You know the moment… you ask 6 x 7 and half the class starts counting on their fingers while the other half either guesses or just looks at you with a blank stare. We've been there too, which is exactly why we spent months building something to fix it.

In this episode, we're unpacking our brand new Fact Fluency Pathway for multiplication and division. It's a simple 10 minute daily routine that helps your students recall their facts accurately, quickly and flexibly, without eating into the rest of your math block.

We walk you through the “FACTS” routine day by day, share why we built it from our own classroom experience, and explain how it keeps every student working at the right level. If you teach Grade 3 and up and you're tired of the finger counting, this one's for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• What fact fluency actually means
• The three skills we want students to build when it comes to fluency
• The FACTS routine: Focus, Apply, Connect, Target and Show Your Speed
• How target cards give students ownership of their own tricky facts
• Built-in differentiation so every student works at their level
• How the pathway runs for 32 weeks at 10 minutes or less a day, with a pre-test to find each student's starting point

Which times table do your students find the trickiest? After trying our new fact fluency pathway this question will be a lot harder to answer!

Rainbows ahead,
Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you're loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we'd be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:
Fact Fluency Pathway for Multiplication and Division ([LINK NEEDED])

About Rainbow Sky Creations

Ashleigh Smith and Alisha Hughes are experienced primary educators and the co-founders of Rainbow Sky Creations. With more than 30 years of combined classroom experience teaching in Australia and internationally, they create practical, engaging resources that help primary teachers save time and make learning meaningful and fun. Together, they also host the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing classroom ideas, teacher tips and real-world strategies with educators around the world. Connect with us on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Let's hear from you! Text us!

Most of us were taught that play is what kids get once the real work is done. Liz reckons that's backwards. Play can be the learning itself, and for kids aged 7 to 11 it's often the quickest way in.

Liz is the founder of Playful Learning Games, and in this chat she walks us through games you can run tomorrow with a deck of cards, a handful of dice and a stack of post-it notes. No laminating, no budget, no prep. She also takes on every pushback we've all made. No time. No space. It'll be chaos… it actually turns out play tends to settle a class rather than wind it up!

In this episode, we cover:

• Why play works best as the learning itself, not a reward at the end of the lesson
• The honest answer to "I don't have the time, the space or the resources"
• How play-based math sits alongside curriculum pressure and test prep
• Games using only a deck of cards or dice
• Fun Place Value games you can try with your class
• Teaching fractions with paper plates and Play-Doh
• Why running the same game all week is what makes your expectations stick

What's the topic your class switches off for every single year? Tell us over on Instagram and we'll see if we can dig up a game for it.

Rainbows ahead,
Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you're loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we'd be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Connect with Liz on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok

Playful Learning Games website: www.playfullearninggames.co.uk

2 Weeks 2 Learn website and Instagram

Rainbow Sky’s UNO Math Games.

About Today's Guest

Liz is the founder of Playful Learning Games, which provides printable games and resources to support the teaching of English and math for 6 to 11 year olds, through play. She believes we should all learn through play, no matter our age.

About the Podcaster: Ashleigh Smith

Ashleigh Smith is an experienced primary educator, former school leader and Co-Founder of Rainbow Sky Creations. With almost 20 years in education, Ashleigh has taught in Australia and internationally in Dubai, UAE. Today, she draws on her classroom and leadership experience to create practical, engaging resources that save teachers time and make learning meaningful and fun. A passionate cheerleader for teachers, Ashleigh is all about helping educators work smarter, not harder. She also co-hosts the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing practical ideas, strategies and encouragement with primary teachers around the world. Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Let's hear from you! Text us!

In a world of screens and devices, handwriting can feel a bit old-school. But the research keeps landing on the same thing: when students physically write, they process, organise and remember more. In this episode we’re making the case for keeping the pencil in your math lessons, and showing you exactly how.

We get into why writing by hand builds stronger brain connections (there’s a fascinating Norwegian study on this), why explaining your thinking matters far more than just landing the right answer, and how short bursts of writing beat long, draining sessions. Then we hand you five simple strategies you can bring into your classroom this week, no fancy prep required.

In this episode, we cover:

• The research behind why handwriting boosts learning and recall
• Getting students to explain their reasoning, not just write the answer
• Low-key ways to build the written-explanation habit
• Swapping multiple choice for written responses through investigations and problem-solving
• Speedy number booklets for quick, ten-minute written practice that builds stamina and confidence
• The “My favourite No” and “Second-Chance Strategy” for spotting and fixing mistakes
• Hands-on games with a recording element, yes, even your favourite UNO activities

Are you team pencil or team screen in your math lessons? Come share how you balance the two, we love hearing what actually works in your classroom.

Rainbows ahead,

Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you’re loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we’d be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The handwriting and math blog post

Speedy Number booklets

UNO card game math activities

About Rainbow Sky Creations
Ashleigh Smith and Alisha Hughes are experienced primary educators and the co-founders of Rainbow Sky Creations. With more than 30 years of combined classroom experience teaching in Australia and internationally, they create practical, engaging resources that help primary teachers save time and make learning meaningful and fun. Together, they also host the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing classroom ideas, teacher tips and real-world strategies with educators around the world. Connect with us on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Let's hear from you! Text us!