M is for Mathletics
What is Mathletics?
Mathletics is a website where students can go to enhance their math skills. It is aligned with curriculum all across Canada, and you can assign students particular outcomes when you are working on them in the classroom. It is a great tool for building and enhancing student understanding of curricular outcomes. A membership is required to access the site, but the price goes down as you have more students enrolled. |
How is it used in my school?
All teachers from grades 3-9 have access to Mathletics in my school. I do the rollover at the beginning of each year - I register new students, change the grades, and create groups of students. Then, each teacher can log into their own account and assign a particular curriculum to their classes. For example, I would create a grade 7 class, a grade 8 class, a grade 9 class, an enrichment class, and a separate class for IIP students. I would assign the grade 7 Saskatchewan curriculum to the grade 7 class, perhaps a workplace math to the IIP students, or a grade 10 pre calculus class to my enrichment group etc. Then, I can assign each student ten assignments at a time. I would align the assignments with the unit I am teaching at that particular time. The kids have been using Mathletics for years by the time they get to me, so they know that they have to get 85% or higher on their assignments or else I will reassign them. The students can view tutorials, compete against other students across the world, redo assignments, take pre-tests, and write tests when they are ready. Each teacher uses the program differently, but I have a half hour class set aside in our computer lab each cycle for solely Mathletics. Students also use the program on an iPad, chromebook, or on their own device when they are waiting for teacher assistance in the classroom or when they get ahead of their differentiated small group. |
What are the advantages of this particular program?
I am able to differentiate my class easily and efficiently. Everyone is able to work at a level that is challenging yet achievable. I like that students must master the content in order to move on and I can reassign work as needed. It is EXCELLENT for formative assessment. I can see who needs to be retaught immediately. It also supports the curriculum and helps me to uncover all outcomes at each grade level; this is working particularly well in a triple graded math classroom. I have ten groups in one classroom with 24 students grades 7-9, and there are days when a group is ready to correct but I just cannot get to them. On those days, the kids would work on Mathletics while they are waiting for a teacher. This ensures that we are making the most of our instructional time with the students - there is virtually ZERO down-time in my classroom. Another advantage is that feedback for correct or incorrect answers is immediate, so students know if they have the correct answer immediately and without a time lag. This allows for self-correction and self-evaluation. Mistakes can be caught and corrected immediately.
I am able to differentiate my class easily and efficiently. Everyone is able to work at a level that is challenging yet achievable. I like that students must master the content in order to move on and I can reassign work as needed. It is EXCELLENT for formative assessment. I can see who needs to be retaught immediately. It also supports the curriculum and helps me to uncover all outcomes at each grade level; this is working particularly well in a triple graded math classroom. I have ten groups in one classroom with 24 students grades 7-9, and there are days when a group is ready to correct but I just cannot get to them. On those days, the kids would work on Mathletics while they are waiting for a teacher. This ensures that we are making the most of our instructional time with the students - there is virtually ZERO down-time in my classroom. Another advantage is that feedback for correct or incorrect answers is immediate, so students know if they have the correct answer immediately and without a time lag. This allows for self-correction and self-evaluation. Mistakes can be caught and corrected immediately.
What are the drawbacks of this program?
The only disadvantage is that your school does have to pay for a membership to the program. Someone has to be the "manager" for your school, but I have found that the customer support is excellent. I am able to get a representative on the phone quickly, and the updates on student progress or special events/offers is immediate by email. The program gets rolled over each year, so that is one more thing that needs to be done in August or September, but once you have done it a few times, it is very simple.
The only disadvantage is that your school does have to pay for a membership to the program. Someone has to be the "manager" for your school, but I have found that the customer support is excellent. I am able to get a representative on the phone quickly, and the updates on student progress or special events/offers is immediate by email. The program gets rolled over each year, so that is one more thing that needs to be done in August or September, but once you have done it a few times, it is very simple.
Where can I find more information?
You can go to the website to sign up for a membership, or simply to get more information.
www.mathetlics.ca
You can go to the website to sign up for a membership, or simply to get more information.
www.mathetlics.ca