My simple strategy for long-term math retention

Even one of the best math academics have had college students who ace the chapter assessments simply to go on and wrestle with that very same content material on the ultimate examination—or college students who’ve a tough time greedy extra superior ideas as a result of they’ve forgotten the foundational studying that got here earlier than. As a highschool math instructor for greater than 15 years, I’ve seen it occur time and again.

Long-term math retention might be elusive. For college students to reach math, they should grasp precursor ideas—foundational, grade-level expertise—but conventional classroom routines focus extra on cramming in new data. As a outcome, whereas college students would possibly be capable of recall newly realized ideas for a right away task or end-of-unit evaluation, their grasp on these ideas fades over time.

Ensuring that math ideas stick is crucial as a result of so many new math classes construct on the data that has come earlier than. If college students don’t switch this data to their long-term reminiscence, the implications might be detrimental to their achievement sooner or later.

Luckily, there’s a simple, proven strategy academics can use to enhance long-term math retention—cumulative math follow. I’ve used this strategy in my math classroom for a few years and have seen phenomenal outcomes. Here’s the way to use cumulative math follow to enhance long-term math retention.

The key to success: Cumulative math follow

To break the “learn-forget, learn-forget” cycle, educators can combine in a evaluation of earlier content material as college students study new ideas and supply focused, individualized follow.

Cumulative evaluation doesn’t should take time away from instruction. For instance, in my algebra classroom, I give college students follow issues that focus not simply on the most recent talent or idea we’ve lately coated, but additionally on ideas from prior models of instruction.