Math

It can be tricky and time consuming to find appropriate and challenging math work for diverse learners both in the classroom and in the Learning Centre. It's a balancing act to ensure that each individual is getting the right level of work on a consistent basis. During my first couple years in the LC I spend HOURS each week trying to find good resources and activities for my wide variety of students. Though it still can take time out of an already busy week, I have found a a few solid resources that I know, have become familiar with using, and that provide more than a days worth of work. This year some of my personal work goals are to set up good systems that will help the year flow better, especially during this extra busy times. There are a lot of different set ups and ways that classrooms and Learning Centres run. I have some students working full time out of the LC, some students that work part time in the LC and in class. My regular students each have an individualized schedule that they follow for each day of the week. In September we really work on following a schedule and becoming familiar with routines. My goal for October is to introduce some different resources and familiarize students with different learning routines. This week, I will be looking at two math resources that have been on my radar, but that I am just beginning to learn and incorporate into daily or weekly schedules. Two of the resources I am going to set some of my students up with and begin using with them are Khan Academy and Prodigy. These will be resources I hope you can use either in the LC or in your classroom to support diverse learners. If you are already using these or have used them in the past I would love to know how they work for your students in within your classroom routines!

First up:

The video below discusses how Khan Academy is structured. Khan Academy is build on mastery, NOT test scores.  It is a fantastic resource to support students who have gaps in their knowledge. 

This is great for classes that have students at different levels (which is pretty much any class). I like that this can be accessed on the iPad or a chromebook which makes it accessible for most of my learners. I am excited about this as it has lots of options and students can progress at their own rate and feel proud of how the are progressing and what they are accomplishing. With support and practice, many of my students will be able to work on this independently, which is a skill that we are always working on. 

Next Up: 

Prodigy is newer to me. I actually learned about it from a student who transferred to me this year. I read about in his meeting minutes on TINET. I was not familiar with it, so I asked another teacher at my school. She was familiar with it because her kids played the game. Through some quick googling and looking at the website, I think this will be a good one. My new student loves this game, and when I asked him about it his eyes lit up and he said, "You have Prodigy at this school? I love Prodigy!" This particular student is very resisetn resistant to non-preferred work. As I learn more about him, I think this will work well as a first/then. First he will complete given work (whatever that may be), then he will be play Prodigy. I like this because it is a great for preferred work time. It is something that once set up, he will be able to do independently in the classroom. 

If you are not familiar with Prodigy, have a look at the video on the Prodigy website linked below!

https://www.prodigygame.com/

If you use Prodigy I would love to hear how it goes over in your class and any insight you have to share! 

*Click on the icons for links to the websites! 

Evaluations

Khan Academy

ENGAGEMENT
X	The app gives a good first impression (graphics, ease of use, etc.)
X	The app is intuitive
X	The app opens up new ways to learn
DEVELOPMENTAL APPROPRIATENESS
X	The user interface is age appropriate
X	The subject matter appeals to the intended audience
X	The design matter appeals to the intended audience
INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
X	The app aligns with your learning goals for your students
X	The app has a specific purpose
X	The app builds on skills and guides the student
X	The app offers personalized or adaptive features that are based on a student’s skill level
X	There are relevant opportunities for feedback, assessment, and reflection
MOTIVATION
X	The learning content in the app is the right level for your students
X	Gaming principles are used
X	The methods used to motivate align with your learning goals
X	The motivational potential exceeds the potential for distraction
ACCESSIBILITY
X	The app includes a range of levels for a variety of users with differing skill levels
X	The app supports multiple learning modalities
OTHER
	Price: Free
	Intended Age Group/Audience: elementary and junior high

Prodigy:

ENGAGEMENT
X	The app gives a good first impression (graphics, ease of use, etc.)
	The app is intuitive
X	The app opens up new ways to learn
DEVELOPMENTAL APPROPRIATENESS
X	The user interface is age appropriate
X	The subject matter appeals to the intended audience
X	The design matter appeals to the intended audience
INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
X	The app aligns with your learning goals for your students
X	The app has a specific purpose
X	The app builds on skills and guides the student
X	The app offers personalized or adaptive features that are based on a student’s skill level
X	There are relevant opportunities for feedback, assessment, and reflection
MOTIVATION
X	The learning content in the app is the right level for your students
X	Gaming principles are used
X	The methods used to motivate align with your learning goals
X	The motivational potential exceeds the potential for distraction
ACCESSIBILITY
X	The app includes a range of levels for a variety of users with differing skill levels
	The app supports multiple learning modalities
OTHER
	Price: Free
	Intended Age Group/Audience: elementary

References:

Khan, S. (2018, September 10). Let's teach for mastery-- not test scores. Speech presented at TED. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/sal_khan_let_s_teach_for_mastery_not_test_scores?language=en