I have been teaching for a long time, and I have seen many different philosophies and ways of doing things come and go a lot. But, one thing that I stand by is spiral review.
I am sure you are reading this and thinking…is she really passionate about spiral review? And, the answer is yes. Have you ever been educated on a topic, and you spent maybe an hour learning and practicing it, but then you are told to remember that in 3 months? Crazy right???? That is what many of us are taught to do in our classrooms, but spiral review breaks that lousy habit and continuously exposes our students on topics they are expected to know. Spiral review allows our students to keep topics in their back pockets. And, I do not believe in spending an hour giving instruction and then moving on. It’s not practical for my students, nor do I learn what struggles my students have with the material they just learned. Kids need lots of exposure and repetition to master the skills that we teach. Spiral review allows our students to practice, practice, and practice to reach their full potential.
Let’s first touch on what precisely spiral review is. Instead of teaching one lesson and not touching on it again for weeks or months. You introduce a topic and allow your students to practice those skills once the lesson is over. This is a way for them to keep skills fresh in their minds and continuously grow and master the skills. I like to think of spiraling as part of our everyday routine, it doesn’t have to be complex, and you can use it in all different capacities. It should be something that is at the forefront of our minds, and it can be presented through early finishing work, homework, or games that are played in the classroom. Maybe, each day during whole group, you touch on a topic for a review or incorporate a game that focuses on a topic your students may have struggled with. Using spiral review really allows us to know and understand how students take in the material we are teaching. The chances of every single student mastering the standard after one lesson are slim, but with consistent exposure and practice, they are much more likely to understand.
There are so many different ways to incorporate spiral review into your classrooms without a ton of extra planning. One of the easiest ways I use spiral review is through games. I will pick a topic and play a game in a small group or during center time with the chosen topic. It’s a fun way to get my kiddos engaged with a hands-on activity. Homework is also another easy way to incorporate spiral review. Personally, I wouldn’t say I like sending home concepts that we just learned. It’s not fair to my students or their parents- ha! I saved the new material for classroom activities and work and instead chose topics that my students may need extra practice in.
I know it can be stressful to ensure that you are hitting every standard, but take a deep breath and remember that spiral review allows you to continuously touch on standards in all subject areas. Spiral review is completely customized to what YOUR students need. Not everyone’s review is going to look the same. Take time at the end or beginning of each week for reflection on what skills may need a little more attention and adjust your review based on those specific needs of your students.
I have noticed so many positives happening in my classroom from using spiral review. My students did better on testing and were meeting the standards that were taught. There was an overall increase in participation and attitude towards the material. They knew that if they didn’t understand a topic, it would be revisited, and they had time to practice. My stress level decreased because I didn’t feel like a ticking time bomb was behind me with the material I needed to teach. After all, we were covering standards throughout the entire school year and revisiting them. One of my favorite parts is cramming material is no longer a thing. We didn’t need to spend days and days reviewing because the review was part of our everyday routine. Overall, I feel like a better and more aware educator. I know my students, their areas of strengths, and their areas of improvement, and I can plan accordingly.
I have seen firsthand the amazing benefits spiral review has on my students’ education and their overall attitude towards learning. They are much more relaxed and involved in their learning because there isn’t the added layer of expectation that they master material after one lesson.
Grab a few of my favorite resources to use for spiral review
