- April 19, 2024
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With a program that was once used only by at-risk students, students and faculty have multiplied their love for mathematics at Wadsworth Elementary School. The school adopted the IXL
Learning program at the beginning of summer last year, and in one school term, the entire school is buzzing about math.
“It’s one of the best opportunities for students to build a solid math foundation,” said Robert Ledek, Wadsworth’s registrar. “You’re only going to go as far, in your education, as your math goes.”
The school had used the program to build better relationships with students, nearly 50, who were having trouble in class. When their friends heard about the program, how easy and fun it was to learn math, they wanted in, so now 900 students use it.
Ledek added the incentive of “Purr bucks,” which the school gives to students for excellence citizenship, to motivate the children to use the program. With those bucks, they can purchase different items at the school’s “Purr store.”
Last week, Trevor Pearson, who saved his bucks the entire school year, purchased a Razor scooter for his younger sister, Delaney, for her birthday.
“She’s wanted a scooter for a long time, and she kept riding mine,” Pearson said. “Every day she gets on it. She loves it.”
The school saw a heavy increase in the program when shirts were given out to those who reached 35, 70 and 100 practice hours. For 35, students received a green shirt, for 70 a blue one and those that reached 100 won a gold shirt.
Since beginning the program, teachers boast about much better behavior, better test scores and a greater desire to be better students.
“When kids see their peers with a T-shirt and the kid’s name at the top of the list, they want the same thing,” said Elizabeth Howe, the guidance clerk. “Their grades have come up. They think, because they get Purr bucks, they’re just doing work, but they’re actually learning it.”
Wadsworth recently held a brief presentation to announce that they tallied 1,079,064 completed math problems and 5,289 hours of math practice in their “March to a Million” efforts.
“Hopefully, now that the rest of the teachers and students see the benefits with this program, we can do much more than that this upcoming year,” Ledek said. “We also plan to add English, as well.
No one has to tell you where you need help. You know what you need help in. All students have to do is sign on and practice it. It’s aligned with Florida state standards, which makes it even better.”
DID YOU KNOW?
Wadsworth recently held a brief presentation to announce that they tallied 1,079,064 completed math problems and 5,289 hours of math practice in their “March to a Million” efforts.
Top 10 STUDENTS
Bipasha Patel: 137:,44 minutes
Aaryan Patel: 128:04
Austin Burl: 70:20
Michael Stevens: 66:45
Brianna Medeiros: 59:54
Hailey Foresman-Womack: 59:21
James Colandrea: 52:41
Justus Scott: 52:17
Elijah Greenhalgh: 48:40
Eric Lin: 47:40
TOP CLASSROOMS
Lisa Fahner: 843 hours
Phyllis Folger: 568 hours
Sheneza Mahadeo: 427 hours
Nichole Gaw: 409 hours
