Math Games That Build Fluency While Kids Have Fun — Episode 962

Timed tests don't make kids faster! These experts say timed tests make kids anxious and don't tell you what a child actually knows. Dr. Jennifer Bay-Williams and Dr. Gina Kling, co-authors of Math Fact Fluency: 60+ Games and Assessment Tools to Support Learning and Retention, explain what to do instead: low-stress card and dice games where nobody races anybody, and where watching kids play gives you better assessment data than any speed drill. Vicki shares why math facts in first grade were harder for her than calculus at Georgia Tech. (She also shares why her mom, who sat at the kitchen table with her, changed everything. Not everyone has that, so we need to do better!) In this episode, you'll learn: Why playing a game to learn basic facts isn't a reward day, it's best practice The three reasons Bay-Williams says timed tests need to be abandoned What students do when they're under time pressure (they drop back to counting) How to play Salute — the card game that started this writing partnership Better ways to assess fact fluency: game observation, quick interviews, strategy writing How to coach parents who tell their kids "I was never good at math" Show notes, the full transcript, and every resource mentioned: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e962 If this episode helped you, leave a review wherever you're listening — it's how other teachers find the show.