This morning I was going over multiplication with one of my math groups. After doing some basic drill, we were using individual white boards to practice multiplying multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm. I would give them the problem and wait for them to do it individually. Then I would do the problem on my own white board using think-aloud, so they could compare their work. They were doing a fine job, and only making a few mistakes.
At one point I went to my desk and wrote a note on a piece of scrap paper: "I am going to do the problem wrong. I wonder if anyone will notice. A kiss if they do!" I then proceeded to do the problem incorrectly. It was just one mistake that I made; I said that 7 x 5 =40. At first no one said anything. Then when I paused, one of them said, "What?" I replied that I would be happy to do it again, and proceeded to do that section of the problem again making the same mistake. This time, they spoke up. I showed them my note and praised them for finding my mistake and handed over a Hershey kiss to each one.
They were thrilled! And so was I. A big part of doing math accurately is watching for and catching mistakes. My initial motivation for this was that I had a bag of kisses in my desk that I needed to use up. I had bought the candy for an activity with another group, and being diabetic myself, had no other use for them. But I was reminded that making a mistake and praising students for catching it is a good thing to do!
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