The program puts students through a series of games and challenges and enables them to collect virtual stickers per the number of exercises successfully completed. Schools that use the First in Math program are then ranked by state and nationally based on the number of stickers students accumulate.
The program is helping students at every skill level, said math teacher Cindy Raab.
“This program is a great way to give additional practice for students who struggle with their basic math facts, but also challenges the student who has already mastered these,” Raab said.
Principal Tom Olson attributes the school’s success in the program to the unique method used to accommodate a large class of sixth-graders. To keep class sizes down, students use one class period everyday for “independent skill development,” Olson said. Twice a week, students log into the math program on classroom computers, while teachers are instructing a different group of students.
The advantage, he said, is that students may be logging on more times in the day than other students in schools using the program.
“So far, it’s worked really well,” he said. “If you can give the students dedicated time at school, they’re going to do better.”
Students can track their progress with each log-on. Sixth-grader Mason Callahan said he and his friends compare sticker totals and try to increase them to raise their school’s ranking.
“I like it a lot,” Mason said. “When we did order of operations, it was easy to multiply and divide because the games test different parts of the brain. My grades went up.”
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