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Don't cause confusion: teach one operation at a time.
Teachers often ask me if they can start Rocket Math and do both addition and subtraction at the same time--to help their students catch up quicker.  No, don't do it!  It will cause special kinds of confusion (called proactive and retroactive inhibition) as students try to memorize the relationships among the numbers.   Click here to read more
Dr. Don's HINTS AND TIPS 
October 26, 2015
Click here for archived back issues 
Customer feedback of the week
My first grade class is LOVING Rocket Math, you should hear the cheers each day when I say it's time to do that.  And then, I love to hear them after the timed test saying with excitement, "I met my goal!"  They really are taking ownership for their progress. --S. Ventura, West Townsend, MA
 
See other customer testimonials here on our website
Student recognition of the week
Positive recognition for Rocket Math accomplishments helps students build self-esteem, develop intrinsic motivation, learn to study, and get smart! Please send us pictures of your winners! 
College Park Elementary's Rocket Math program helps students soar
By Octavia Mitchell Published: Updated:
 
Students at College Park Elementary are blasting off with math. An innovative and unique program has students eager to solve math problems. We're in Ladson for our Cool School of the week.
Walk into College Park Elementary in Mt. Pleasant, SC on any day at 7:45 AM and you will hear an unusual sound, a unique buzz, students racing their way through reciting the answers to math problems. It's serious business. It's called Rocket Math. Teacher Rebekah Mashburn says, "Rocket Math is a program that we have implemented school wide. It really helps our students with fluency in multiplication, division, place value, and even addition and subtraction in our younger grades. We've noticed a lot of growth in our students especially in those areas with those fluency facts."  Click here to read more.  
 
Dr. Don's Training Tips Video Clip
Do we learn from our mistakes? (1 min.) 
 

Hidden gem of the week!
No time to explore our website? Here's a gem you might not otherwise notice.
THIS WEEK:

This document explains step-by-step "How Rocket Math Works" and gives a sample page for each part of the program.  This may also be downloaded if you want to share it with others who want to understand Rocket Math before they make a purchase. 
REDUCED
$100
Permanently reduced to $29

Workshop Training DVD #2004
Three hours of Dr. Don's quality training for this low price.

Customer question of the week

Question: We have purchased and are implementing your program at my school and LOVE it!  Our staff wondered what tips/techniques you suggest for implementing the program with students with special needs?

Don's Answer: Rocket Math was designed to be effective as it is with special needs students--but only if it is done according to the directions.  I have used it very successfully in classrooms with students with special education needs.  All the details of how it should be used are especially critical for special needs students.  Some of the aspects are especially important.

One key with special needs students is to monitor their writing speed carefully.  Click here to read more of Don's complete answer.

Rocket Math Introduction by Michael Corbett
Teacher-made Rocket Math
Video of the week.

It turns out that many of you out there create useful videos about Rocket Math.  These are posted on our Rocket Math You Tube Channel so you can access them to use.  I am going to feature one here each week.

THIS WEEK: 
Rocket Math Introduction by Michael Corbett (4 min.)
Great, thorough and clear job by Michael. 

We trust you and rely on your honor.  If you previously purchased a lifetime license (or your school did), use this coupon code to access a Rocket Math Basic subscription for only $4 for the year.    
SAVE
$
25

Lifetime License holders take $25

off either subscription (#2000 or #2001) 
Type in coupon code "IhaveaLifetimeLicense" 
Offer Expires 12/24/2015. On-line only, coupon code must be entered: only valid for the items listed above; 1 coupon allowed per  customer
.  Includes Whole School Licenses.  
What's new with Rocket Math?
New Price List with a price reduction on the DVD and Whole School Subscription Options

This week I updated our Price List and it is shown to the right.  This includes the permanent reduction in price of the Workshop Training DVD to $29!

You can link to October 2015 Price List
and download it.

Once a school buys a whole school subscription they also qualify for the discounted rate ($19 each) on additional basic subscriptions if they have more teachers than the small school's 20 subscriptions or the medium school's 30 subscriptions. A large school set of 50 subscriptions entitles the school to the lowest price of $14 per additional basic subscription.  These extra subscriptions of item #2000 should be ordered at the same time as the whole school subscription so they qualify for the discount.   
  • Again, note that teachers and schools that previously purchased lifetime licenses can get their subscriptions for $25 off using the coupon just above. 
Some of your teachers will need access to more than the basic operations, so they can Upgrade to Universal (item #2999) for only $20 here.  That price is good when you initially order--or any time in the future!  No gotchas here.   
   
THIS WEEK:
Memorizing Math Facts-is it really necessary?

In today's society with computers and calculators ready at everyone's fingertips-is memorizing math facts really that important?  To be clear, we are not talking about whether students should spend a lot of time practicing calculation.  While one could make a case that a lot of practice getting fast at long division, or even accurate at long columns of addition problems, is no longer valuable, quite the opposite is true for memorization of single digit math facts.  Memorizing math facts is probably even more important today than it was 50 years ago.  Why you ask?  To Read the answer click here. 
Thank you for your interest in Rocket Math.  I created Rocket Math so we can help your students be more successful, gain confidence and enjoy math more.  Let me know how else I can help.  Feel free to call me with any questions you have or send me an email to don@rocketmath.com
 
Sincerely,
Dr. Don
R&D Instructional Solutions (the home of Rocket Math)
phone (888) 488-4854
Rocket Math 
Addition App
Available in the 
Getting grades of 
 A 
and  A+ 
from the rigorous Balefire Labs is 
quite an honor!

Click to read the reviews  for our Apps:

Rocket Math
Multiplication App
Available in the