We’ve all been there: you spend three weeks teaching a rigorous unit on fractions, the students pass the test, and you move on to decimals. Two months later, you mention a common denominator, and your students look at you as if you’re speaking an ancient, forgotten language.
This is the "Forgetting Curve" in action. Without intervention, the human brain is wired to discard information it doesn't use regularly. The solution? A spiral review. Unlike "blocked practice," where students focus on one topic until a test and then drop it, spiraling ensures that critical concepts resurface throughout the year, moving them from short-term memory into long-term mastery.
The most effective spiral review is one that is consistent and frequent. To truly combat the forgetting curve, math review should be a daily habit.
The best way to implement this is through a "Bell Ringer" or "Warm-Up" routine. Dedicate the first 5–8 minutes of every class to a small set of review problems. This tells students' brains that "old" information is still "important" information. If daily feels too heavy, a "Weekly Throwback" every Friday is a secondary option, but daily consistency yields significantly higher retention rates.
A common mistake is making the spiral review too long. If it takes 20 minutes, you’ve lost your instructional time for the new lesson. The sweet spot is 3 to 5 problems.
This small number keeps the cognitive load manageable and ensures students don't feel overwhelmed by "busy work." A well-balanced 5-problem daily review might look like this. Problem 1 should be a skill from yesterday's lesson for immediate reinforcement. Problem 2 is a skill from last week to help with short-term retention. Problem 3 is a skill from last month to help with long-term recall. Problem 4 focuses on a foundational skill such as multiplication facts or integer rules. The final problem should be a preview challenge to show students what is coming up next.
To make your spiral review more than just a worksheet, consider these three best practices. Don't group the review problems by topic. If the review is about geometry, don't put three area problems in a row. Mix an area problem with a fraction subtraction problem and an equation. This forces the brain to "switch gears," which is a much higher level of cognitive processing.
It provides immediate feedback. The spiral review loses its power if students have to wait three days for a grade. Spend two minutes at the end of the warm-up having students self-correct in a different colored pen. This allows them to catch their own misconceptions in real-time.
In addition, keep the spiral review low-stakes. The spiral review should be a "safe space" for struggle. Many teachers grade it based on completion or effort rather than accuracy. This encourages students to try the problems they’ve forgotten rather than leaving them blank out of fear of a low grade.
When you implement a daily spiral, the "End of Year Review" becomes a breeze. Instead of re-teaching the entire curriculum in May, you are simply "polishing" skills that have stayed shiny all year long. You'll find that students develop a much higher level of confidence because they aren't constantly "re-learning"—they are simply remembering.
Teacher Tip: Use a "Digital Tracker" or a simple spreadsheet to keep track of which standards you’ve included in your spiral. If you notice the class bombed a specific question on the spiral three days in a row, you know exactly what needs a 10-minute mini-lesson tomorrow
Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear. have a great day.
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