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Original poster

Times tables rock stars

36 replies

threefiftysix · 13/11/2023 10:25

For those of you whose children use ttrs what speed do the school expect them to get to?

My daughter has a studio speed of 2.8 seconds which I think is perfectly fine! However teacher has told me she needs to improve it to around 1.5 seconds. A lot of the girls in her class are sub 1 second which to be honest I think is crazy!

I personally disagree with the teacher but wanted to know what your schools expect? Thanks!

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saywh4tnow · 13/11/2023 13:53

Our school has never asked about the speed. It's just a fun way for them to get their times tables learnt.

To be honest the sub 1 second response time is making me laugh. You either know your times tables or you don't...

Ebtsaqt · 13/11/2023 14:33

I wouldnt focus on speed so much as having a go every week or so to ensure still remember them.
Unless doing 11+ etc

Original poster
threefiftysix · 13/11/2023 14:57

Yes that's what I thought!! It is a prep school so I guess some will be doing the 11 + but I still think it's ridiculous to say they should be aiming for sub 1 second. I can't even do that!!! (And I have a maths degree 😂😂)

OP posts:
unfairornot · 13/11/2023 15:14

Our school does a test in year 4 they need to be able to answer in 6 seconds to register an answer

PTSDBarbiegirl · 13/11/2023 15:16

None, it's a home learning tool only now.

Himawarigirl · 13/11/2023 15:47

We have also never been given a speed to aim for. Just encouraged to use it at home for practice.

Yourebeingtooloud · 13/11/2023 15:51

The quicker the better but the y4 test expects them to be able to answer (read question, think of answer, type it in & press enter) within 6 seconds.

neleh87 · 13/11/2023 15:58

I'm a teacher. There's a national times tables 'check' in year 4. As a pp said, they have 6 seconds to answer each q. The emphasis is to get them all correct, not to be the fastest. So I disagree with this teacher. A lot of the children try to be super fast and end up making mistakes.

Your DD would be better focusing on the sound check section and trying to get 25/25.she should utilise the 6 seconds!

GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 13/11/2023 17:08

I'm an adult and my speed is "only" 1.52! We do have children who are below a second per question, but they are very much a minority (4 children out of around 370). Your school are being silly.

Just2MoreSeasons · 13/11/2023 18:00

My DS (year 4) has a speed of 2.74. I feel like he's fast enough (sometime in too much of a rush).
I would really like an app for once you're going well on Rock Stars. Maybe one that uses the times tables in problem solving word questions. Would anyone know an app for this? (Sorry to piggy back)

lanthanum · 13/11/2023 18:02

The fastest in DD's year was an outstanding pianist, and I do wonder how much it came down to keyboard skills/ brain-finger coordination.

Purplesunflowers · 13/11/2023 18:30

I completely agree with this - once you get sub-2 secs it’s about typing speed as much as anything. Some children (& some teachers apparently!) get obsessively competitive about this. To me (as a yr 6 teacher) once they know them to the point where they have instant recall & know the associated division facts, there’s much more useful things they could be practising to further their mathematical understanding than repeatedly testing themselves on things they already know just to knock tenths of a second off their average speed (but maybe I’m just a killjoy! 😂)

toomuchfaster · 13/11/2023 19:08

DD's school say less than 3 seconds is considered automatic recall. She's hovering at 3.1/3.2 so is getting 'extra help'!!

Usernamehell · 13/11/2023 20:53

Don't use TTRS but as it is a prep school, they will be focusing on speed and instant recall for 11+ exams. Idea is for them to know without thinking so they can focus on the understanding of the questions and not be tripped up by mental arithmetic. I do agree that past a certain point, keyboard speed will be limiting step, not their knowledge

Original poster
threefiftysix · 13/11/2023 21:01

Thank you for all your responses. Seems like general consensus is that is good to be sub 2 mins but sub 1 min is totally unnecessary!

But overall it's more important to be accurate than fast.

To the pp asking about other apps which have word problems and times tables try IXL.

OP posts:
Just2MoreSeasons · 13/11/2023 21:39

Thanks, I think IXL maybe just what I was looking for!

Just2MoreSeasons · 13/11/2023 21:41

Ahh , just seen it's £8 per month. Anyone else using it and think it's worth it?

SleepingStandingUp · 13/11/2023 21:46

Ours only cares about them doing it, which ds hates. He only likes the dressing up day 🤣

Himawarigirl · 14/11/2023 17:24

Ours is paid for via our school. Not sure I’d pay £8 just for a times tables service. But doodle maths is good, we used it for a while, and would include times tables.

lanthanum · 14/11/2023 18:37

Purplesunflowers · 13/11/2023 18:30

I completely agree with this - once you get sub-2 secs it’s about typing speed as much as anything. Some children (& some teachers apparently!) get obsessively competitive about this. To me (as a yr 6 teacher) once they know them to the point where they have instant recall & know the associated division facts, there’s much more useful things they could be practising to further their mathematical understanding than repeatedly testing themselves on things they already know just to knock tenths of a second off their average speed (but maybe I’m just a killjoy! 😂)

I agree with you. DD's school introduced TTRS when DD was year 6 and she had known her tables for years. It was completely pointless for her, but she spent far too much time trying to be top!

modgepodge · 19/11/2023 21:11

By the way if you use a device with a microphone you can say the answer rather than type it which reduces the need to type quick! Doesn’t work well in a classroom with lots of kids talking at once but at home should work fine.

I’m a y5/6 maths teacher and anything under 3 is fine by me.

Pooooochi · 19/11/2023 22:16

There are way to cheat TTRS to get speeds down and some of those children getting sub 1 speeds are likely using them.

slithytoveisascientist · 19/11/2023 22:37

Pooooochi · 19/11/2023 22:16

There are way to cheat TTRS to get speeds down and some of those children getting sub 1 speeds are likely using them.

What ways and can I prevent my kids from using them?

mulberrybag5 · 20/11/2023 21:54

My children’s school uses this. My eldest when he was in y2 was 1.5 across all times tables with the division. He was 7th out of 214 in the school. He’s in y3 now and has remained about this. I can’t see how he can get faster and as a result he’s a bit bored now!!

SausageinaBun · 20/11/2023 21:58

It probably depends on whether you are using a number pad or the number keys across the top of the keyboard. My DD uses my laptop which doesn't have a number pad.