Hi teacher,

I'll admit it.

Years ago, my back-to-school review looked… pretty boring.

A packet.
A pencil.
Maybe a few students were excited.

Most were just going through the motions.

And the strange part? I wasn't really learning much about them.

Were they confused?
Were they disengaged?
Were they simply tired after summer break?

It was hard to tell.

Over time, I realized that the first week isn't just about reviewing math. It's also about rebuilding confidence.

Students are walking into a new classroom with a new teacher, new classmates, and often a little anxiety. If their first math activity feels like another test, it can unintentionally set the wrong tone.

Now I try to make those first review activities feel different:

More interactive.
More visual.
A little more fun.

Students still practice important skills, and I still discover what they remember-but instead of hearing, "Do we have to?" I hear things like, "Can we do another one?"

That's a much better way to begin the year.

Try this during your first week:

Take one review activity you've always used and ask yourself:

Could I make this a little more interactive?

It doesn't have to be elaborate. Sometimes one small change is enough to completely shift students' attitude toward the activity.

Have a wonderful week!

Enrica

P.S. Looking for an easy way to make your daily math warm-ups feel a little less… ordinary?

My 6th Grade Math Warm-Up Growing Bundle includes interactive, self-checking activities that can be used digitally or printed. Students receive immediate feedback while you quickly see which skills may need more attention-without adding another pile of papers to grade.

Take a look at the 6th Grade Math Warm-Up Growing Bundle

Want to try it with your students first? Download a free warm-up here.

PS. If you have a colleague who could use a ready-to-go math activity right now, feel free to forward this to them.

Stay connected 👇

📦 TpT Store

🎮 Boom Cards

🌐 Matemaths.eu

📌 Pinterest