Garfield Elementary School is using SuccessMaker, a computer-based curriculum solution from NCS Learn.

We began using SuccessMaker for math instruction in the fall of the 2002-2003 school year. All Garfield students go to the math lab three times a week for 20 minutes a session, except Kindergarten and Preschool which go once a week.

Each student receives individualized mathematics instruction while working at his or her own pace in the math lab. The courseware’s management system works almost like a tutor for each child. It locates the appropriate level for each student and selects individualized strategies for learning. As students progress, the system adjusts the level and content to address their individual strengths and weaknesses, and to foster steady progress.

As questions come up in the lab, students place their cardboard mouse on top of their computer and the classroom teacher can go to that student and offer individual assistance. This helps the teacher to become aware of the individual levels their students are working at, what they are good at, and what they need help with. The current level they are working at is displayed at the top of their screen.

With the management system, teachers and facilitators gain access to a wide range of assessment tools. These tools help better assess student progress toward learning objectives in the computer lab and help facilitate individualized learning in the classroom.

In the lab, the management system provides embedded, continuous assessment that yields a criterion-referenced view of each student’s performance and growth across a broad spectrum of objectives. These objectives directly support our district’s learning targets, as well as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards.

Teachers and facilitators can review daily performance reports generated by the management system to see the time, gain and level attained in the courseware for each student. With the system’s weekly reports, which are published by our computer lab facilitators, teachers can see a global view of group and class progress across course learning areas.

Using the reports, teachers can easily group students according to weaknesses and strengths for further instruction in their classrooms.

The online portion of the program allows teachers to run worksheets to give students extra help or to extend a lesson they began in SuccessMaker. Each classroom teacher also chooses an individualized math program for their class which runs the first 5 minutes of their lab time which is based on what they are working on in their classrooms.

The electronic assessment tools and reports will help teachers communicate better with each child and their parents/guardians about their individual progress and needs.

For more information about NCS Learn SuccessMaker Enterprise, please visit their website at http://www.pearsonedtech.com/successmaker/

You can also view and play some of the SuccessMaker math games at: http://www.successmaker.com/Subscriber/1,24/MathActivities/MathActivities.htm