http://www.dreambox.com DreamBox Learning, a web-based math learning company Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:01:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.dreambox.com/blog/hole-in-the-wall-project http://www.dreambox.com/blog/hole-in-the-wall-project#comments Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:07:14 +0000 Neal M http://www.dreambox.com/blog/?p=6547 Hole in the Wall Project over the past nine years. In short, Hole in the Wall project began with a Learning Station consisting of a computer system setup with no instruction manual or teacher involvement. Mitra and his team found that the residents, especially the children, were able to teach themselves and one another how to use not only the computer hardware, but the basic software included as well. Mitra's team expanded this concept throughout India, with Learning Stations set up in impoverished neighborhoods as a minimally invasive academic tool. If you are interested in learning more about Sugata Mitra, I recommend these videos from TED on "How Kids Teach Themselves" and from PBS's show Frontline: World. How can we apply the findings of Hole in the Wall to our own classrooms and schools? Should we as teachers drop off learning materials, computer systems, and leave our students to handle the learning on their own? Of course not. However, there is a time and place for a teacher to know when we stop advancing learning, and are instead inhibiting academic growth. Sometimes it is appropriate and preferred to pose a question, provide materials, and take a step back to see what happens. You may be surprised at the ability of your students to self-organize and seize their learning.]]> http://www.dreambox.com/blog/hole-in-the-wall-project/feed 0 http://www.dreambox.com/blog/keeping-kids-in-school http://www.dreambox.com/blog/keeping-kids-in-school#comments Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:33:02 +0000 Tracy H http://www.dreambox.com/blog/?p=6099 Read the full report, “Enhancing Middle School Student Experiences”). We at DreamBox couldn’t agree more. But why wait until middle school? Why not start with elementary school? This is where a child’s foundation for learning really takes hold. As DreamBox and teachers work together to address intervention for elementary schools, we hope more and more schools incorporate prevention programs to help students succeed.]]> http://www.dreambox.com/blog/keeping-kids-in-school/feed 0 http://www.dreambox.com/blog/statistics-for-all-high-school-students http://www.dreambox.com/blog/statistics-for-all-high-school-students#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:34:46 +0000 Aja http://www.dreambox.com/blog/?p=2972 Arthur Benjamin's formula for changing math education. In it a mathematics professor questions the assumption that after algebra and geometry students should take calculus. He specifically questions high school course sequences where calculus is presented as the final course in the sequence and all college-bound students are encouraged to take it. Instead he thinks we should strive to have all students complete a comprehensive statistics course before graduating high school. I think he's on to something. Statistics is more broadly applicable than calculus. In college, majors that require calculus (hard sciences, math, engineering, econ) also require a course in statistics. But majors that require statistics (psychology, sociology, education, nursing, etc) don't usually require calculus. Outside of college statistics are everywhere from presidential approval ratings, to commercials, to standardized test scores. In addition, I feel statistics is a lot more approachable in calculus. By high school most students have heard poll numbers on the news, they've talked about averages in reference to their grades, and have likely gambled a bit with friends. Teenagers are interested in concepts of popularity, ranking and differences between groups. All of these real life experiences can be related to stats and used to make the course both practical and fun. I wonder how many more students would do 3 or 4 years of high school math if it wasn't all about "getting ready for calculus" and instead was learning about gambling, polling, and other things that were applicable to day to day life as an adult.]]> http://www.dreambox.com/blog/statistics-for-all-high-school-students/feed 2 http://www.dreambox.com/blog/to-be-in-honors-or-not-to-be-in-honors http://www.dreambox.com/blog/to-be-in-honors-or-not-to-be-in-honors#comments Fri, 15 May 2009 16:31:16 +0000 Byron http://www.dreambox.com/blog/?p=2028 Our youngest daughter recently came home facing the decision of whether for the next school year she should go into ‘honors’ math class or the regular math class. We haven’t really faced this before, as the right decision for each of our two older children was straightforward, although different for each. I have seen the angst it has has caused in other families. The stress was particularly acute in those cases where placement was decided by a single test result.

]]> Math Honors: Coping With Unexpected Stress So how did our daughter’s case work out? Well, she initially wanted one direction. Her parents and teacher after talking with each other, thought a different course was best. And at least for a while longer, it is clear who has final say. If you have had to face a placement decision, how did your family handle it?]]> http://www.dreambox.com/blog/to-be-in-honors-or-not-to-be-in-honors/feed 3 http://www.dreambox.com/blog/does-mandating-higher-academic-standards-work http://www.dreambox.com/blog/does-mandating-higher-academic-standards-work#comments Sat, 21 Mar 2009 20:15:21 +0000 Sue http://www.dreambox.com/blog/?p=1839 The Effects of Mandating Algebra in School Math Programs: In 1997 the Chicago school district was one of the first to require that 9th graders take algebra to help ensure that its high school graduates would be ready for college. And many districts have followed—Minnesota and California even requiring it in 8th grade, assuming the California policy is implemented. However, researchers found rising failure rates, and the algebra mandate “did not seem to lead to any significant test-score gains for students in math or in sizeable increases in the percentages of students who went on to take higher-level math courses later on in high school.” (You can read the Edweek article I’m quoting here.) But isn’t it obvious that if algebra is the needed foundation for their future, kids need the right early foundation to be successful in algebra? All of which reinforces my belief in the importance of what we’re doing at DreamBox: helping more kids develop conceptual understanding and fluency with basics—like number sense and computation—and giving them engaging ways to develop problem solving skills. We're helping kids to be confident and well prepared for success with algebra.]]> http://www.dreambox.com/blog/does-mandating-higher-academic-standards-work/feed 1 http://www.dreambox.com/blog/cowboys-actresses-and-mathematicians http://www.dreambox.com/blog/cowboys-actresses-and-mathematicians#comments Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:15:08 +0000 Byron http://www.dreambox.com/blog/?p=1463 Math Education: A Pathway with Limitless Choices For a Child That said, given the wide range of doors opened by a studying math, science, and engineering, you would think more parents would encourage their children to consider these areas. Not so, according to a second article publishing the results of a poll by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Society for Quality. A few highlights: 97% of parents “said they believe that knowledge of math and science will help their children have a successful career.” Yet, “only 20% of parents have encouraged/will encourage their child/children to consider an engineering career.” OK, so maybe it slipped parents' minds to make the recommendation. But the really disappointing results for me were: “More girls say their parents are likely to encourage them to become an actress (21%) than an engineer (10%)."And, “31% of boys vs. 10% of girls say their parents have encouraged them to think about an engineering career." So, with all due apologies to Willie Nelson: Parents, don’t you let babies grow up to be actresses. Let them be doctors, mathematicians, engineers, and such.]]> http://www.dreambox.com/blog/cowboys-actresses-and-mathematicians/feed 0 http://www.dreambox.com/blog/parents-math-anxiety-apples-and-oranges http://www.dreambox.com/blog/parents-math-anxiety-apples-and-oranges#comments Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:12:13 +0000 Byron http://www.dreambox.com/blog/?p=1339 Identifying a Child’s Path to Math Success One of the things that attracted me to DreamBox and got me involved, was DreamBox’s core belief in the idea that every child is different, and every child will find a different path to success.For more on this, look at Why is DreamBox better? Also, in the FAQ there are a couple useful questions and answers about what to do when your child hits a speed bump with DreamBox.  See: Should I help my child with a problem? And apples and oranges? I wish I could give credit to where I read this, but it is an image that has stuck with me since before I became a parent: Being a parent is like being a gardener. You are given a seed and not told what type of seed it is – maybe it is an apple seed, maybe an orange seed, maybe something else. You have no control over what it is. Your only job is to make sure it grows up healthy, happy, and strong.]]> http://www.dreambox.com/blog/parents-math-anxiety-apples-and-oranges/feed 0 http://www.dreambox.com/blog/training-our-mathletes http://www.dreambox.com/blog/training-our-mathletes#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:28:02 +0000 Byron http://www.dreambox.com/blog/?p=1232 Math Olympiad or to order any of their books, check out their site. And for a truly international math experience, check out World Math Day on March 4th!]]> http://www.dreambox.com/blog/training-our-mathletes/feed 0