When I was a new teacher, I wanted my students to see math not just as numbers and equations but as a tool to understand the world around them. My goal wasn’t for them to simply memorize formulas to complete their homework but to develop a deep, conceptual understanding of math that would lead to long-term fluency and enable real-world application.
Yet, when I used traditional teaching methods, it felt like I was cramming too much into each lesson. Students seemed to turn off their “math brains” as soon as we switched subjects, struggling to retain what they’d just learned.
I learned that I was not alone. Teachers often follow a curriculum that requires them to teach multiplication from start to finish in two months. Then, students are expected to apply those skills weeks later when they start a new unit. Evidence suggests this instructional approach, known as massed learning, isn’t effective. It’s similar to cramming for a test, only to forget the material afterward.
Students, from their earliest years in school, must regularly practice foundational math skills, as concepts build on themselves throughout the school year and beyond. This practice can be done in the form of games, station activities, or other experiences beyond completing worksheets. Teaching information in small increments (with breaks) over time, known as spaced learning, is the opposite of massed learning. Research shows it’s an effective approach that helps elementary students retain math better. And these ideas apply to middle and high school students as well.
Midway through my teaching career, I transitioned to spaced learning in my science classroom to boost engagement and retention. Teaching 6th grade life science, I found students tuned in only when topics felt personal, like human anatomy. Motivated by this, I restructured the course to center on human systems with comparisons to other living things, sparking curiosity and better content retention—a success that inspired me to apply spaced learning in my math classroom as well.
I began integrating spaced learning by restructuring my 50-minute math class, not reducing time but using it differently. Instead of focusing on a single topic for extended periods, we rotated through smaller chunks—two weeks on fractions, followed by geometry with continued fractions practice, then returning to fractions.
This approach kept students engaged and reinforced learning through distributed practice. Students would complete a few problems at a time rather than finishing an entire worksheet. I also integrated math skills into science and other subjects—even though the content existed only in our math textbook. This approach not only reinforced student learning but also helped students see the connections between math and the world around them.
This new approach wasn’t without its challenges. It took time, energy, and commitment to redesign my lesson plans. Yet, seeing how much my students benefited from this new approach made it worthwhile. They weren’t just retaining knowledge; they were becoming better problem-solvers. Their performance improved, achievement gaps narrowed, and they went into the next grade better prepared and with a stronger grasp of concepts.
Unfortunately, many educators today face significant barriers to implementing similar changes. Limited time, insufficient resources, and the challenges of aligning curricula and finding supplemental materials make it difficult for teachers to adopt strategies like spaced learning. For many, a complete lesson plan overhaul feels unattainable despite its proven benefits.
However, starting small can make a big difference for educators looking to boost learning in their classrooms. Educators can introduce spaced learning by rethinking the sequence of their existing lesson plans to spread out instruction over time and create connections between concepts.
For example, in grade 1, educators might introduce teen numbers early in the year and revisit them later when teaching place value, emphasizing teen numbers as 10 plus some 1s.
In grade 3, four-digit numbers could be taught in the first month and revisited weeks later when covering comparing and rounding. These small adjustments allow students to engage in ongoing practice throughout the year, reinforcing understanding and building fluency.
For those seeking a more structured approach, some curricula recognize the efficacy of spaced learning and pace materials accordingly. One example is Stepping Stones, a math curriculum from ORIGO Education, where I am a vice president. The curriculum spirals concepts throughout the year. (While I was not involved in its initial development, I now contribute to its ongoing revisions.) Students begin learning multiplication facts early on and continue practicing them in small doses, revisiting the concept regularly and connecting it to other topics.
I’ve seen spaced learning create tangible results and significant improvements in many districts. For example, when Pennsylvania’s Conestoga Valley school district adopted the Stepping Stones curriculum, the district raised 2nd grade math proficiency scores from 57 percent to 70 percent over three years. Feedback from coaches, shared during a presentation at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics 2024 annual meeting, highlighted how educators noticed shifts in how both they and their students engaged with the material.
Similarly, Maryland’s Worcester County public schools saw special education students thrive using a spaced-learning approach. Teachers praised the approach for simplifying math instruction and making lessons more effective and accessible for all learners.
Reflecting on my time as an educator and conversations with fellow teachers, I’ve seen how spaced learning transforms math instruction. By revisiting concepts in small, manageable doses, students develop a deeper understanding and an improved retention of material. This approach fosters long-term mastery, enabling students to connect and apply their knowledge across different contexts. Moreover, it helps close achievement gaps, allowing all students to progress at a more equitable pace.
Spaced learning is an effective alternative to the traditional massed-learning approach, unlocking greater potential for both teaching and learning.
