Guide to Parent Resources

At DreamBox we care passionately about improving math learning for all children! That's why we've worked intensely for 3 years developing a math learning game that has proven to be truly effective at helping kids learn. And that's why, along with our award-winning product, we are offering parents a variety of free booklets, articles, tips and resources to help them both better understand and support the process of math education for their children. Here are some top examples:

• The Development of Mathematical Thinking. The more parents know about what to expect at each stage of their child's growth, the better prepared they can be with appropriate activities to support their child's learning and development. This brochure will help parents understand the cognitive stages and the specific math concepts young children should be learning at each age. Click here to read The Development of Mathematical Thinking.
• Helping Children be Successful in Math. Family encouragement and support for children's math education is critical to helping kids succeed. By fostering a positive environment for math learning at home, and through many easy, everyday activities, parents can help their children become math literate and well prepared for a changing world. Click here to download Helping Children be Successful in Math.
• Math learning parent tips. DreamBox provides a steady stream of tips for fun math activities for families to do together at home. We include them here in the parent newsletter each month. We also include suggestions for fun at-home activities that help reinforce the specific math concepts that students learn in DreamBox in the academic progress emails we send to DreamBox subscribers. You'll also find a range of parent tips on our website.
• The DreamBox Blog: an interesting conversation about the world of math learning. You can watch a hilarious Ma & Pa Kettle video in "Never Underestimate the Value of Place Value!" Read CEO Lou Gray's view of the eLearning industry in "Edu-tainment as You Know It Is Dead'. Or see our ranking of the "Top Eight Educational Blogs". Read the DreamBox Blog here.
• Collected resources on math learning. There is so much useful information available on the web for parents who care about math learning. Because we want to be a resource for parents, DreamBox has pulled some of the best together on our website. You can learn about how children's learning games can help address the math gap by clicking here. And you can link to a range of learning research and math tips by clicking here.
• DreamBox Learning effectiveness studies. Research has found that DreamBox Learning is very effective at teaching math. You can learn more by reading two studies:
  • Results from the DreamBox Learning K-2 Math Grade 2 Assessment Study: Achievement Test Demonstrates 19% Increase. In partnership with two public schools, students were given two parallel paper-and-pencil tests, one before and one after the two week test period. This research found that playing DreamBox Learning K-2 Math for just two weeks increased 2nd grade math achievement test scores by 19%. Read this report by clicking here.
  • Results from Fall 2008 DreamBox Learning K-2 Math Embedded Assessment Study: Demonstrates 50% Increase in Student Proficiency. In a study of 369 students who played DreamBox Learning K-2 Math three or more times during November and December 2008, results showed that students improved their scores on the curriculum modules they had completed by an average of 50%. Download this report by clicking here.
• You're reading the DreamBox Learning parent newsletter. So you already know that we offer tips and articles on a variety of topics relating to math education — from the connection between math and music, to how to combat math anxiety, to the role of play in learning. You can click here to review archived articles. And please consider forwarding this email to friends and encouraging them to sign up to receive it too, at http://www.dreambox.com/newsletter_signup!
• DreamBox Learning K-2 Math! If you haven't already, you should try DreamBox Learning K-2 Math, the next generation of online learning. It's the only online math learning game that provides an in-depth math curriculum and completely individualized learning in a fun and effective experience. Just click here to sign up for a free 14 day trial!

We'd appreciate your suggestions for additional good parent tips sites and math learning resources for parents of K-2 children to share with our other readers. To send them to us, just click on the Respond link at the top of this email - and thank you!

Download New DreamBox Theme Posters!

Does your child love one of the DreamBox themes? Whether it's the pirates, pixies, dinosaurs or pet friends that motivate your child, we now have four great downloadable themed posters! Simply click on the theme (or themes) you want:

• Pirates
• Pixies
• Dinosaurs
• Pet friends

Parent Tip: Valentine's Day Math

You probably already know that you should find ways to "bring math into everyday activities" but perhaps you sometimes need a new idea? Here's a great one from one of the DreamBox teachers: have your child send a valentine to their favorite number! Read more about it here.

World Math Day 2009: March 4

Unite with students and schools from around the world to set a new world record! Students 5-18 years old from around the globe will add, subtract, and multiply to compete for gold-medal glory. The challenge this year: to correctly answer more than 182,445,169 questions in 48 hours! To register, go to http://www.worldmathday.com/.

Try the Newest Version of DreamBox Learning K-2 Math — For FREE

DreamBox has launched DreamBox Learning K-2 Math, and it's available to anyone who signs up for a 14 day FREE trial! DreamBox Learning is solid math wrapped in fun web-based adventures that kids love, and there are over 100 lessons at each grade level.

In the short time since we have launched, we are humbled by the fact that we have had thousands of parents trying DreamBox learning, and sending us "fan mail" about how much their children like it. We have received prestigious honors like an Editor's Choice Award from the Children's Technology Review, received 5 stars (out of 5) from USA Today, and heart-felt parent reviews from "mommy bloggers" (and a few "daddy bloggers" too!). Find out why one Dad calls DreamBox "a guilt-free online activity", and how one Mom says DreamBox transformed her previously math-hating daughter. Read more reviews here!