Nightly Multiplication Drills

Math Drills

Article Contributed by Sean M.

The students in Division 4 were given a packet of multiplication drill sheets to take home. After we look over the sheets with our parents, we will choose one of the drills to officially ‘start’ our practise drills.

(After we have chosen our starting drill, we will tell Mrs. Albrecht and she will run off a copy on a transparency. Then we can practise the drill as many times as we want without wasting a lot of paper. We will just wash off the ink and be ready for the next try.)

Once we have received our ‘official’ starting drill, we have to practise every night (only once a night). However, we can attempt the drill as many times as we wish. The drills are between the 4x and the 12x tables).

(In February, Mrs. Albrecht will be adding some division and fraction drills as well.)

We are practising our drills because the faster we can recall facts, the easier it is to do all mathematics. Also, we want to be able to ‘beat’ our own recorded time. We will write down how long it took to complete the drill the very first time we try it, and then we will try to ’beat’ that time.

For example, if it takes someone 4 minutes and 18 seconds to do the 8 X drill on Monday, then hopefully by Sunday, it will take him/her only 4 minutes 3 seconds to finish. Mrs. Albrecht will be very happy if we improve upon our first time and hopes our parents will write her a note in our agenda, so she can encourage us.

If we can finish the entire drill within 3 minutes and 30 seconds (with only 2 mistakes or less) we can bring back the drill and pick a new one.

If we become too frustrated with a drill, we can exchange it for a different one after two weeks. Sometimes it is really hard to reach the 3.5 minutes time, and Mrs. Albrecht will be happy if we show improvement.

Mrs. Albrecht has to receive a note from our parents before she will give us a new drill. The note will either report the time it took us to complete it, or it will say that we are too frustrated to continue.

Mrs Albrecht says, Ready...? Set...? Start your drill...!