HARRISBURG & KUTZTOWN, PA—Those who have not experienced a long, cold, Pennsylvania winter cannot truly appreciate how difficult it can be to excite and motivate students at this time of year. Amid single-digit temperatures, two schools have found a way to fire up their math students using the First In Math® Online Program's Player of the Day, Player of the Week and Team of the Week incentives.
"Our students loved First In Math already," says Sister Georgiana Connell, of Holy Family School in Harrisburg. "But now there is added excitement every day, as students wait for me to announce the winner of the PLAYER OF THE DAY competition in each class. Many different students are able to win, and they all feel special!"
Justine Snyder’s fourth-grade Weisenberg ES team shows off the FIM Traveling Trophy. Inset: A third-grader shows off his Player of the Day VIP Badge.
Technology Support Specialist Leanne Toth of Northwestern Lehigh's Weisenberg Elementary, feels the same way. "My students just love First In Math, and since we have a Traveling Trophy and Player of the Day badges, things have really been hopping! I announce our FIM results once a week after the morning Pledge of Allegiance, and visitors to our school have told me that as the names boom over the loudspeaker, you can hear the cheering of the different classrooms throughout the halls!" Incentives also do more than create excitement for students, according to Toth. "It is so uplifting to be able to do something positive like this for the students, especially during these weeks before the PSSAs (Pennsylvania State System of Assessment tests). Little do they realize that while they are in the hunt for the trophy or VIP badge, they are actually preparing for the PSSAs in a fun way—sure beats a bunch of worksheets!”
The player on each team earning the most stickers in a 24-hour period earns the title Player of the Day, which automatically updates each morning and is displayed on the Teacher Home Page. The Principal's FIM home page displays the school's Player of the Week, and Team of the Week each Monday, offering more opportunity to distribute rewards. Player of the Day/Player of the Week badges and FIM Traveling Trophies can be purchased at First n Math's sister-site, www.24game.com, and many teachers, including Sister Georgiana, recommend using these awards. "It's so economical, and our kids love them." Some teachers also supplement FIM incentives with their own. "One of our fourth-grade teachers, Justine Snyder, uses "Snyder Bucks" as an additional motivational tool," explains Toth. "She places a 'dollar' value on completion of the various games in FIM, and then has an 'auction' of cool prizes that the kids can bid on with their 'FIM bucks'.
As for the weather, Sister Georgiana says she is trying to conquer the winter doldrums herself. "I have almost reached 9,000 stickers, but wonder how some students score so high? Do you have any suggestions," she laughs. As a matter of fact, we at FIM do: Bonus Games! "Try the new 'Equal Pay' game," suggests Toth. "Our students love it."