Ask yourself this question.

Almost every time you have a room full of elementary math teachers attending professional development, what is the one statement you hear over and over again?

“Our students don’t know their math facts!”

Nearly everyone recognizes the problem, yet very little is done to address it. In many cases, it’s almost as if we’ve accepted that fact fluency is simply a problem that can’t be solved.

The truth is, it can be solved.

Unfortunately, when we don’t intentionally teach and practice math facts, we are letting our students down. Math fact fluency is one of the most important building blocks of mathematical success. Students who can quickly recall basic facts have more mental energy available for solving multi-step problems, understanding new concepts, and developing confidence in mathematics.

So why do some educators question whether fact fluency is essential?

The answer may be simple: helping students become fluent takes dedicated instructional time and consistent, purposeful practice. It isn’t something that happens by accident.

The only way students become fluent with their math facts is by repeatedly retrieving those facts from memory. Retrieval practice strengthens the brain’s ability to recall information quickly and accurately. Like any other skill, fluency develops through practice.

Some educators refer to this type of practice as “drill and kill,” but that phrase misses the point entirely. Practice isn’t punishment—it’s how people improve at every skill they learn. Athletes practice. Musicians practice. Readers practice. Mathematicians need practice, too.

One of the biggest shifts I’ve noticed in elementary math instruction compared to 30 years ago is the amount of practice students receive. Today’s math programs often emphasize strategies and conceptual understanding, which are certainly important. However, many students simply aren’t given enough opportunities to apply those strategies repeatedly until the facts become automatic.

Conceptual understanding and fact fluency are not competing goals—they work together. Students need to understand why mathematics works, but they also need to develop the automatic recall that allows them to use that understanding efficiently.

When we give students consistent opportunities to practice retrieving math facts, we’re not asking them to memorize meaningless information. We’re giving them a tool that makes every future math lesson easier.

If we truly want students to succeed in mathematics, we can’t continue to treat fact fluency as optional. It deserves dedicated time, effective practice, and the same level of importance we give to every other foundational skill.

What does your school use for students to master their math facts?