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Why is the Time Timer an ideal timer for math teachers? We traveled to St. Louis to find out! As the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers battled for World Series glory last week, the Time Timer team celebrated at the St. Louis Americas Center with hundreds of very excited, very loud, very cool math teachers!

We were all in St. Louis for NCTM's (The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) conference. Educators traveled through the Americas Center learning about new math/science curriculua and teaching tools.

Many teachers stopped by the Time Timer booth ~ and offered their tips for using Time Timers in the classroom. 

Tips from First-Timers ~

Some of the math teachers we met were trying a Time Timer for time. They envisioned it as a problem-solver and a time-saver: 

"I'm a Quiz Bowl Coach. My team could use this to improve their response time." 

"My 3rd graders take forever to calm down after recess. We do a five-minute countdown breathing exercise. This Timer would be good for helping them focus."

"A speaker was demonstrating your iPad App in his presentation this morning. Does your App let me time multiple students at once?" Yes, it does!

"I need your software that counts down the seconds. We do one-minute quizzes every day."

"You know who would REALLY use this. My daughter. For practicing the piano."  

"I just bought this other timer, but I wish I had seen yours first. Yours is actually using fractions of a pie chart to explain time. That's cool. Do you have any Apps?"

Tips from Life-Timers ~

These math teachers have used Time Timers for years. Here are their insights into this classroom teaching tool: 

"My inclusion students loved this Timer so much that the mainstream children started wanting to use it too. We all use it together for Trigonometry drills." 

"Set the Timer for the last five minutes of every class period. Help the students pack up their bags, write down their homework, and clean up the classroom. You'll instill good organizational habits, which help their grades just as much as homework and tests do."

"Children with Autism often have gifted abilities in math – but they struggle to interact with the other students. This Timer helps them feel calm, knowing that the class period won't go on forever. They're able to feel more comfortable spending time with the other students."

"My gifted kids need to be challenged – and I need time to work with the ones who are struggling. So I set the Timer and let the accelerated students do timed tests on their own. They love it!"

"My students use this Timer every day. By the end of the school year, they've developed a reliable internal clock. The change in their behavior is AMAZING!"

As the end of the school year approaches, many schools have end-of-the-year testing and standardized exams. The Time Timer is a GREAT resource for learning time management skills in a testing situation. 

If you just bought a Time Timer for your classroom: 

+ Start by using the Time Timer for non-stressful activities, like games, hands-on work and positive reinforcement.

+ Next, introduce the Time Timer during practice tests. Try to use the same age-appropriate amount of time for each practice so that your students build their internal clock. Then, when you say, “You have 30 minutes left,” they’ll have a strong intuitive idea of what that means.

+ On test day, use the Time Timer for 5 - 10 minutes of quiet time before the test starts to help prepare for the exam. 

+ Because all Time Timer operate nearly silently, you can have one running during the exam without creating a distracting or stressful ticking sound. Students will be able to quickly glance up and see how much time they have left. No matter how young they are, you'll be surprised at how quickly they get good at this!

Located in Lafayette, Colorado, Imagine! provides support services to almost 3,000 people of all ages with developmental delays and cognitive disabilities.

In this video, Imagine!’s Technology Architect Alex Andrews provides a short instructional overview and reviews of the new Time Timer iPad app, which the organization believes may be beneficial for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities or related conditions. Thanks, Imagine!

It's an exciting day here at Time Timer—the long-awaited Time Timer MOD is finally here!

Finally, a Time Timer with the style and durability of the Time Timer PLUS in a size that's portable and easy to use anywhere—from your office desk to the kitchen counter. The MOD features a removable, silicone cover that offers an extra layer of protection from the bumps and falls that are part of everyday life. The MOD is sold with a Charcoal cover, and you can also customize your MOD with our most popular, fun colors: Berry, Blue or Green! (Covers sold separately.)

Check out the new Time Timer MOD in our store!

Check out the great review of our new iOS apps from our friends at Rookie Moms!

As the Moms point out, in the minds of especially younger kids, there are really only two times: "now" and "not now." And knowing the difference can be really challenging for kids (and parents) to navigate!

One helpful strategy the team points out in their review is using “When/Then” phrases, such as "When your dirty clothes are picked up, then I will read you a book." This can be a great way to use sequencing instead of duration for a child who cannot grasp the passing of minutes. "When we have finished dinner, then Grandma will arrive."

Now, there's an app for that. Thanks for the review, Rookie Moms!

Years ago, the debate about form versus function may have had its merits. Today, not so much. We want both. Here at Time Timer, it’s always been about the simple genius of the disappearing red disk and how it allows a child or anyone, for that matter, to actually “see” the passage of time. That will never change. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun with the form without sacrificing any of the function.

Over the past year or so, we’ve introduced the colored bands for the improved Time Timer Watch PLUS and judging by your response, they’re a big hit! We also did a limited edition run of those jazzy little 3” colored timers last spring. They went so fast that I didn’t even get one because I couldn’t decide between the blue and green before they were sold out!

What are the chances that I wasn’t the only one that couldn’t choose which color I liked best? And, what if I didn’t have to decide but could get both without actually buying two timers?

Meet the newest Time Timer—the Time Timer MOD! At slightly under 4”, the MOD is easier to see than the 3” timer but still small enough to fit on a crowded desk or travel in a professional organizer’s briefcase. Borrowing from the design of the award-winning Time Timer PLUS, the MOD comes with a sturdy silicon case, durable clear lens cover and handy center knob.

But what is going to make you fall in love with the MOD is the option to change the color of its case whenever you want! Optional, snap-on colored cases will be available in bright blue, green and berry. With the MOD, you will not only get the same powerful tool that you have come to expect from Time Timer, but you also have the ability to match its look to how you feel on any given day. Or match it to the décor of the room or office you’re using it in. Maybe you’ll want a green cover to use when timing an activity for your son and then snap on the blue or berry one for your daughter.

How you use the color option provided by the MOD is limited only by your imagination. And that is the point.

We can’t give you an exact date when the MOD will be on the shelves but it’s getting close. It’s always difficult to predict demand of a new item so make sure you watch for updates. You’re not going to want to wait for these any longer than you have to!