PAINT BRANCH ELEMENTARY IS TOP TEAM, ALL GRADES,
IN FIRST IN MATH® ONLINE PROGRAM
COLLEGE PARK, MD—"We did it again!" Exclaims Lydia Laidlow, Leader of Team "Dawn" at Paint Branch ES. Last year, the school’s "Steed" team placed 1st in the school, county and state but 4th in the nation. The group decided that if they entered the competition again, they would aim for the most coveted prize, #1 Team in the Nation. "But September had come and gone, and all indications were pointing to my fifth-grade team not entering the competition," says Laidlow. After some nagging from the class and encouragement from Assistant Principal Viola Harris, the team finally logged in and began their climb to the top.
When they started, other teams were well ahead, but Laidlow says her team was unconcerned. "Within one week, team Dawn, with its motto, 'a new day is dawning', moved into 1st place in the school." The team’s next goal was the zone and county. With this quickly out of the way, they focused on the big prize. "They were relentless, giving up recess, television time, and any extra time to build the score. We chipped away, little by little at the competition—and soon realized that we were within striking distance of the prize."
"Having been this group’s classroom teacher in fourth grade, I saw the extent to which First In Math contributed to their math accomplishments," says Laidlow. "Students who had little interest in completing math assignments willingly spent numerous hours taking on the First In Math challenges. When the latest new game was added, one of my students called me at 10:45 pm to ask whether I had seen it! Of course I had to get into the game immediately to be able to answer any questions the next day—I did not want my students to once again instruct me about a new game."
"I am so proud of my students. Achieving first place in the school, zone, county, state and nation is a great accomplishment, but the math skills my students have acquired is the greatest prize," according to Laidlow. "I watch in amazement as they sail through the eighth-grade concepts, using skills they have acquired directly from their involvement in the First In Math program. Their advanced scores in last year’s MSA, and the anticipation of this year’s MSA are directly related to the team’s standing in The First In Math competition. Thank you, PG County Math Department, for giving us this exciting tool, and investing in new, innovative ways to enhance students’ academic development. And thanks go to Mr. Sun and his team for creating such an extraordinary program!"
Paint Branch’s nine First In Math Teams all put forth an incredible effort, averaging more than 70,000 stickers each, and placing the school in the #5 position in the coveted TOP TEN SCHOOLS ALL GRADES National Ranking.
CALVERTON ELEMENTARY STUDENTS MAKE TOP-TEN EFFORT
BELTSVILLE, MD—Calverton Elementary is a comprehensive, Pre-K through sixth-grade school. Its aging building needs a few improvements, and its hallways are crowded. More than 40 nations are represented, and nearly one-third of students qualify as English Language Learners. With more than half of its students on free and reduced lunch, Calverton is designated as a Title 1 School. They are also designated as a TOP TEN SCHOOL in the First In Math® Online Program, holding the rank of #6 in the Nation, all grades, for the 2008/2009 school year.
“Prince George’s County Public Schools Mathematics Department paid for ALL 4th and 5th graders to participate in First in Math as part of a countywide initiative,” according to Mathematics Specialist Gale Waibel. The Talented and Gifted program provided additional student IDs so that 2nd grade TAG students would participate, and Calverton Principal Mary Tschudy used school funds to pay for all remaining students. As a result, Calverton was able to field 16 teams with 413 students in grades two through six participating!
“Last year, Calverton placed 9th in the nation, and students were eager to play again this year,” says Waibel. As the math resource teacher and the FIM coordinator, she finds a lot to like about the program. “First, the focus on skills helps our students, many whom need additional practice, to master basic facts. GYMS and Skill Sets™ strengthen their ‘math muscles’. Using the Just the Facts pre-test/post-test module for fact-practice provides students with immediate feedback, and individual student reports eliminate a lot of paperwork for teachers.” Waibel says that students find the games engaging, and were especially excited about several new games introduced this year. “As skill difficulty increases, students move above grade level and into new content and are persistent in figuring out patterns and coming up with rules.”
To motivate students, Calverton makes use of the large FIM Traveling Trophy; weekly announcements recognize the Team with the greatest increase in sticker count. “As motivating as the large trophy is, an even greater incentive was the chance to wear a ‘24’ medal for the day,” according to Principal Tschudy, who purchased 16 medals to award to the student on each team with the greatest increase in their stickers. Each Friday a ‘Stay and Play’ activity, where students could stay after school and do FIM in the computer lab, proved to be extremely popular, and between 30 and 40 students participated—many of whom did not have internet access at home.
According to Waibel, the top team at Calverton all year was the 6th grade ‘Myriad’ Team. The 2nd place ‘Sail’ Team was from 5th grade and the 4th place ‘Starter’ Team from 4th grade. Top 3rd grade team, ‘Tibet,’ ended up in 9th place, outplaying two 6th grade teams, a 5th and a 4th grade team as well as three 3rd grade teams. “Two students from the Tibet Team made the Top 100 Players in Maryland list, and 23 of our students finished as Top 100 Players in Maryland. Team Myriad’s Fassil Fa-Yusuf earned top honors, ending up with 30,105 stickers, good enough for a 2nd place individual ranking in Maryland and 11th place in the nation.”
“The FIM program offers a lot to both teachers and students,” according to Waibel. “Feedback educators receive is detailed and timely, and easy to use. Students enjoy the opportunity to see their sticker-count increase, and they can work at their own rate, tackling new skills ahead of instruction, if they want, and get immediate feedback. Best of all they really enjoyed the challenges of First In Math.”
TOP PLAYERS AT OAKCREST ELEMENTARY SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT FIRST IN MATH
LANDOVER, MD—Even though the 2008/2009 First In Math® Online Program’s National Top Ten Competition ended April 30, as of May 13 the sticker count at Oakcrest Elementary’s Talented And Gifted Center in Prince George’s County was 87,890—and climbing. What sparks such an interest in a MATH program? Oakcrest TAG Coordinator Beth Green suggests asking the students themselves.
Joshua Adebayo, this years’ number one player at Oakcrest, says FIM is “a fun way to learn.” He also thinks that he is able to learn things before they’re taught in class. “It’s like mind games, or an on-line tutor.” Other students, such as Marlon Shelton, who says math is his favorite subject, discovered that there are many ways to find the answer to a problem.
Dennis Miranda, a third grade TAG student feels that he is not that good in math, even though he is ranked third at the school. But after playing the games on the First In Math site he says he is doing better. “I enjoy learning about angles and different types of graphs,” says Miranda, who also likes getting his Mom and Dad involved through the site’s Family Link component.
David Oriala enjoys the Skills Sets. “I like to push myself and go over the limit,” smiles Oriala. Deana Busog says she accesses FIM mostly from her home computer. “I’m doing better in math this year and understand more about fractions. I wish there was more time in the day to use it. Eshantee Braxton, a TAG second grader who is new to FIM says it’s great to learn while having fun. “I learned how to add and subtract quickly, as well as to problem solve.” She says that her parents encourage her to visit FIM before visiting any other web site.
Green says that while Oakcrest is not as focused on the competition aspects of First In Math as some other Prince George’s County schools, her students are already looking toward next Fall. “I’ve had many students tell me that they hope to surpass what was accomplished this year,” says Green.
BOND MILL ELEMENTARY ACCELERATES LEARNING WITH FIRST IN MATH
LAUREL, MD—Third grade students at Bond Mill Elementary are really bonkers about the First in Math® Online Program!” according to Donna Albrecht, third grade talented and gifted math teacher. “Students enjoy the ‘games,’ but also realize that this program offers them a way to extend and accelerate their knowledge.”
Maria Ruiz, who has earned nearly 6,000 stickers says, “I feel challenged because some games are kind-of hard, but I can do it.” Jacob Landau likes the site for a different reason. “It tells you the right answers when you get it wrong, so you can learn how to do the problems the right way.” Adonis Belton agrees, adding, “I like the Integer GYM the best, because I’ve never learned this stuff before and now I’m learning new things.”
The First in Math program is used as an extension and enrichment tool for some of Bond Mill’s most academically talented third graders, as well as a motivational tool for students who face challenges and are working hard to learn their math facts. Students who meet objectives for certain units can create contracts for independent study, and according to Albrecht “First in Math is always one of the top choices for these students, and they are able to learn above-grade-level skills.”
In the MEANS (Making Education Accessible in Neighborhood Schools) classroom taught by Heather Peel, Allison McInvale, and Annette Gray, students also excel in math thanks to a daily dose of First in Math. “Students who have difficulty retaining information get the drill and practice they need in a fun way when they use First In Math,” explains Peel.
“All of the third grade teachers feel that First In Math gives us an extra tool in the classroom, and almost functions as an additional teacher. It allows us to differentiate the instruction to meet the needs of all our students and allows us to stay focused upon state objectives as well.”
TEACHER’S UNIQUE INCENTIVES JUMP-START PROGRAM
AT HENRY G. FERGUSON TALENTED AND GIFTED CENTER
ACCOKEEK, MD—Nicholas A. Ohlson, fourth grade Talented and Gifted (TAG) math and science teacher at Henry G. Ferguson Elementary School recommends incentives to encourage students in math. Ohlson taught third grade previously, and now teaches Ferguson’s fourth grade TAG students. “Our school implemented the First In Math® Online Program when I taught third grade, and I decided to think up a creative way to motivate students because I noticed that many were not taking advantage of the program.”
“I started out with a simple incentive plan—I would eat lunch with the top five players every Friday. To my surprise, all the students wanted to eat lunch with me in the classroom,” chuckles Ohlson. “This was great, because it started a huge competition among the students. I continued the Friday lunches for a while, but noticed that it left out some students who did not have many stickers.” Ohlson decided to look at the amount of weekly stickers earned instead, which helped reignite the competition. “Students with fewer stickers started playing again and were having fun. Little did they realize they were advancing their math skills as well!”
Next came a monthly competition, where the student who earned the most stickers that month could pick a friend and Ohlson would buy the pair their lunch of choice. “As a result of all of this friendly competition, I saw my students enjoying math, and having a great time learning,” says Ohlson. His students ended up among the top twenty teams in the state of Maryland, and were also in the top twenty in the nation among all third grade FIM teams last year.
In the 2008/2009 school year, Ohlson continued his customized incentive plan, and reports that his students are still enjoying First in Math. “I can see them building on their math skills, because I have the same students that I had last year.” Currently, Ohlson’s Team ‘00antenna7md’ is ranked #21 nationally among fourth-grade teams. “We enjoy First In Math, and I feel that it has definitely helped all my students to build and expand their mathematical thinking.”
FIRST IN MATH SUCCESS CONTINUES AT GLENARDEN WOODS
GLENARDEN, MD—Prince George’s County’s Glenarden Woods Elementary continues to experience success in the First In Math® Online Program. “I am proud of our students’ success in the First In Math program, and I thank our very dedicated and hardworking staff, as well as our parents, who contribute to maintaining the outstanding learning environment that brought our school Maryland Blue Ribbon School of Excellence status,” says Principal Cecelia Jones-Bowlding.
Glenarden Woods ranks fifteenth in the state, and the school’s “Nickel8md” FIM Team is currently also ranked fifteenth in Maryland. Two of the Team’s fifth grade students, Caleb McCammon and Rafi Kabir, rank second and third in the state and tenth and sixteenth in the Nation respectively. Regular readers of the First In Math News & Notes pages should already be familiar with the name Caleb McCammon. Caleb has appeared in two features previously. The top-ranking player at Glenarden Woods started his successful run in the 2005-2006 school year, when he placed first in the nation among all second-graders. His class ranked sixth in the nation that year among all second-grade Teams. Caleb’s National Top Ten Ranking among all grades in the 2008-2009 school year earned him a “First In Math® National All-Star” award for the second year in a row. He was also ranked tenth in 2007/2008.
MATH SKILLS SOAR AT PERRYWOOD ELEMENTARY
UPPER MARLBORO, MD—Perrywood Elementary is a K-5 school located in Prince George’s County, Maryland that is experiencing great success with the First In Math® Online Program.
“This year, we have many success stories in the younger grades,” says third-grade teacher and math specialist, Jessica Schiery. Third-grade Team ‘Focus33md’ leads all 20 of the school’s teams with nearly 52,000 stickers. According to Team Leader Heema Deb, more than 12,500 of those points come from one student, Okechukwu Oboh. “He is a dynamic math student and he loves First In Math!” says Deb. Prince George’s County Math Department funds make the program available to grades 4 and 5, and the school uses its resources to purchase accounts for grades 2 and 3.
Schiery has developed an initiative to motivate students to achieve their best within the program called the 1,000 Point Club. When students earn 1,000 points or more, they are awarded a certificate and a medal. “It has been very motivating for the students,” says Schiery. “As a result of student efforts their math skills—especially in multiplication and division—have soared.” The Perrywood PTA partnered with the school to provide funding for the medals.
NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL ECSTATIC ABOUT THE FIRST IN MATH PROGRAM
GREENBELT, MD—Students at Greenbelt Elementary School in Prince George’s County, Maryland, are ecstatic about their participation in their First in Math® Online Program this year. “The First in Math program has been a tremendous incentive for our students,” according to fifth-grade teacher Elisabeth Smith.
“First in Math is a great way for our students to hone their math skills,” says Smith. “Students are excited to get on the computer and use it!” Each Friday, Principal Kimberly Seidel recognizes the Team of the Week, and though Smith’s fifth-grade Team ‘Storm33md’ leads all 10 Greenbelt Teams with more than 46,000 stickers, Beth Hancock’s fourth grade class often wins the weekly school contest—and is able to host the coveted First in Math Traveling Trophy in their classroom. This has provided for a friendly competition between the classes. But students are not the only ones excited about the program.
Smith says that parents also strongly support First in Math, and are excited for their students to bring it home at the beginning of each school year. “The parents believe in the benefits it brings to their students math abilities. Because of this parental support, our PTA purchased First in Math licenses so that ALL students in grades 3 through 6 can be a part of this exciting program.”
“Because students work at their own pace, and do not compete against classmates, the embarrassment of not being ‘great at math’ is not an issue. This allows students to gain confidence in their math skills, and improve,” says Smith. “At the same time, advanced math students also benefit by finding activities that will challenge them on their level.” Greenbelt teachers also report that the program enables students who are not proficient in English to excel in spite of the language barriers they encounter in the classroom.
Fourth grade teachers agree that program has been instrumental in honing math skills and in preparation for the Maryland State Assessment. Moreover, the teachers utilize FIM as a component in an afterschool tutoring activity for students who were at-risk for failure in math skills. Students use computers in their classrooms and the school’s computer lab to access the site. In addition, students are encouraged to log on from their home computers.
FIRST IN MATH PROGRAM IN FULL BLOOM AT TULIP GROVE
BOWIE, MD—Tulip Grove Elementary School’s motto is “Where Children Bloom,” but a friendly competition is also blooming between the school’s top First In Math teams. Weekly contests among the school’s eight First in Math Online Program Teams encourage participation and boost achievement. "It is a lot of fun for the students, and there is a bit of a rivalry among the different grades, which is a great motivator" says third-grade teacher Marylouise Lopez.
Grades two through five are involved in the program, and the top five Player of the Week students are rewarded each week, along with the Team of the Week. Currently, 4th-grade Team “Genie41MD” holds Tulip Grove’s top spot. Team member Kami Bennet is the school’s top player. Bennet is also ranked #5 among all 4th-graders in Prince George’s County Public Schools Region 4 District.
Principal Brian Baudoin says that he and his staff want to be sure that Tulip Grove students acquire the skills they will need to compete in a global economy, and that technology integration must be maximized in every classroom. Lopez agrees, explaining that "First in Math is part of our school improvement plan, and we believe it is one of the reasons our students perform so well on the standardized math tests. As we say here at the Grove, Happy Mathing!"
FIRST IN MATH PROGRAM TEACHES BASIC FACTS—AND MORE
OXON HILL, MD—“Valley View Elementary students have really enjoyed the First in Math® Online Program this year,” says Erica Rogers, leader of third-grade Team Diver24md. Rogers says that the program is an excellent tool for encouraging younger students to practice their basic facts.
As a Talented and Gifted Teacher, Rogers uses First in Math to reinforce skills students already know, and also to extend their understanding of mathematical concepts. She says that First in Math challenges gifted students to want to do even better in math. “Each morning four students are scheduled to work on First in Math, and they are very eager to unpack their backpacks each morning and log on. Many students try new math games to teach themselves new skills.”
Rogers’ team is ranked #1 among the school’s 14 teams, with more than 11,000 stickers. “They love earning stickers, and they also take pleasure in looking to see how they compare to other students in the classroom, as well as in the school,” says Rogers. Students receive recognition for student of the week and earn certificates each quarter. During preparation for MSA (Maryland School Assessment), Rogers used FIM data to have students focus on specific games, so that they could practice skills they needed to become more proficient. “I really like how First in Math isolates specific skills for students to practice.”
Prince George's County School Celebrates First In Math
OXON HILL, MD—Oxon Hill Elementary has a lot to celebrate, according to Math Coach Valorie White-Jones. “When our students began the First in Math® Online Program last year, we ranked 60th. We’ve climbed the charts since then, and this year our school is ranked 19th in the state and still climbing!”
Oxon Hill students are very competitive, and especially love the FIM Team of the Week Traveling Trophy. “We do all that we can to capitalize on their enthusiasm,” says White-Jones. “Our principal, Cynthia Best-Goring, announces the Team of the Week and Player of the Week, and I present each team with the trophy, and the Player of the Week with a special First in Math gift.”
More importantly, explains White-Jones, “the First in Math program has made a tremendous impact on student success in math. Teachers notice a correlation between the First in Math practice activities and a substantial increase in students' performance with basic operations and problem solving. The students are so obsessed with playing and winning the games that they are mastering the skills.”
She is especially proud of the school’s Comprehensive Special Education Program (CSEP). “These students have made great progress with the First in Math program. Mr. Davis' 6th grade CSEP class won the Traveling Trophy two consecutive weeks, and they are thrilled and proud of their accomplishments. With a program like this, EVERYONE can be successful!”
White-Jones adds that parents are also very happy with the First in Math program. “They are always disappointed when the subscription runs out at the end of July, and begin asking for the new subscription in September!”