How I use BP
When you give a practice drill, you are not talking to the analytical part of the students’ minds. The understanding has come before. But once the students construct a generalization, it takes practice and repetition to make it part of memory. During a game, chess masters don’t analyze chess positions as much as they recognize them; the analysis comes before. Musicians understand music theory; but when they play a piece, they recognize familiar chord sequences without thinking about them. Once students understand why 3÷4 = ¾, we want them to be able to solve it without analysis, so when they see that as part of a bigger problem, they recognize it as a familiar thing.
My goals when using BP in class are:
Mindset
At the beginning of the year, we watched the videos from Jo Boaler's Week of Inspirational Math and I highlighted two messages related to BP (skill drills). The first was that speed is not important to deep mathematical understanding. I emphasize that I am not expecting them to complete any particular number of problems. We use the timer just in the same way any of you might use a timer for “think time”: when it beeps, we are ready to go on to the next thing. Success is simply putting in the time on a regular basis. The second was that repetition is one of the ways that the brain builds and strengthens new neural pathways, just like musicians practicing scales. "Imagine walking through a big field of grass… you leave a trail that might linger for a while, but the grass stands up again, and soon it vanishes. What makes the trail more permanent?" We also spend a lot of time talking about mistakes as "brain food" or "hidden treasure"... stuff you need for your brain to grow. Finding a mistake or having the opportunity to change your mind is something we celebrate frequently.
How To Run BP
Thanks to Robin Ramos and Bill Davidson for introducing me to the idea of sprints, and their excellent guidance. My approach is different than theirs...read about their approach at Robin's site.
My goals when using BP in class are:
- Focused repetition
- Immediate feedback
- An opportunity to adjust and try again
Mindset
At the beginning of the year, we watched the videos from Jo Boaler's Week of Inspirational Math and I highlighted two messages related to BP (skill drills). The first was that speed is not important to deep mathematical understanding. I emphasize that I am not expecting them to complete any particular number of problems. We use the timer just in the same way any of you might use a timer for “think time”: when it beeps, we are ready to go on to the next thing. Success is simply putting in the time on a regular basis. The second was that repetition is one of the ways that the brain builds and strengthens new neural pathways, just like musicians practicing scales. "Imagine walking through a big field of grass… you leave a trail that might linger for a while, but the grass stands up again, and soon it vanishes. What makes the trail more permanent?" We also spend a lot of time talking about mistakes as "brain food" or "hidden treasure"... stuff you need for your brain to grow. Finding a mistake or having the opportunity to change your mind is something we celebrate frequently.
How To Run BP
- You are the coach – do your best to be encouraging and build in a little fun.
- Copy the sheets double sided – copy the first side, rotate 180 degrees, copy the second side. Cut the sheets in half. Each half will have one set of problems on the front and the other set on the back.
- Have the students write in their names on the side with the shaded blocks, then turn it over. At this point I ask for questions. Students are allowed to scan the back of the sheet for problems they can’t do. I show them quickly and mechanically the skill I want them to practice. I don’t spend much if any time on why. [This is recognition. I think understanding and recognition can develop in parallel; neither one is necessarily first; but neither should get too far ahead of the other. If a student is really confused about why, I will work more with him or her later).
- Remind the students it is not a race and the goal is not necessarily to finish the sheet. Their goal is just to put in the time. If it becomes a problem, you can ask students not to toss their pencils down noisily to signal they are done, so they don’t intimidate the others.
- Again, to de-emphasize the speed element, I have stopped myself from saying, “Get set, go” etc. I simply say now “Please begin the front side now.”
- Then call “time” (one minute, 1 ½…. 2 is usually too long). The students can write down an answer if they had it in your head. I always say “Wherever you got to is fine” or something similar.
- Read the answers while the students correct their papers, marking each problem with a C or X. You might ask them to stand and stretch, or do jumping jacks, then go to the back…”Please begin.”
- Correct and have them turn the sheet it. I never assign a grade or number to the drill. I look them over and note any students who missed more than a few, then I recycle them.
Thanks to Robin Ramos and Bill Davidson for introducing me to the idea of sprints, and their excellent guidance. My approach is different than theirs...read about their approach at Robin's site.