Four routines, from smallest to largest
- Three-two-one warm-up (5 minutes, daily). Three questions from yesterday, two from last week, one from last month. Students answer from memory with no notes, then you show the answers and they fix their own.
- Brain dump (90 seconds, any time). "Write everything you remember about yesterday's lesson." Then 60 seconds to compare with a partner and add what they missed from their notes, in a different color.
- Whiteboard checks during the lesson. Every few minutes, a question everyone answers at once. This doubles as checking for understanding (principle 4).
- Weekly low-stakes cumulative quiz (10–15 minutes). About half current unit, half earlier units. Not graded, or graded for completion only. Answers reviewed right after.
Scripts
- Opening: "Pencils only, notes closed. These are from last week and last month, so some will feel hard. That's the point; the struggle is what makes it stick."
- After answers: "Fix any you missed in the margin. Circle the ones you guessed; those go on your study list."
- When a student says "we haven't done this in forever": "Exactly. Pulling it back now is what keeps it."
Question bank template (one per unit)
| Unit | Must-know items (5–7) | Sample question | Reuse in weeks |
|---|
| [Unit name] | [Key facts, terms, procedures] | [Short-answer question] | +1, +3, +6, before the final |
Four-week try-it plan
| Week | Do | Check |
|---|
| 1 | Daily three-two-one warm-up, current material only | Are students answering without notes? |
| 2 | Add questions from 2–4 weeks back | Which items do most students miss? |
| 3 | Add one weekly cumulative quiz | Did the missed items improve the second time? |
| 4 | Teach students to self-quiz at home with flashcards | Compare unit test results with last year's same unit |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|
| Warm-up runs 15 minutes | Fewer questions, short answers, set a timer |
| Students copy from neighbors | Answers on individual whiteboards or slips, collected but not graded |
| Scores are very low on old material | Good information. Reteach briefly and keep cycling it |
| "I don't have time to write questions" | Build the bank once per unit and reuse it next year |