Celebrating You & All You Do
We, at RightStart Math, want to pause and say, “Thank you!” We truly appreciate the hard work, dedication, and heart you bring to your students. You invest time, creativity, and care into helping every learner grow—not just academically, but in confidence and perseverance as well. We Celebrate You Today, we celebrate you—the lesson planners, the encouragers, the problem-solvers, and the champions for your students. Your work matters, and it makes a lasting difference. “Teachers plant seeds of knowledge that grow forever.” – author unknown We Appreciate You Every day, you show up with patience, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to your students. The work you do matters deeply—and it often goes unseen. “The influence of a good teacher can never be erased.” – author unknown Thank you for your perseverance, your care, and your belief in every child’s ability to learn and succeed. We are grateful to partner with you in this important work. If we can help you in any way, do not hesitate to reach out! Contact Us Product Spotlight: RightStart Math Card Holders Small tools can make a big difference—especially in busy classrooms. RightStart Math Place Value and Base-10 Picture Card Holders help reduce clutter and distractions while actively supporting visual learning and hands-on engagement. Place Value Card Holder The RightStart™ Math Place Value Card Holder provides a clear, structured way to display Place Value Cards during instruction. By keeping cards organized and visible, it helps students see how numbers are built, supporting stronger understanding of place value and the base-ten number system. Base-Ten Card Holder The RightStart™ Math Base-Ten Card Holder keeps Base-Ten Cards neatly organized and easy to use. This simple tool supports hands-on learning and helps students make sense of number relationships through a clear, visual representation. Whether you’re working with a full class or a small group, these card holders help keep the focus where it belongs—on thinking, strategy, and understanding. Once again, thank you for the care, dedication, and heart you bring to your students each day. We are honored to support you and grateful to walk alongside you in your teaching journey. Your RightStart Math partners, Teresa, Rachel, Maren and Kathleen Filed Under: Newsletters
New Year, New Momentum
A new year creates an opportunity for new momentum—a chance to re-energize students, refocus their learning, and restart your pacing with confidence. Whether your class is right on track or easing back into routine, we hope these ideas bring a fresh spark of excitement and possibility. RE-ENERGIZE: Jump Back In with Enjoyable Learning Ideas: Use quick warm-up games to boost confidence without pressure. Try a “Two-Minute Challenge” each day—students play a familiar card game for two minutes to rebuild fact fluency. Launch a Math Game of the Week to ease back in and reconnect students. After a long break, the best way to wake up math brains is through movement, laughter, and low-stakes practice. A few minutes of a familiar RightStart Math card game quickly re-energizes students and gets them ready to learn. RE-FOCUS: Preview What’s Ahead to Build Momentum One of the best ways to help students refocus after break is to spark their curiosity about what’s coming next. Share a simple peek at upcoming topics— “Over the next month, we will be diving into fractions!” “Next week, we will be learning new multiplication strategies!” “Geometry is coming soon!” A short preview helps students reconnect with purpose, reignite curiosity, and refocus their minds on the exciting learning ahead. RE-START: Get Back on Track with Your Pacing Schedule January is a perfect time for teachers to restart with confidence. After the busy break, many classrooms naturally fall a bit behind pace—and that’s okay. Our pacing schedule will help you get back on target or stay on pace as you begin the new year. Take a moment to look ahead, revisit your pacing chart, and identify the next clear steps. Are you a little behind? You can make small adjustments—such as combining shorter lessons or review and game days—to help you comfortably get back on track without feeling rushed. Maybe you’re feeling more than a little behind and need support? Or don’t have a pacing schedule yet? We’re here to help—contact us! Contact Us PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Classroom Posters and Trifolds Enhance your math environment with our Classroom Posters and Trifolds—designed to give students instant access to the concepts they use most. These powerful reference tools help students stay organized, confident, and ready to learn. The Poster Set The Poster Set provides clear visuals for numbers, fractions, and multiplication. Their 24 x 36 inch size makes them ideal for classroom display, lesson modeling, and ongoing reference during instruction and math discussions. Our Elementary Trifold includes formulas, terms, and strategy reminders, and more. The Middle School Trifold includes geometry, trigonometry, circle parts, tessellations, and more. Contact us if you would like more information about any of these materials. Contact Us Your RightStart Math partners, Teresa, Rachel, Maren, and Kathleen
Snow Much Fun: Winter Break Math Card Game Ideas
As we head into Winter Break, now is the perfect time to keep fact fluency fresh—without adding extra worksheets or stress. One of the best ways to support learning over break is simply playing math card games. They build confidence, strengthen automaticity, and keep students moving forward…all while having fun with family and friends. Make Winter Break a Game-Filled Break Encourage your students to play a few favorite RightStart Math card games over break to keep developing their fact fluency. Games like Go to the Dump, Fraction War, and Multiplication Memory turn practice from boring to fun. Here are some game ideas: Assign specific games to build specific skills Provide RightStart Math’s Game Log for students to document what they played Invite families to send in pictures showing their game moments Have a friendly class competition for “Most Games Played,” “Best Family Game Night,” or “Most Improved Skills” A little bit of purposeful motivation from you will keep students engaged and growing through the winter break. Games Log Want to Encourage Even More Participation? If your school would like to make it easier for families to access materials needed to play the math card games, we can set up a special school discount code just for you. Reach out to us, and we’ll set up a code to share with your families so they can get a discount! Contact Us Product Spotlight: New Math Card Game Decks We’re excited to highlight our newly updated Math Card Game Decks! These decks: Feel more like a traditional playing card deck Are easier to shuffle Still feature the kid-friendly, visual design you love If you need additional card decks or want to replace older decks, now is a great time to switch to our redesigned, easier-to-shuffle decks. Contact us for pricing, and don’t forget—we still offer quantity discounts! We hope these ideas make Winter Break both fun and meaningful for your students. Thank you for all you do to support confident student mathematicians. If you need anything—from game suggestions to ordering support—we’re here and happy to help. Wishing you a wonderful winter break! Your RightStart Math partners, Teresa, Rachel, Maren and Kathleen
Stay on Target This November
As we move into November, it’s the perfect time to pause and make sure you’re on target—both in pacing and student progress. Here are a couple of ideas to help you stay on target. Stay on Target with Pacing The key to finishing the year strong is maintaining a steady pace. Want to know if you’re on target? Our free pacing schedules help you stay on track by breaking the year into manageable segments so you can plan confidently and ensure steady progress for every student. Set aside time each week to glance at your pacing guide and note where you are in the sequence. Small adjustments now prevent big catch-ups later! Don’t have the pacing schedules? Contact us! Help Students Stay on Target with Fact Fluency When students lack fact fluency, lessons naturally slow down. Strengthening math facts will help your students learn new concepts more easily and reduce frustration. The best way to do that? Play math card games! Games like Corners™, Go to the Dump, or Multiplication Memory build automaticity through strategy and fun—keeping students engaged while reinforcing the critical skills they need. Just a few minutes a day can make a big difference! Struggling to learn a new game every day? Choose one game to focus on all week! Challenge your students to play by forming teams or setting an end-of-the-week goal for total points earned or the number of math facts practiced. Staying on target isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency, preparation, and keeping math fun and meaningful. Your RightStart Math partners, Teresa, Rachel, Maren, and Kathleen
Engage Parents, Empower Students
October Newsletter, 2025 In this newsletter, we are focusing on how to engage parents in order to empower students—one of the most powerful ways to support student success. Studies show that stronger parent engagement equals stronger student learning. RightStart™ Math offers ready-to-use tools that encourage families’ involvement in the learning process. Parent Letters Save time with our prewritten weekly letters! Each letter explains what students learned during the week, includes fun at-home activities and math card games to support classroom instruction, and gives parents a sneak peek of what’s coming up next. If you are interested in the Parent Letters, contact us and let us know which grade levels you would like. Contact Us! Math Card Games at Home RightStart™ Math uses engaging math card games to make math fact practice fun. To make learning games even easier, we offer a video subscription with step-by-step game instructions. Parents and students can learn and play these games together at home, building fact fluency and strengthening math skills. Game Instruction Videos Family Game Night Events Want to get parents excited about math? Host a Game Night! These events can be student-led or themed, creating a fun, memorable way to build confidence and excitement around math. With these simple resources, you can engage parents, empower students, and spark meaningful connections between the home and classroom—while making math enjoyable for everyone. Your RightStart Math partners, Teresa, Rachel, Maren, and Kathleen
RightStart Math: Free Support, Resources, and Training
September 2025 Newsletter We want to remind you of the many free resources available to you as a school that uses RightStart Math. 1. Year-Round Teacher Support – FREE If you have questions about a lesson, activity, game, or student, we’re here to help. Reach out anytime, and we’ll provide the guidance needed to ensure effective instruction for all students. 2. Parent Letters – FREE We know parent involvement is key to student success. That’s why we’ve prepared ready-to-use letters you can send home each week. These include a summary of what students learned plus activities and games for families to enjoy together. 3. Professional Development – FREE We offer free PD courses via Zoom or in person (just cover travel costs for in-person sessions). Current courses include: RightStart Math: Why It Works RightStart Math: Classroom Management RightStart: Fractions RightStart: Geometry (great for middle school) RightStart: PreK RightStart: Kindergarten RightStart: 1st Grade RightStart: 3rd Grade 4. Game Instruction Videos – Only $0.99/year RightStart Math uses many engaging math card games. To save you time, we’ve created short, easy-to-follow video instructions—available by annual subscription for just 99¢. Vimeo Subscription 5. Specialized Support Just For You We’re here to support you every step of the way! Contact us for questions, resources, or to schedule a PD. Contact Us Your RightStart Math partners, Teresa, Rachel, Maren, and Kathleen
Welcome Back to School!
Welcome back to another exciting school year! We’re so grateful to partner with you as you guide your students in developing love for and a deep understanding of math. Free Pacing Schedules As you begin planning, don’t forget—we offer free pacing schedules to help you map out your year. You can find some of them on our website. We have a readily available schedules for you if you teach 5-days a week for 35-weeks. Pacing Schedule If you have a significantly different schedule, let us know your school calendar, and we’ll send a more customized schedule your way. Math Card Game Instructional Videos We all know how valuable math card games are in reinforcing concepts and building fluency. To make things even easier, we now offer game instructional videos for just 99¢ per year. These short, teacher-friendly videos are designed to save you time and make learning the games a breeze. For more information or to subscribe, click on the button below. Game Instruction Videos Free professional Development Courses And one more reminder: we continue to offer free professional development courses and free parent meetings! If your team would benefit from support in teaching the curriculum, let us know—we’d love to help. Here is a list of the professional development courses we currently offer: RightStart Math: Why It Works (Great introduction to RightStart Math) RightStart Math: Classroom Management RightStart Math: Fractions RightStart Math: Geometry (Great for RightStart Math middle school teachers) RightStart Math: PreK RightStart Math: Kindergarten RightStart Math: First Grade RightStart Math: Third Grade **We are hoping to add more grades during this coming year. Let us know how we can help make this your best school year yet. Contact Us Your RightStart Math partners, Teresa, Rachel, Maren, and Kathleen
Math Fact Fluency Success with Card Games
March 2025 Newsletter Have you ever felt like math lessons are taking longer than they should? Do your students seem frustrated or struggle to grasp new concepts? The issue could be that math fact fluency needs strengthening. Math fact fluency—the ability to quickly recall basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts—is a crucial foundation for success in math. When students hesitate on basic facts, problem-solving and learning slow down, making lessons feel long and frustrating. But here’s the good news: fluency can be strengthened through play! The Power of Math Games A school in Texas faced this very challenge. They were getting behind in lessons, students and teachers were getting frustrated and discouraged. Though it seemed counterintuitive, we suggested they take some time off from regular lessons and focus solely on math fact games. The result? Students developed confidence. Lessons were completed faster. And students began to learn new material much more quickly. Game Suggestions Would you like recommendations on games to play? Contact us! We are happy to guide you to games that will strengthen skills and review previously learned content. By making math fact practice enjoyable, we set students up for long-term success. The more fluent they are, the smoother and faster their learning will be. So, grab a deck of cards and watch math confidence soar! Small steps in fluency lead to big leaps in learning—starting with a game! Your RightStart Math partners, Teresa, Rachel, Maren, and Kathleen
Thank you teacher!
We want to take a moment to say a special thank you for the incredible work you do. We see the dedication, the late nights, the creativity, and the heart you pour into your students every single day. Your work often goes beyond the classroom—into lesson planning at home, answering emails long after school hours, and finding new ways to connect with students who need extra support. And we just want to say—thank you. Teaching is more than a job; it’s a calling. It requires patience, perseverance, and a deep love for learning and growth. Every day, you shape lives, inspire futures, and make a lasting impact in ways you may never fully see. The lessons you teach extend far beyond textbooks and tests. You instill confidence, encourage curiosity, and spark a love for learning that can last a lifetime. We know there are challenges. Some days are exhausting, and the impact of your hard work may not always be immediately visible. But never doubt the influence you have. A kind word, a listening ear, a simple act of encouragement—these small moments can change a student’s path forever. A Special Message Just for You As William Arthur Ward once said,“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” As you continue to make a difference in your student’s lives, remember that we are here to support you! Don’t hesitate to reach out and ask! So, again, thank you, teacher! You are an inspiration. Keep going. You are making a difference. With deep appreciation, Your RightStart Math partners, Teresa, Rachel, Maren, and Kathleen P.S. If no one has told you today—you are doing an amazing job.
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2025!
January 2025 Newsletter Welcome to the New Year 2025! We hope everyone had a fabulous winter break! As you start the new year, here are some ideas to ease students back: Review and Reset the Routine Use what worked in the fall and change the things that did not work. What did your students positively respond to? Bring more of that strategy into your instruction during the new year. What did they struggle with? Spend some time reviewing the processes and make the necessary changes. Set new goals Share new expectations and encourage students to set personal goals. Help your students succeed by explaining your expectations. Teach them how to set personal goals and give them direction on how to achieve them. Engage in Community Discussion Have your students share experiences from their break that relate to your topic of instruction. Bring math into it. Have your younger students calculate how often they did something during the break, such as eating a cookie, sledding, watching a holiday movie, etc. Then, have them double the number. For older students, have them calculate the ratio of how many days they slept in to the number of days they were off school. Incorporate Fun and Engaging Activities Bring something new to ‘ordinary’ learning activities. For example, when playing math card games, incorporate physical activities. Here are some ways you can bring physical activity into gameplay: -Turn your math card games into relay races -Have students practice even and odd numbers by incorporating hopscotch: hop on one foot for an odd number, hop on two feet for an even number. -For games such as Swim to Ten, make a large game board on the floor and have the students become the game markers We are here for you As you get back into your routine, don’t forget that we are here to support you all year long. If you find yourself behind schedule or fresh out of ideas, reach out! We’re here to help make this school year a great success! Sincerely, Your RightStart Math partners, Teresa, Rachel, Maren, and Kathleen
