From Speed to Understanding: A New Perspective on Math Fluency

“My son can solve multiplication problems quickly, and he is only in kindergarten!”

“The students don’t know their facts and this is slowing them down. They need more practice!”

I hear comments like this often in my work as a mathematics specialist. There’s a widespread belief among educators and parents alike that fast = fluent. That a student who quickly rattles off math facts must be a strong mathematician. And honestly, I understand why that belief is so common.

If you Google “math fluency,” you’ll likely find images and resources that equate fluency with speed drills, flashcards, and repetitive practice. This is how many adults learned math themselves. So it’s no wonder that they assume fluency means speed and repetition.

But here’s the thing: true math fluency has nothing to do with speed.

These worksheets do not show us HOW students got their answer, which is how we can tell if they are fluent or not.

What Is Math Fluency, Really?

To be fluent in math means being flexible, accurate, and efficient—in that order. Notice the word speed isn’t even part of the definition.

Fluency is about how students think. It's their ability to approach a problem in different ways, to make strategic decisions, and to explain their reasoning. Worksheets with right and wrong answers can’t show us that. What we need to see is how students arrive at their answers. How they build numbers, break them apart, and connect ideas.

For example, in a number talk, students might solve a problem like 15 + 25 in multiple ways:

• “I added 10 + 20 to get 30, then added the 5s to get 10, and put them together: 30 + 10 = 40.”

• “I made a friendly number: 15 + 25 is like 20 + 20.”

• “I took 5 from the 25 and gave it to the 15 to make 20 + 20.”

Each response reflects flexible thinking and efficient strategies rooted in deep number sense.

This number talk example shows many different ways that students are solving 15+25. Their understanding of decomposing and creating numbers that are more efficient to add really shows their ability to be flexable with numbers.

So How Do We Teach Fluency?

This is the part we don’t talk about enough: fluency must be taught intentionally, and not through speed drills or endless fact practice. Here are some key approaches:

1. Use Rich, Purposeful Tasks

Instead of worksheets focused solely on correct answers, offer problems that encourage strategic thinking. Problems that allow for multiple solution paths—like open-ended word problems or number talks—give students the chance to show their flexibility.

2. Model Multiple Strategies

When introducing new concepts, model more than one way to solve a problem. Talk aloud as you do it: “I know 7 + 8 is tricky, but I can break 8 into 3 and 5, so now I can do 7 + 3 = 10 and then add the 5.”

3. Encourage Student Discourse

Give students opportunities to share their thinking and listen to others. When kids explain their methods, they deepen their own understanding and see that math isn’t just about one “right” way.

4. Focus on Relationships, Not Rote

Instead of memorizing isolated facts, help students explore the relationships between them. For example: If they know 5 + 5 = 10, then 5 + 6 must be just one more.

5. Observe and Listen

Why Aren’t We Doing This Already?

In short: lack of awareness and training.

Most teacher prep programs and professional development sessions have not focused deeply on what fluency actually is—or how to teach it. That leaves many educators relying on the only model they’ve ever known: timed tests, memorization, and drill-based practice.

And when that model doesn’t work for every child (which it rarely does), students start to believe they’re “not good at math”—when in fact, they just haven't been given the right tools to develop fluency.

What Can We Do About It?

We educate.
We must educate teachers, administrators, and parents. When everyone understands what fluency really looks like—and how we can teach it with intention—we give students a stronger foundation for success in mathematics.

Let’s shift our perspective: from speed to understanding. From memorization to meaning. From answer-getting to strategy-building.

Because when we get fluency right, we don’t just build better math students—we build confident, curious thinkers for life.