Blitzing To Math Success: Intense Intervention

Math Intervention made easy with MathImagine

If you are in the educational field, and you live in Texas, then you know the importance of a student’s success on the STAAR test, so any early math intervention is imperative. If you’re not, it’s easily explained.  The STAAR test is the Texas version of statewide standardized testing, which is a test of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, the TEKS or the Texas Mathematics Standards.

For some students passing the mathematics portion of the STAAR test can be incredibly hard, but for schools helping students learn math and to show mastery on the exam is critical to their reputation as an acceptable school.

The “Blitz” is a math intervention first observed at Clark High School.  The teacher who created it was in charge of the senior intervention class – the class helping students who will not graduate if they do not pass the test.

The way the blitz is structured is that specific students are assigned to a computer lab for either anentire day or ½ day.  Because of the motivation factor, seniors can spend a day or 2 days in the lab if the session is close enough to the date of the test.

The students are assigned a to a computer lab running Mathimagine™, an online software program built on the TEKS (Texas Standards) which are tested by the STAAR.

The critical components of the Blitz are:

• Positive Atmosphere – “You can do it!”
• High Expectations – At this point there is no point in “dumbing down” the math. It must be on target.
• Total Participation – students are each doing their own problems at their own pace and are accountable for them.
• Faculty/Administrative Support
• Intrinsic and Extrinsic Rewards
• One Computer – one Student

Rewards:  Money!

Math Blitz Money For Students.

Materials:  Calculators (If allowed on test), Pencils and Paper, Computers and Software.

Materials Needed For a Successful Math Blitz.

Prizes:

Math Blitz Prizes

Participating Faculty:

Faculty preparing for a Math Blitz.

The faculty rotates into the lab to help individual studens.  One principal spent the entire day in the lab with the students.  That sends a strong message.

Some principals bring pizza to the kids to:

1. keep them in the area and to keep the mood.
2. show their support by providing lunch.

Success Stories:

• One large district – Summer Blitz 80% success rate.
• Southside MS – 95% of the Blitz kads passed vs. 74% of non-Blitz kids.
• Fort Worth – high school having the Blitz doubled the passing rate from last year for their senior re-testers.

Keeping Track: If you use MathImagine, you can keep track of each student’s progress.

Progress screenshot

Students Comments:

• “Awesome Miss!”
• “I can DO math!”
• “Do I have to stop?”
• “Can I come back tomorrow?”
• “I finally get it!”
• “Yes, I CAN pass now!” (and she did)
• You mean, this is what the questions will look like? I can do this!”
• “I understand fractions now.”
• “Parent functions are EASY!”
• “I like that way of solving this problem. I can remember that way.”
• “Cool, Miss!”
• “Why can’t my math class be like this?”
• “I learned more today than in my tutorial class!”

End of the day:

• Lots of Good Lucks!
• Let them spend their hard earned money.

If you are interested in learning more about Math Intervention with MathImagine, please call us today to see if a Blitz is right for you.

Libby Chaskin, Teresa Szostak, Amber Adame, Kathia Correa