Welcome to the DreamBox Learning community

Dear Parents and Friends,

Welcome, and thank you for your interest in DreamBox Learning! We are keenly aware that not all children learn the same way or have the same interests. This is why so many parents like us have looked in vain for a supplemental math product that individualizes the learning experience for their child.

This is also why DreamBox Learning came to be. As a web-based learning company, we’ve been working for over two years on a math product that personally engages and effectively teaches to a child’s individual strengths and learning requirements.

To better serve every child, we also look to partner with parents in making your child’s learning experience with DreamBox enjoyable and rewarding. As part of this partnership we will share information on how you can participate in your child’s math education. We also want your feedback, so please give us your suggestions for making your child’s DreamBox experience “serious learning that’s seriously fun!”

The best gift we can give our children is a good education

We may have had a good education ourselves, or we may have wished for a better one. But, no matter what our own past experiences were with schooling, we all agree that education is valuable. We all want our children to get the best education possible to prepare them for today’s changing world.

Current research has documented that early preparation in mathematics is the biggest predictor in later school achievement. Six large longitudinal studies (from school entrance to grade 5 in three countries) were recently completed by researchers in England, the U.S., and Canada examining links between early numeracy, literacy, attention ability, socio-emotional skills and later school reading and math achievement. The lead author, Greg Duncan from Northwestern University, and his colleagues reported(1) that early math skills had the greatest predictive power to later school success, followed by reading and then attention skills. These results were the same between boys and girls, across high and low socio-economic backgrounds, and even among children who at school entrance showed high levels of socio-emotional problems. Children who entered school with early numeracy skills outperformed other children through the years on measures of school achievement, such as test scores, teacher reports, and levels of grade retention in early elementary school.

Mathematics is a way of thinking and reasoning. Since mathematics involves problem solving, reasoning, and thinking logically, these results should not surprise us. Mathematics is important regardless of a child’s future career. Providing a strong foundation in mathematics helps children in making everyday decisions and leads to feelings of competency. They become willing to attempt harder, more challenging mathematics problems and they don’t develop the learned helplessness and “math anxiety” that many adults in the United States exhibit due to past schooling experiences (van de Heuvel-Panhuizen and Fosnot, 2001).(2)

Family support for math learning is essential. Recently-published statistics show a growing need for math in careers. By 2014, 6.3 million jobs are estimated to require science, engineering, or technical training. This is a 24% increase from 2004.(3) To prepare our children for this changing world, one of the greatest gifts we can give them is a rich early learning environment in mathematics—one that is customized, responsive, and enjoyable. Henderson and Mapp (2002) found that: “parent and community involvement that is linked to student learning has a greater effect on achievement than more general forms of involvement. To be effective, the form of involvement should be focused on improving achievement and be designed to engage families and students in developing specific knowledge and skills”.(4)

Computer technology is a powerful tool for learning. Knowing that early numeracy is highly correlated to later school success does not mean that children need worksheets, drill and practice earlier. Nor do they all need the same thing. They learn in their own ways through play, exploration, and by being provided with developmentally-appropriate challenges in supportive and nurturing environments. Yet, it is not humanly possible to retain all of the information of the many strategies and problems children try, their various responses, the many interests they have, and then to always respond with the perfect developmentally-appropriate challenge. Computers, however, have the power to do this. A few years back we set out to build a platform that would allow children to learn at their own pace, in their own ways. We had a dream. We believed that the power of digital technology could be harnessed to track and remember children’s strategies, the problems they tried, their successes and failures, and then provide customized developmentally-appropriate new learning experiences to ensure powerful results. With the release of our first version our dream is about to be realized. We invite you to explore our product and to dream with us.
— The DreamBox Learning Team
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Free Beta: Try DreamBox Learning K-2 Math

We initially launched our current beta with a small group of students. Because it’s progressing well, we will soon select an additional group of students to participate in the private beta program for DreamBox Learning K-2 Math.

DreamBox Learning K-2 Math is the only game that guides children to succeed by giving them individually-tailored instruction. It’s solid math wrapped in fun web-based adventures that kids love! And they’ll be learning the math that’s vital to their future.

DreamBox Learning K-2 Math is due for release this fall. If you are interested in signing up your Pre-K, Kindergarten or 1st grade child(ren) for our next beta, please click here. (If you’ve already signed up to be invited to the next beta, you don’t need to sign up again!)
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Math tips for busy parents

At DreamBox Learning, we know parents want to be involved with their children’s learning. As a regular feature, we’re including simple games parents can play with their young children, even during everyday activities. Parents can help develop math skills no matter what their child's age by talking about the math in the world around them.

Finding number patterns. As you’re driving, your child can watch for numbers and recognize patterns. For example, she can watch out for numbers on signs, license plates, or on buildings, and then you can discuss her observations with her. For example, if she’s seeing house numbers, you can ask if they’re getting bigger or smaller on the next house you pass. Or if he’s reading road signs, talk about why some speed limits are higher than others. Whatever your child discovers, match that pattern to a purpose — address numbers help people find new locations and help the mailman deliver mail to the right place, and speed limits are higher on the freeway when there are no stoplights or crosswalks.
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Footnotes:

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