Exciting news! DreamBox Learning’s innovative solutions are now part of Discovery Education’s award-winning family of products. 

Back to School ’22 – Help students soar with personalized guided instruction from day one.

Upcoming Events

You have questions. We have answers.

In case you missed it

this is headline

Explore the interactive map to discover case studies, access efficacy research, and hear from educators from every type of district.

The DreamBox Footprint

During this on-demand webinar we will review the Reading Park Usage and Standards reports to help you maximize the data in your educator dashboard. In this short webinar, you will learn how to determine if students are meeting your usage goals and how to progress monitor as students complete lessons in Reading Park.

Reading Park Standards and Usage Reports Webinar

The Salem 4K – 8 school adopted DreamBox Math in the 2022-23 school year. Craig Velleux’s, data specialist, main responsibilities were to get the program up and running and engage students and teachers. From the start, all students in grades K – 8 were expected to complete five DreamBox Math lessons a week.

Salem School District students who used DreamBox Math regularly improved MAP scores

Subscribe & stay updated

Dreambox guides

Deepening Elementary Teacher's Content Knowledge in Mathematics

Educational Equity: 6 Ways to Open Opportunity 

Formative Assessment Toolkit

6 Strategies to Help Your Students Become Algebra-Ready

How to Use Data-Driven Instruction to Reach Math Achievement Goals

6 Strategies to Close Math Gaps for ELLs

resource_page

<div>DreamBox Client Experience Team</div>

DreamBox provides targeted support for all students. Below are three ways you can differentiate instruction in your math classrooms.&nbsp;1. Special education/IEP Targeted support is used by educators to ensure that students can fully participate in their learning environment. Educators record these supports in an individualized education plan (IEP), created to ensure students with identified disabilities receive specialized instruction. Key to an IEP is a measurable goal(s) that provides educators and students with the desired outcome based on student needs. The DreamBox classroom and grade-level reports give educators insight into what each student is currently working on. These reports help educators create individual student goals and monitor student progress toward specific IEP goals. Educators can use these reports to identify students' proficiency and readiness for learning to&nbsp;create&nbsp;<a href="https://support.dreambox.com/s/article/AssignFocus-How-to-Create-and-Manage-Assignments-Parents-and-Home-Subscribers">focused assignments&nbsp;</a>that align with each learner’s proficiency.&nbsp;2. Support English language learner success in mathematics with DreamBox English language learners (ELLs) have unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to learning math. DreamBox is a nonlanguage-based solution that is visual and accessible to students at any level of English proficiency. Teachers can meet their ELL students' needs and help them achieve math proficiency with the support of an adaptive math program. The program monitors progress and uses relevant, up-to-date insights and data to personalize learning. Below are some tips on how to use DreamBox to support ELL students in the classroom:<ul><li>Ensure that students have devices with audio capability and that they use it when playing. DreamBox audio and visual support improves the ability to connect math terms with concepts to help students communicate mathematical thinking.</li><li>Discover the&nbsp;<a href="https://support.dreambox.com/s/article/Closed-Captions">closed captions</a>&nbsp;feature available in the student environment.</li><li>100% of DreamBox Math lessons are available in English and Spanish. Teachers and administrators can easily use the Insight Dashboard to update the&nbsp;<a href="https://support.dreambox.com/s/article/Edit-Student-Details-Names-Username-Grade-Level-Passwords-Language">language setting</a>.</li></ul>&nbsp;To learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://go.dreambox.com/rs/715-ORW-647/images/wp-14-04-increasing_elementary_math_proficiency_for_ells.pdf">increasing elementary math proficiency for ELLs with DreamBox</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://go.dreambox.com/rs/715-ORW-647/images/cs-icef_helping_ell_students_succeed_in_math.pdf">discover how a South Los Angeles school has helped ELL students succeed in math</a>, check out these resources.&nbsp;&nbsp;3. InterventionEffective use of DreamBox Learning as an intervention tool has proven to increase student growth.&nbsp;<a href="https://dreambox.wistia.com/medias/gfgu8llhk4">Teachers can make assignments based on student needs.</a>The&nbsp;<a href="https://go.dreambox.com/rs/715-ORW-647/images/SS-17-01-response_to_intervention.pdf">actionable data</a>&nbsp;from these assignments allows teachers to make informed and effective decisions for individual and small group intervention. The data allows teachers to identify, monitor and predict whether students are on track to meet their individual goals.&nbsp;Additionally, the real-time data helps teachers drive instruction for individual and small group intervention to make the most effective and empowering decisions to maximize student growth. Accessing, monitoring and using the data to drive intervention is the key to success. Third-party research shows that using DreamBox Learning correlates with math achievement.&nbsp;<a href="https://go.dreambox.com/rs/715-ORW-647/images/SS-17-01-response_to_intervention.pdf">Use these four principles as a guideline to develop a successful intervention in your school/district.</a> &nbsp;

DreamBox provides targeted support for all students. Explore three ways you can differentiate instruction in your math classrooms.

Targeted support for math students with special needs

<div>DreamBox Learning marketing team.</div>

High school chemistry teachers,&nbsp;Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams have been given credit for inventing the flipped classroom, but they don’t make that claim. The teachers credit Maureen Lage, Glenn Platt, and Michael Treglia (2000) for their research article&nbsp;<a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/1183338">“Inverting the Classroom” A Gateway to Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment.”</a>No matter who began it, classroom flipping is rising in popularity. According to the <a href="http://flippedclassroom.org/group/elementary">Flipped Learning Network</a> membership on its social media site rose from 2,500 teachers in 2011 to 9,000 teachers in 2012. Used primarily in high school and college, the flipped classroom is starting to gain some traction in elementary schools.

The flipped classroom defined. Bergmann and Sams, who began flipping their classrooms in 2007, <a href="http://blog.peerinstruction.net/2012/04/20/how-do-i-get-my-students-to-prepare-before-coming-to-a-flipped-class/">define flipping the classroom as a mindset</a>&nbsp; that directs attention away from teachers and puts it squarely on the students and their learning. They also say “every teacher who has chosen to flip does so differently.” Bergmann states, “You see, there is no ONE way to flip a class and in this lies one of the great strengths of this methodology.”&nbsp; Bergmann’s definition is that flipped learning 1) transfers the ownership of the learning to the students; 2) personalizes learning for all students 3) gives teachers time to explore deeper learning opportunities and pedagogies with their students; makes learning (not teaching) the center of the classroom; maximizes the face to face time in the classroom.Flipped elementary math classroom. The relatively new Flipped Learning Network supports teachers using screen casting for elementary schools and provides tips and feedback for educators who teach math and other classes.&nbsp; <a href="http://www.ghcf.org/default/Documents/Emerging%20BL%20Models%20and%20School%20Profiles%20FINAL%2009.21.12.pdf">Emerging Blended-Learning Models and School Profiles</a>&nbsp; provides flipped classroom models and examples of schools that are using flipped models in elementary schools, like Lake Elmo Elementary, that used flipped learning with great success in math for Grades 4 and 5. &nbsp;There are also some great step-by-step ideas about flipping the elementary math classroom at <a href="http://insidetheclassroomoutsidethebox.wordpress.com/2011/09/12/flipped-classroom-in-elementary-school/">Flipped Classroom in Elementary School.</a>Are you flipping your elementary classroom? Tell us about it at <a href="mailto:mystory@dreambox.com">mystory@dreambox.com</a>!*Original image found <a href="http://instructionalservices.blog.gustavus.edu/2013/03/05/the-flipped-class-myth-vs-reality/">here</a>:&nbsp;

High school chemistry teachers, Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams have been given credit for inventing the flipped classroom, but they don’t make that claim.

The flipped classroom: in elementary school, too?

Physical (also known as concrete) manipulatives like the abacus or blocks have been basic tools of the math teaching trade since time immemorial. The ancient Romans and Greeks conceived of counting boards and eventually the abacus, and the Chinese abacus that came into use centuries later is thought to be an <a href="http://library.thinkquest.org/C005843/english/html/history.html">adaptation of the Roman version</a>. Closer to our time, Italian educator <a href="http://www.bgmontessori.com/montessori/materials">Maria Montessori brought manipulative</a>s to early childhood learning over a hundred years ago with great success. Today, the <a href="http://www.nctm.org/">National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) </a>recommends the use of manipulatives to teach math at all grade levels to teach from NCTM standards: &nbsp;problem solving, communicating, reasoning, connections, and estimation.Why do we need manipulatives to teach math?An ancient Chinese proverb says, “I hear and I forget. I listen and I understand. I do and I remember.”&nbsp; There is wisdom in the proverb, because <a href="http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/10451.pdf">educational research</a> suggests that the most valuable learning happens when students actively construct their own mathematical understanding. The essential abstract concepts can be difficult for some students, especially younger learners. Manipulatives can make an enormous contribution to sense-making abilities for all students—and have been shown to be of special benefit <a href="http://www.learningresources.com/text/pdf/Mathresearch.pdf">to students who are high-risk, learning disabled, or with limited English proficiency</a> to understand the symbolic language of math.&nbsp;With online virtual manipulatives readily available to bring math concepts to life, are they ‘better’ than physical manipulatives?&nbsp;How are physical and virtual manipulatives defined?Physical, or concrete, manipulatives are physical objects that are used as teaching tools to engage students in the hands-on learning of mathematics to introduce math concepts.&nbsp; It’s important for children to have a variety of materials to manipulate and the opportunity to sort, classify, weigh, stack, and explore to help them construct their own mathematical thinking and knowledge with Cuisenaire Rods, Base 10 Blocks, and Fraction Circles.<a href="http://www.grsc.k12.ar.us/mathresources/instruction/manipulatives/Virtual%20Manipulatives.pdf">Virtual manipulatives</a> are <a href="http://journaldatabase.org/articles/ffects_virtual_manipulatives_on.html">cognitive technological tools</a> &nbsp;that are a dynamic visual representation of physical manipulatives which can be operated through a computer mouse (or a finger on a tablet) to slide, flip, and turn just like a three-dimensional object. Virtual manipulatives give learners the same opportunity to make meaning and see relationships as the result of their actions, just like a physical manipulative.&nbsp; Although virtual manipulatives have some similarities with their physical manipulative counterparts, as cognitive tools virtual manipulatives have unique characteristics that go beyond the capabilities of physical manipulatives.What are the differences between physical and virtual manipulatives?There is some amount of effort on the part of the student to extract the mathematical ideas from interacting with physical manipulatives (like blocks). In contrast, built-in constraint systems in many virtual manipulatives provide support for sense-making, and make mathematics ideas more explicit as the student interacts with the tool. Physical manipulatives don’t provide specific and directed feedback and interaction, while virtual tools react to the learner’s actions, provide prompts, and guidance that help the user focus on the mathematics in the task.Some virtual manipulatives can be altered, including changing the shape of the onscreen object or marking the object with mathematical notations. Virtual manipulatives are readily available with unlimited access to many copies of an electronic object through the click of the mouse—you never ‘run out’ of blocks—a mouse click can add more blocks. Another plus is availability, because the online environment allows 24/7 access to virtual manipulatives, whether they are <a href="http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html">free</a> or part of a specific purchased program. &nbsp;There’s <a href="http://www.grsc.k12.ar.us/mathresources/instruction/manipulatives/Virtual%20Manipulatives.pdf">also the ‘fun factor” that engages students</a>: students like using technology, find manipulatives easy to use, and enjoy using the computer to explore ideas and information.What does research say about the use of virtual vs physical manipulatives?Studies by <a href="http://www.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/pdf/3.4.2.pdf">Suh and Moyer</a> and <a href="http://mathed.byu.edu/kleatham/Classes/Winter%202007/MthEd591/SteenBrooksLyon2006TheImpactOfVirtualManipulativesOnFirstGradeGeometryInstructionAndLearning.pdf">Steen, Brooks, and Lyon</a>&nbsp; indicate higher achievement and increased flexibility in learning, and increased motivation and time on task.&nbsp; Both types of manipulatives have no meaning in and of themselves. That’s why Judy Donovan, in a <a href="http://www.techlearning.com/from-the-classroom/0015/teaching-mathematics-with-virtual-manipulatives/45397%20-%20sthash.ImOaJXOL.dpuf">Tech and Learning</a> article, notes that while virtual manipulatives provide some support for individual student use, as with physical manipulatives, students benefit from teacher guidance to help them use the manipulative correctly and connect to the underlying math.A 2011 study, <a href="http://www.napomle.org/cimle/fall2011/hunt.pdf">Virtual vs. Concrete Manipulatives in Mathematics Teacher Education: Is One Type More Effective than the Other?</a> found that incorporating both types of manipulatives into the instruction of prospective mathematics teachers not only helps them to build their own conceptual understanding but also provides them with sound pedagogical strategies for use with their future students. They also found that concrete manipulatives appear to be more effective for building pre-service teachers’ own conceptual understanding, with virtual manipulatives at hand to reinforce those concepts.Should you use both to improve teaching and learning math?In the same research study, there was a definite advantage to incorporating both types of manipulatives. The order of manipulative use appears to impact the development of conceptual understanding and the students’ ability to transition to abstract algorithms. Using concrete, followed by virtual manipulatives, is recommended by the researchers. Once conceptual understanding is brought about using concrete manipulatives, the subsequent use of virtual manipulatives seems to facilitate bridging to the abstract. It’s a familiar story: teachers need to make math learning more accessible, engaging, and effective with every tool that’s available, particularly with their own skills.How do you use virtual manipulatives in your math classroom?&nbsp; Share at <a href="mailto:mystory@dreambox.com">mystory@dreambox.com</a>, and don’t forget to take a look at these useful virtual manipulatives: <a href="http://www.dreambox.com/teachertools">Teacher Tools</a>.&nbsp;

Physical (also known as concrete) manipulatives like the abacus or blocks have been basic tools of the math teaching trade since time immemorial.

What are the benefits of virtual manipulatives?

<div>VP of Learning for DreamBox Learning, Inc., Hudson is a learning innovator and education leader who frequently writes and speaks about learning, education, and technology. Prior to joining DreamBox, Hudson spent more than 10 years working in public education, first as a high school mathematics teacher and then as the K–12 Math Curriculum Coordinator for the Parkway School District, a K–12 district of over 17,000 students in suburban St. Louis. While at Parkway, Hudson helped facilitate the district’s long-range strategic planning efforts and was responsible for new teacher induction, curriculum writing, and the evaluation of both print and digital educational resources. Hudson has spoken at national conferences such as ASCD, SXSWedu, and iNACOL.</div>

Taking the different learning pace, habits of mind, and prior knowledge of individual students into account in mathematics can be challenging. Math educators know that unless students are challenged by and actively engaged in the course material, students will quickly lose attention. If the challenge is too great, students might simply give up. By understanding the concept of a zone of proximal development and how to connect with learners at different developmental points, teachers can plan a more strategic approach to group and individual instruction.

Sourced from <a href="http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-development.html">http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-development.html</a><h3>What is the zone of proximal development?</h3>The zone of proximal development (ZPD), often referred to as the optimal learning zone, is a concept developed by social cognitive theorist and psychologist <a href="http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html">Lev Vygotsky</a>. It is the gap between what a student knows and what he or she can achieve given appropriate and pedagogically sound <a href="http://www.dreambox.com/individualized-learning">guidance and educational support</a>.Each student is uniquely in multiple and different zones depending on the content and an individual’s prior knowledge and interests. Learning that occurs within the ZPD should neither be too easy nor too difficult. It needs to be just enough of a challenge to help the student deepen conceptual understanding and develop new skills that build upon the student’s existing knowledge and understanding.<h3>ZPD in the math classroom</h3>Because the concept of ZPD involves connecting unlearned material to what is familiar, teachers play a pivotal role in the application of ZPD in the classroom. They provide appropriate <a href="http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ859519.pdf">scaffolding</a>—strategic social interactions, learning experiences, and instruction based on a student’s past performance, intuition, and current thinking—that guide effective learning and development.Scaffolds facilitate a student’s ability to make sense of new situations, build on prior knowledge, and transfer learning. There are <a href="http://www.niu.edu/facdev/resources/guide/strategies/instructional_scaffolding_to_improve_learning.pdf">many ways to scaffold to improve learning</a>. In the math educational setting, scaffolds may include manipulatives, games, models, cues, prompts, hints, partial solutions, think-aloud modeling, or using contextual problems based on a student’s interests. Scaffolds should engage students in sense-making and critical thinking.<h3>Intelligent Adaptive Learning TM software and the ZPD</h3>Advances in adaptive learning systems and platforms that empower pedagogically sound feedback for students can be used in blended learning environments for greater personalization.&nbsp;&nbsp; The ability of students to track their own learning progress means that they can develop valuable self-monitoring skills while engaged and empowered in their personal learning progress.Pedagogically and research-based intelligent adaptive learning technology supports students as they work in an appropriate ZPD. Because adaptation happens within and between lessons in real-time, intelligent adaptive learning systems provide the right next lesson, at the right level of difficulty, at the right time.By keeping the challenge appropriate, the learner is empowered to be a mathematical ‘thinker’ and ‘doer’ — someone who strategically solves problems in ways they can apply in school and in their real life experience.**Sourced from DreamBox <a href="http://www.dreambox.com/why-dreambox">http://www.dreambox.com/why-dreambox</a>

...is the zone of proximal development? The zone of proximal development (ZPD), often referred to as the optimal learning zone, is a concept developed by social cognitive theorist and psychologist...

Math Learning in the Zone of Proximal Development

As school districts look for ways to give their students a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dreambox.com/personalized-learning">personalized learning</a>&nbsp;experience without expanding their budgets,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dreambox.com/blended-learning">blended learning</a>&nbsp; can be an effective option. This approach to schooling combines face-to-face instruction with online learning and has yielded strong results since officially being researched as an education strategy. In fact, according to a 2010 study from the U.S. Department of Education, blended learning classes&nbsp;<a href="http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf">produce statistically better results</a>&nbsp;than their face-to-face, non-hybrid equivalents. This may be partly due to the fact that this rapidly growing model not only increases the flexibility and individualization of student learning experiences, but also allows teachers to expand the time they spend as facilitators of learning. Schools make the switch to blended learning for a variety of reasons. In addition to considering the age of the students, the reasons for choosing a blended model generally dictate which of the six models they choose to implement:1) Face-to-Face Driver ModelOf all the blended learning models, face-to-face driver is the closest to a typical school structure. With this approach, the introduction of online instruction is decided on a case-by-case basis, meaning only certain students in a given class will participate in any form of blended learning. The face-to-face driver approach&nbsp;allows students who are struggling or working above their grade level to progress at their own pace using technology in the classroom.Some schools have also found this model&nbsp;to be a helpful way to engage English language learners (ELL), who sometimes fall behind not because they are incapable of understanding a concept, but because they’re not native speakers. A 2009 study of the Round Rock Independent School District in Texas found that the math and reading test scores of third and fifth grade ELLs&nbsp;<a href="http://late-dpedago.urv.cat/site_media/papers/The_Digital_Learning_Classroom.pdf">increased</a>&nbsp;following the implementation of blended learning and the use of interactive whiteboards.2) Rotation ModelIn this form of blended learning, students rotate between different stations on a fixed schedule – either working online or spending face-to-face time with the teacher. The rotational model is more widely used in elementary schools – 80 percent of elementary schools in California that use blended learning follow the rotational model – because many are already set up to have students rotate between stations.In a case study of IDEA Public Schools in Texas published by DreamBox Learning, the rotational model of blended learning was determined to be an effective means of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dreambox.com/case-studies/embracing-blended-learning">increasing the achievement</a>&nbsp;of students in this Title 1 School. IDEA students rotated between learning labs, where they used&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dreambox.com/adaptive-learning">intelligent adaptive learning</a>&nbsp;software to learn math concepts, and a traditional classroom. The result? Students became more active learners and often challenged themselves to work harder and learn material that had not yet been introduced in their math classroom.3) Flex ModelSchools who are supporting a large number of non-traditional or at-risk students often choose the flex model of blended learning. With this approach, material is primarily delivered online. Although teachers are in the room to provide on-site support as needed, learning is primarily self-guided, as students independently learn and practice new concepts in a digital environment. The flex model is an approach used by the AdvancePath Academy, a blended learning school, which works with school district partners to address the needs of students with behavioral, academic and/or socio-economic challenges.Students at AdvancePath spend most of their time in a computer lab learning online. However, certified teachers are also on-site to work with students on reading and writing, lead small-group work, and provide help as needed.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.advancepath.com/about">More than 90 percent of students</a>&nbsp;enrolled at AdvancePath either graduate from high school, transfer to other schools to complete their studies, or are on track for graduation. These are promising results, considering that only three out of 10 students who drop out of high school manage to earn a degree by age 25.4) Online Lab ModelAs schools face increasingly tighter resource constraints, the online lab model of blended learning is a viable option for helping students complete courses, including those not offered at the specific school site. In this scenario, students learn entirely online but travel to a dedicated computer lab to complete their coursework. Adults supervise the lab, but they are not trained teachers. This not only allows schools to offer courses for which they have no teacher or not enough teachers, but also allows students to work at a pace and in a subject area that suits them without affecting the learning environment of other students.In a case study published by DreamBox Learning, the Inner City Education Foundation demonstrated how vital online lab programs can be for school districts facing budgetary and resource shortfalls. The ICEF Vista Elementary Academy in Los Angeles faced significant state funding cuts in 2010, so school&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dreambox.com/case-studies/managing-budget-cuts">leaders instituted learning labs</a>&nbsp;in an attempt to give students quality digital learning experiences because they had fewer teachers. The result? Students in need of intervention had more face time with teachers and the school’s second and third graders demonstrated improved math skills.5) Self-Blend ModelPopular in high schools, the self-blend model of blended learning gives students the opportunity to take classes beyond what is already offered at their school. While these individuals will attend a traditional school environment, they also opt to supplement their learning through online courses offered remotely. In order for this method of blended learning to be successful, students must be highly self-motivated. Self-blend is ideal for the student who wants to take additional Advanced Placement courses, or who has interest in a subject area that is not covered in the traditional course catalog.6) Online Driver ModelAt the opposite end of the spectrum from face-to-face driver we have online driver, which is a form of blended learning in which students work remotely and material is primarily delivered via an online platform. Although face-to-face check-ins are optional, students can usually chat with teachers online if they have questions. This model of blended learning is ideal for students who need more flexibility and independence in their daily schedules. This approach is becoming increasingly popular – each year, the number of students participating in online driver programs increases by about&nbsp;15 percent.Which blended learning model have you been using to improve the education of your students? Share your stories with us!

As school districts look for ways to give their students a personalized learning experience without expanding their budgets, blended learning  can be an effective option.

6 Models of Blended Learning

Lots of children dream big and we love that about them! Kids want to be sculptors, veterinarians, zoo keepers, pilots, baseball players, dancers -- they are only limited by their imaginations. As parents and teachers, our job is to give kids the tools they need to realize these dreams. Math learning is one of those tools, as shown by our list of 7 cool jobs that require math.Looking for ways to motivate your dreamer in math? You can encourage your child by talking about how a [insert dream job here] needs math in their job. Here are a few ideas to get you started!<h2>These 7 cool jobs all require math learning</h2><h3>1. Animator</h3>

When watching balloons whisk a house away in Pixar's new summer movie Up, most of us weren't thinking about math. But in animation, math and art go together like peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. Trigonometry helps rotate and move characters, while algebra creates the special effects to make images shine. Even artists have to pay attention in math class!<h3>2. Game Designer</h3>

Designing board or video games is a cool job. Who wouldn't want to playtest Candyland, Monopoly, or Clue? Every game designer needs to have a good grasp of game theory - a branch of applied mathematics. Aspiring video game programmers should also study trigonometry, physics, and calculus. Chances are, board game designers will need to know probability, even if they won't be designing math games. &nbsp;<h3>3. Robotics Engineer</h3>

Robotics engineers design, test, and maintain robots! It's a growing industry and the employment outlook is sunny. Before you quit your day job and run off to design a house-cleaning robot, hit the math books. Most Robotics Engineers have a master's or doctorate. According to the article, <a href="http://www.learnaboutrobots.com/roboticsEngineer.htm">"Learn About Robots</a>" robotics may be the most inter-disciplinary of engineering endeavors.<h3>4. Roller Coaster Designer</h3>

As you ride a roller coaster through loops, dives, and dips, you're busy wondering if you're going to lose your lunch, not calculating velocity. But there are many different curves in a coaster and roller coaster engineers need to understand the mathematical properties of these curves, as well as physics, kinematics, and material strength. Like all cool jobs, roller coaster design is competitive -- there are only 100 roller coaster design companies in the U.S.!<h3>5. Jet Fighter Pilot</h3>

The thrilling life of a jet fighter pilot seems worlds away from the math classroom. Movies like "Top Gun," show pilots streaking through the sky in futuristic birds, not calculating how much fuel they have left or figuring out the direction and speed of the wind. But pilots have to complete major math problems on the fly, and when they're zipping through the air at 700 mph, math skills are life saving.<h3>6. Sports Announcer</h3>

What is his batting average? How many bases has he stolen? When those sports personalities give the play-by-play, they have to pay attention to the numbers: percentages, player stats, the clock. And sports casting is done live, which means there's no room for errors.<h3>7. Professional Photographer</h3>

We think of shutterbugs as artists, not mathematicians. But professional photographers need mad math skills. They have to calculate depth of field, determine the correct film speed, shutter speed, aperture, and exposure -- and more. And to capture the moment, they need to do it all in a matter of minutes. Who knew so much math went into one photograph?

Every child dreams big. Kids want to be sculptures, veterinarians, zoo keepers, pilots, baseball players, dancers -- kids are only limited by their imaginations! As parents and teachers, our job is to give kids the tools they need to realize these dreams. Math learning is one of those tools, as shown by our list of 7 cool jobs that require math.Read more ›

7 Dream Jobs That Require Math

<div>Peace Corps Volunteer in Guinea, West Africa | MEd in Secondary Mathematics from GWU, Washington DC | 6-year teacher of Mathematics in Bethesda, MD</div>

Becoming a strong student of mathematics is about more than memorizing formulas and excelling at operation facts. The true heart of math lies in logic and problem solving. Strong tests, including many standardized assessments, feature questions that challenge students with new contexts and problem structures. Many <a href="http://www.dreambox.com/blog/how-to-help-students-overcome-elementary-math-anxiety">students feel anxious</a> about these “tricky” questions and complain about problems they’ve “never seen before”, and, in return, teachers stress over whether their students are prepared or confident enough for these challenges.According to the University of Chicago News, researchers have found a strong link between math success and student ability to control attention and negative emotional reactions. Not surprisingly, many students experience distraction and distress when faced with a challenging math problem.“Classroom practices that help students focus their attention and engage in the math task at hand may help eliminate the poor performance brought on by math anxiety,” explained Sian Beilock, associate professor in psychology at the University of Chicago. Students become more successful in problem solving (on tests, in classroom activities, in life) when they have the opportunity to practice perseverance and overcoming frustration. Below I list a few ways students can learn to think more positively and confidently about challenging math problems.Incorporate problem solving into day-to-day schedule: Make problem solving a daily activity. Many traditionally educated learners (including myself) remember pages of practice sheets, followed by three or four frightening “story” or “application” problems. Today, many top educators recommend to start with application, before instruction, before drill. Give students just one question that they can wrestle with and discuss. These experiences can start with 10 to 15 minute daily challenges (as TeachHub.com suggests) and move to problems that fill half or most of class time. Take the focus off of the correct answer and focus on process. Teach students to discuss what they are thinking. When students get used to new, unexpected challenges every day, they won’t be so afraid of them under pressure.Reduce anxiety through math games: Make math fun. While playing games, students often forget to stress. Teachers are great at leveraging games like Yahtzee, Battleship, Dominoes and Connect Four to practice simple math facts and investigate difficult concepts. Take the element of time-limits out and use games to explore brand new ideas (think: Battleship, with fractions/decimals, prior to formal investigation). Students will see that exploring something new can be fun, just as drilling something they learned 3 weeks ago. Be sure to explicitly discuss with the students the skills that they are using when they succeed.Put a positive spin on math: Technology, carefully chosen and implemented, can help students become <a href="http://www.dreambox.com/individualized-learning-overview">individualized learners</a>. Some online math programs and blended learning tools provide students with a fun, virtual learning environment. With these, students should experience both practice of important math skills (like multiplication facts) and exploration of challenging concepts that force them to think in new ways. Quality adaptive technology moves students at their own pace, progressing to new content only when they are ready.With constant immersion in new logic explorations and critical thinking, students can become more comfortable with living and loving math. Hopefully next time a student thinks “I’ve never seen this before” they will follow with, “now, let’s get started!”Resources: Looking for resources that will help in making Math fun for your students? Check out our free Teacher Tools, <a href="http://bit.ly/17tlNDW">here</a> and make sure to share them with your friends.

Becoming a strong student of mathematics is about more than memorizing formulas and excelling at operation facts. The true heart of math lies in logic and problem solving....

Strategies for getting young students interested in math

For many struggling students, high quality classroom instruction isn’t enough; these students require targeted math interventions designed to address the gaps in their understanding. An effective intervention will address the specific needs of the student while providing additional opportunities to build a strong foundation of math skills. There are many effective research-based interventions, including:Applied problem solving Becoming proficient at grade level problem solving skills is a major goal of elementary mathematics instruction. Students must be able to apply basic math skills to larger, more complex problems. However, many struggling math students lack the basic problem solving skills needed to successfully complete applied problems. A strategy for problem solving is an effective math intervention for students that need direct instruction on solving applied math problemsTeaching students a simple set of steps to follow with every math problem will help them construct their own understanding and devise their own strategies. An example of basic problem solving steps may be:<ol><li>Understand the problem – students determine what the problem is asking and what information is provided.</li><li>Devise a plan – students choose a strategy for the problem such as analyzing data, making lists, or drawing a diagram.</li><li>Carry out the plan – students follow the plan and then check for errors.</li><li>Look back at the problem – students revisit the problem, decide if their solution is reasonable, and determine if any part of the problem solving process requires further attention.</li></ol><a href="http://www.grsc.k12.ar.us/mathresources/instruction/Manipulatives/Virtual%20Manipulatives.pdf">Use of virtual manipulatives</a> The use of virtual manipulatives is fairly new but is a highly effective intervention for struggling math students. Used in tandem with problem solving, math analysis, or basic facts, the manipulatives provide the students a dynamic visual representation of the math concepts. This helps deepen the student’s understanding by discovering and constructing mathematical principles and relationships. Controlling a manipulative with a slide, flip, or turn can unlock understanding.DreamBox offers a wide variety of <a href="http://www.dreambox.com/curriculum">virtual manipulatives</a> that link directly with the skills and standards students are practicing. These help teachers adapt the DreamBox program for differentiated instruction and meet the intervention needs of individual students. Since the manipulatives are dynamic, they offer immediate feedback to the user that is helpful and will boost further understanding.<a href="http://www2.ups.edu/faculty/woodward/LDQfall06.pdf">Explicit time drills</a> Although elementary students have long been expected to gain automaticity with basic math facts, the use of explicit time drills has recently been adopted as an effective small group math intervention. Different than standard math fact practice, these drills rely on smaller segments of time with ongoing feedback from the instructor. For example, students are asked to complete as many problems as possible in the first minute before the teacher calls time. At the end of the first minute the students circle the last problem completed and receive feedback from the teacher on their accuracy. This process continues for five one-minute segments. Over time, students have the chance to assess their growth and improve their basic computational skills.What are some other math intervention strategies that build a strong foundation of math skills?

For many struggling students, high quality classroom instruction isn’t enough; these students require targeted math interventions designed to address the gaps in their understanding

Math Interventions that Help Build Foundational Skills

Research into the effectiveness of mathematics education by the Institute of Education Sciences in 2010 (<a href="http://www.bestevidence.org/word/math_Jan_05_2010_guide.pdf">Slavin, Lake, and Groff</a>) found that programs that are designed to change daily instructional practices and implement differentiating instruction strategies are most effective. Their research also discovered that small group instruction and cooperative learning have a significant impact on student achievement.Because small group instruction is a highly effective differentiating instruction strategy it is widely used in elementary classrooms. Teachers who already use this strategy know that successful implementation doesn’t happen overnight. The work involved in preparing students to operate within a small group instruction model takes time and patience. But the work will pay off! &nbsp; As you prepare to use&nbsp;<a href="http://dayintheclassroom.edublogs.org/2011/03/06/making-math-easy-with-small-group-instruction/">small group instruction</a>&nbsp;in your classroom remember to:<h3>1. Work on building stamina</h3>Small group instruction, when implemented effectively, requires students to work independently when not with the teacher. The stamina for this type of independent work doesn’t happen immediately. Take time at the beginning of the school year to build student stamina though progressively increasing the amount of time they spend in small group instruction.&nbsp;<h3>2. Establish strong management routines&nbsp;</h3>Working with students to establish strong management routines is just as important as building stamina. Students should know and understand your expectations for small group instruction and independent work including material management, work completion procedures, and methods for requesting help. Taking the time to establish and practice these routines will pay off with highly engaged learners.<h3>3. Use frequent formative assessment</h3>One of the most important characteristics of small group instruction is using assessment wisely. Ongoing assessment is one of the greatest assets to differentiating instruction strategies. It allows you to know, in real time, what students have mastered and what they are still struggling with. It also provides information on how you can adapt grouping to best meet the needs of all learners. Forget about assessment as a cumbersome task. Asking a group of students to complete a math problem on white boards and then making note of their strategies and solutions is an example of a quick and easy assessment.<h3>4. Know who needs you most&nbsp;</h3>Make sure you use your assessment data to know who needs the most teacher time and who has already reached mastery and can extend their learning independently. This doesn’t mean you won’t ever meet with your mastery students, it simply means they may not spend as much time in direct instruction. After struggling students complete a lesson with the teacher, they may work on an assessment based computer program.DreamBox Learning offers engaging&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dreambox.com/k-8-math-lessons">computer based activities</a>&nbsp;that correlate with the Common Core State Standards. These activities are designed to meet the needs of learners and align with the classroom curriculum.They provide an additional mode of learning and a proven way to implement differentiating instruction strategies.What are some other tips to implementing small group instruction?

Research into the effectiveness of mathematics education by the Institute of Education Sciences in 2010 (Slavin, Lake, and Groff) found that programs that are designed to change daily instructional practices and implement differentiating instruction strategies are most effective.

Small Group Instruction as a Differentiating Instruction Strategy: 4 Tips to Remember

A teacher recently contacted me with the following issue:<blockquote>“What my students enjoyed about Dreambox initially was the fact that they’re given a variety of activities to choose from, the activities adjust to their skill level, and they don’t have to work on only one activity for long periods of time.&nbsp; However, one of my students was complaining that her activities were too hard for her.&nbsp; That was two weeks ago – now, she only has one activity available on her Lesson Map!&nbsp; This student says she’s been given the same activity over and over again, for the past two days, with no other options.&nbsp; Is this a bug?”</blockquote>The short answer to this is “no, it’s not a bug”, and I will be more than happy to explain the problem.&nbsp; As you know, DreamBox Learning’s GuideRight technology is designed to adjust the difficulty and variety of lessons offered, based on a student’s demonstrated instructional level and unique input.&nbsp; If a student finds that DreamBox is not making these adjustments, then you might want to check the way they are using DreamBox – chances are, they are using the “Stop” button to exit out of their lessons.DreamBox analyzes a student’s input on a click-by-click basis, and uses this input to assign the most appropriate follow-up lessons.&nbsp; However, if a student does not complete a lesson, DreamBox does not make this assessment, as it assumes the student must leave for a non-academic reason (e.g. eating lunch, using the bathroom, etc).&nbsp; It’s hardly fair to give a student a bad grade every time they stop a lesson, so DreamBox chooses instead to ignore the results of the lesson entirely.For this reason, if a student makes a habit of exiting lessons with the “Stop” button, instead of completing the lessons, then they won’t be assigned new, easier to understand lessons in a timely fashion.&nbsp; In worst case scenarios, where the student keeps exiting the same lesson repeatedly, and doesn’t try doing any other lessons, this can actually cause DreamBox to stop offering other lessons entirely!In many cases, students who exit lessons do so because they are apprehensive about getting answers wrong.&nbsp; However, DreamBox analyzes a student’s incorrect answers, and uses this analysis to offer the most appropriate follow-up lessons.&nbsp; Therefore, it is very important that students do not shy away from incorrect answers – wrong answers are part of the educational experience, and this is doubly true in DreamBox Learning.If your student is saying that their lessons are too hard, then watch them use DreamBox for a while, to see if they are using the “Stop” button when they get frustrated.&nbsp; If they are, coach them on when it is and is not appropriate to use “Stop” mid-lesson.&nbsp; Then, encourage the student to push through every lesson, even if it is a little difficult or they have to guess or make mistakes, and you should see more appropriate lessons being offered.&nbsp; Remember, too, that the “Help” button is always available – one click will repeat the lesson instructions, while a second click will give more detailed instructions.&nbsp; This can also be very helpful for a student that is stuck on a difficult activity, and using “Help” will not have a negative impact on a student’s score for the lesson.And, of course, you can always contact us here in Customer Support!&nbsp; We’re always more than happy to study your student’s progress file and make recommendations.&nbsp; You can call us at 1-877-451-7845 Monday through Friday between 8AM and 5PM PST, or e-mail us at support@dreambox.com.&nbsp; We’re here to help!

“What my students enjoyed about Dreambox initially was the fact that they’re given a variety of activities to choose from, the activities adjust to their skill level, and they don’t have to work on only one activity for long periods of time...

Lessons Too Hard? Let's Put A "Stop" To It!

<div>DreamBox Learning marketing team.</div><div> </div>

As we get closer to launching DreamBox Learning’s first product, an online adventure game that teaches serious math, and we see more and more kids in beta testing, we’re realizing how many advantages there are to online learning games. In the classroom children get the very real benefit of interacting with their teacher and with other students. Online learning has distinct advantages too. That’s because online teaching can be tailored to individual students in a number of important ways.&nbsp;<h2>The 8 Benefits of Online Learning</h2>&nbsp;<ol><li>Online learning is self-paced. Students can slow down when they’re learning a new concept or they want extra practice time, and they can speed up when they’re comfortable with a topic or have mastered it. &nbsp;</li><li>Sophisticated online education products can offer self-selected learning. The curricula in traditional or older web-based products are designed in a linear fashion and don’t allow students to make choices within the curriculum. A new generation of sophisticated online education games can enable children to skip topics they already know and focus on material they’re ready to learn. They deliver the right level of education for the user. &nbsp;</li><li>Self-directed learning games encourage engagement. When students can choose the content they’re interested in, they gain ownership of their experience. They can take their time and explore as much as they want. In a well-designed experience, they can choose which tools they’re most comfortable using, helping them learn and develop proficiency. Children are more actively engaged because they make their own choices. &nbsp;</li><li>Online education can support a range of learning styles. Online learning can accommodate a wide range of learning styles and use a variety of methods geared to different learners. Whether they learn in a more or less linear way, whether they learn visually or verbally, or whether they learn by doing, every student has a unique learning style. If you want to know more about this, <a href="http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/id/learningStyles.asp">here’s a good page about how online learning can meet the styles of different learners</a>. There’s even a link to find your own learning style! &nbsp;</li><li>Advanced online tools can provide real-time assessment. The most advanced online learning tools provide ongoing, real-time assessment of students’ progress. They can tailor the learning experience (e.g. vary the number or nature of lessons based on the user’s accuracy), and provide progress feedback. Regular assessment is critical to keeping a student challenged at just the right level – not overwhelmed by material that’s too advanced or bored by topics that the child already knows. &nbsp;</li><li>With an internet connection, there are no geographical barriers. The educational resources are available anywhere, so children can study at home or even while away from home. &nbsp;</li><li>Learning happens when it’s most convenient. Some kids like to jump online for 15 minutes before school. For other families it makes sense for children to do online activities during dinner preparation. Children can learn at a time that best fits their own needs and their family’s schedule, any day of the week. &nbsp;</li><li>Online learning enhances computer and Internet proficiency. Online skills like accessing information, communication, and collaboration are necessary for learning and succeeding, not just in school but in life.</li></ol>&nbsp;<h2>How DreamBox Math Lesson Games Do the Most to Help Kids with Different Learning Needs</h2>&nbsp;At DreamBox, we put student-centered teaching principles at the core of our online math learning games. More than any other product, DreamBox Learning K-2 Math offers differentiated learning. All aspects of the lessons are adapted to the needs of each individual child, including the:

This user-centered experience, combined with the convenience of online learning, offers an effective supplement to classroom education.&nbsp;Every day at DreamBox we are reminded how difficult it is to provide the right educational balance for young children. How do we make online math games for kids that are truly educational but also fun? How much choice should a child have within the learning framework? By digging deeper for the answers to questions like these we are revolutionizing online learning, creating a completely individualized, engaging, and effective learning experience.

In the classroom children get the very real benefit of interacting with their teacher and with other students. Online learning has distinct advantages too. That’s because online teaching can be tailored to individual students in a number of important ways.

Learning Resources

Targeted support for math students with special needs

Targeted support for math students with special needs

The flipped classroom: in elementary school, too?

What are the benefits of virtual manipulatives?

Math Learning in the Zone of Proximal Development

6 Models of Blended Learning

7 Dream Jobs That Require Math

Strategies for getting young students interested in math

Math Interventions that Help Build Foundational Skills

Small Group Instruction as a Differentiating Instruction Strategy: 4 Tips to Remember

Lessons Too Hard? Let's Put A "Stop" To It!

8 Ways Online Learning Really Benefits Kids (and Parents)

The flipped classroom: in elementary school, too?

What are the benefits of virtual manipulatives?

Math Learning in the Zone of Proximal Development

6 Models of Blended Learning

7 Dream Jobs That Require Math

Strategies for getting young students interested in math

Math Interventions that Help Build Foundational Skills

Small Group Instruction as a Differentiating Instruction Strategy: 4 Tips to Remember

Lessons Too Hard? Let's Put A "Stop" To It!

8 Ways Online Learning Really Benefits Kids (and Parents)

Subscribe & stay updated

Quick Links

Company

DreamBox Learning Apps