a fourth grader the last day of school finished twenty seconds faster at seven minutes and twenty-five seconds.  All the class cheered!!

Every school that is struggling with state math state scores should have one Wizard Math Kit per school.  The math chair would be in charge making copies for the teachers involved. Middle schools would develop a pull-out program for those that need extra practice until all math fact are totally   memorized. How would that affect the school and district state scores each year?

“Back2School!”  Use this code when you go to wizardmathkit.com and click on buy to include this Wizard Math Kit in your math program.  The code will give you a 50% discount.  

Now what do you have to lose?   Better scores for your district and your students will develop a confidence and love for math the rest of their lives.