I 'discovered' power teaching" a year or so ago and played with a couple parts, and would like to get into it more this year.

I love the idea of the SUPER SPEED games for math and reading, but how do you know the kids are saying the words, or completing the math fact correctly as they are playing?

Thanks!!

I use the SS games in my kindergarten classroom. When students are playing I am watching...listening...and observing. I can generally tell if the students are not reading or adding etc...correctly. If it is done with older students who are doing it on "independent" time say while you are engaged with other students...then spot test them. I have even done this with my kinders later in the year. I have them "play" against me. Then if they don't do it up to the standard for where they are saying they are then we move back!


HTH
Farrah Shipley

A good way to do this is to pair students by ability. Students who are reading at or above grade level would be a good fit to work a struggling reader. They will be able to correct words that are said incorrect. In most cases the students love helping their peers. When I know there is a student/students who are really struggling I allow them to work with me. I also agree with Farrah that you could walk around to observe students. That is always helpful.

I understand that the correct way to play is to have 2 students play together. I like how Farrah has some of her students play independently, which is an idea I have never thought of myself. In the beginning of the year, I had my students play it as a class just so they could get the idea of the game. Now, they love playing it as a class! My classroom has a document camera which allows me to project the game on the board so the whole class can see it. I then time them as a whole class and point to the words as they say it. I make sure to tell them that they all need to participate in order to get a point on the scoreboard. I stand up and point to the words and monitor who is or not saying it. They LOVE this game. If they beat their score, I give them a point on the score board. If they win, we go out to recess a few minutes early. If they lose, they lose out on recess depending on how much they lost by. For example, if they lost on the scoreboard by one point, we go out one minute late and if they win by one point, we go out a minute early. It's never more than 3 minutes. I mostly have them lose points if I do not have full participation. It works for us! We play almost everyday before lunch. Sometimes, I let them play another time before dismissal, which they love! There is another incentive that would go along with an afternoon game. They are so excited to reach level 100!!!!

What a great modification:)!

I wanted to add a note about the MAth SS games: when you pair student up in this game, one student has the answers. That is how to regulate correct responses. A few key things to remember:

*Students must say the whole problem.
*IF they make a mistake~ their partner corrects them by saying the correct problem. The student repeats, then goes back two. That way they get a chance to practice the ones they struggled with a second time in that round.
*Any problems that are incorrect are circled. These become the student's "gnarlies". When the student starts the next time, he/she must go through her own personal gnarlies FIRST and AFTER THAT he/she begins at the level where he/she is at.

Hope this helps:)