Math-Whizz Blog
December 22nd, 2011 by Rita
Hanukkah’s begun and the holiday season is in full swing – which means at some point you are going to need a break from your loved one and Math-Whizz is here to help with some fun worksheets that should keep your little ones busy long enough to clean up from the days festivities. We’ve put together two worksheets that you can download and print – perfect for the longer than average car trips to grandma’s house. Click on the image below for the PDF.
And if you are looking for ways in incorporate math into Christmas, look no further than Education.com which has 5 Ways to Calculate Christmas Fun, with ideas from our very own Kevin Judd. Also, don’t forget the Winter Adventure is in full swing! You can read all about it here. Have a great holiday season!
About the Author: Rita Rogers grew up in the PNW and despite her “low-tech” houseboat upbringing, went on to complete her Master’s of Communication in Digital Media at the University of Washington in 2010. She is passionate about the convergence of education and technology, educational gaming, and outer space.
Tags: christmas math, education.com, free math worksheet, holiday math, math-whizz, personalized online learning, whizz education
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December 19th, 2011 by Rita
Last week the 2011/2012 Math-Whizz Winter Adventure went live and in case you or your students have yet to take some time to play, well… what are you waiting for?! Our developers work hard to make sure each Math Whizzer gets this little holiday gift for all the time they’ve put into Math-Whizz during the school year. Not familiar with the Winter Adventure? Here’s a quick rundown!
Each Winter Adventure activity needs to be unlocked – these activities are locked and can be unlocked with stars. One star is equivalent to 30 credits, and these credits must be earned during the time the Winter Adventure is live. For those of you watching the clock, time spent in the Winter Adventure does not count towards the Usage you’ll see in reports.
Once you’ve entered the Winter Adventure, which is accessible through your Bedroom, you will see a screen much like the image above. Each window or door contains a different activity for you to try. 1 star activities will teach you all about different holiday celebrations around the world, while 2 star activities give you the chance to play a number of different arcade style games with a math twist!
All said there are six 2 star games and six 1 star games – certainly plenty to keep your little one busy this holiday season! So, go forth earn those credits, and unlock as much of the Winter Adventure before it melts away January 6, 2012! Happy Holidays!
About the Author: Rita Rogers grew up in the PNW and despite her “low-tech” houseboat upbringing, went on to complete her Master’s of Communication in Digital Media at the University of Washington in 2010. She is passionate about the convergence of education and technology, educational gaming, and outer space.
Tags: fun math, math-whizz, online math, online personalized learning, winter adventure
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December 14th, 2011 by Rita
The Math-Whizz Teachers’ Resource is now in version 3.1 and it is jam packed with more tools than ever! I recently had the opportunity to visit a local elementary school here in Seattle and the teachers there were amazed to see just how many great digital tools and endless uses are compiled into just one facet of our Teachers’ Resource – the Interactive Board.
Teachers can harness the myriad resources available within the Teachers’ Resource for whole class instruction that adapts to any lesson plan. No matter the topic, the Interactive Board has the tools needed for an exciting introduction to a new concept or to deliver an engaging lesson seamlessly on your school’s Interactive White Board. Introducing currency and simple addition problems dealing with change? The Interactive Board can help you introduce your students to the concept by visually showing them pennies, nickles and dimes (quarters too!) on your White Board to your whole class before breaking into small groups for further investigation.
This is of course just one component of the Teachers’ Resource, keep your eyes on our blog to learn more about how to effectively use this fantastic resource throughout your school. Psst… for fun math worksheets be sure to follow us on Twitter @MathWhizz!
About the Author: Rita Rogers grew up in the PNW and despite her “low-tech” houseboat upbringing, went on to complete her Master’s of Communication in Digital Media at the University of Washington in 2010. She is passionate about the convergence of education and technology, educational gaming, and outer space.
Tags: Elementary Math, fun math, Interactive Board, Math, math worksheets, math-whizz, teachers' resource, tools for teachers, white board, whizz education
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December 2nd, 2011 by Rita
Math-Whizz has successfully been implemented throughout the Anchorage, Alaska School District and some 7,000 students are on their way to learning just what Happiness in Numbers really means!
“Our mission is to provide students with both the information and inspiration they need to succeed,” said Ben Keogh, CEO of Whizz Education in the United States. “We have no doubt that the Anchorage School District will see the same success from using Math-Whizz that schools all over the world have experienced.” You can read all about the implementation in Anchorage on eSchool News.
You can experience for yourself some of the content being delivered to students in Anchorage and throughout the world on our Math Topics pages complete with sample exercises. Are you a teacher or administer? You can quickly request a pilot for your students right here.
Tags: Alaska, Ben Keogh, Educational Technology, elementary math education, eSchool News, math-whizz, mathematics, online math, personalized learning, RTI, whizz education
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November 30th, 2011 by kevin
I’ve recently stumbled across a free “Education Age Information Newsletter” which sends out copies twice monthly. Articles are very good and I was particularly interested in the recent article, “Creating an Appropriate 21st Century Education: The Roles of Cognitive Neuroscience and Computer Technology” by Robert Sylwester from the University of Oregon.
Sylwester begins the article by quoting Albert Einstein, “Computers are incredibly fast, accurate, and stupid. Human beings are incredibly slow, inaccurate, and brilliant. Together they are powerful beyond imagination.” This quote epitomizes my view of the use of technology in the classroom, which can be summarized by the following points:
1. Computers are amazingly powerful machines that can personalize learning for a large number of students. They should be used to scale real-time best practices for a larger number of students than a single teacher could ever reach.
2. The power of a computer lies in diagnosing and prescribing content for students, anticipating where the problem lies with incorrect student responses and adapting the instruction to match the incorrect response. If a program does not perform these features, it is probably wasting student and teacher time and not likely to show any positive results.
3. According to available research, the strongest connection to student learning is the relationshipbetween the teacher and the student. A computer can never replace a teacher nor should ateacher ever view a computer as anything other than a powerful tool in the tool belt.
4. Utilizing a computer for a task that can be performed by a teacher is not only a waste of anexpensive machine, it actually gets in the way of the teacher–student relationship, which will ultimately hinder performance.
5. Using software for assessment purposes is fine, but don’t confuse asking students questions (assessment) with teaching students content (instruction) within the ultimate goal of student learning. There is no evidence that asking students questions on a computer will help them learn any more than weighing farm animals will help them gain weight. The focus MUST be instructional.
About the Author: Kevin Judd taught mathematics for 13 years before spending 5 years as a math specialist and curriculum administrator. He holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Policy Studies and has also consulted with schools on ways to reform mathematics curriculum and instruction for students. He is a frequent conference speaker on the topic of aligning math instruction to research on how students learn.
Tags: Ed Tech, Education Age Information Newsletter, education and technology, Kevin Judd, math-whizz, Robert Sylwester, technology in schools, University of Oregon, whizz education
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November 21st, 2011 by kate
The Math-Whizz team loves Thanksgiving and we have gathered our Top Picks from our own family traditions as well from the web for Thanksgiving activities you can do with your kids to help celebrate the holiday. While you’re having fun, don’t forget to sneak in some fun educational activities – we promise, your kids won’t even realize they’re learning! (Well, maybe they will, but that’s ok!)
Color the Cornucopia, coloring by numbers.
This is a fun activity that your kids can do at home or while traveling. Match the answers to the color key and have fun coloring by numbers! Just don’t forget to bring the crayons! Click the image to download!
Turkey Cupcakes 
These turkeys don’t need to be carved, just bake, decorate and enjoy! Baking is a great way to introduce some math basics while having fun. For your younger kids start introducing terms such as measuring. For your older talk about conversions such how many half cups of flour will I need to measure out 1 cup? Get the recipe at BettyCrocker.com
Create Thanksgiving Place Mats or Table Runner
Your child can help make your Thanksgiving meal a special by adding a personal touch to the table décor. While your child is creating his masterpiece talk about symmetry and discuss whether the leaves symmetrical, or have your child arrange the leaves in patterns. We’ve been doing this for years in our house, but found great instructions on education.com
Turkey Apples
Apples, Marshmallows, Raisins…Oh, My! Create a turkey out of apples, raisins and marshmallows! This activity is geared toward the younger crowd – preK – 1st grade. While your child is building the turkey, ask her to count out the marshmallows and raisins. Ask your child to divide the marshmallows into 6 piles of (We tested this out with a few of our own kids…it was a huge hit!) Get the instructions.
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November 21st, 2011 by Rita
We are thrilled to announce that Math-Whizz Tutoring Plus has been awarded the National Parenting Center 2012 Seal of Approval! After 8 weeks of independent testing by children, parents and educators alike, the NPC announced Math-Whizz had received their coveted Seal of Approval and recommendation to parents.
“Up until recently, Math-Whizz was reserved for public and private elementary and middle schools,” explains Ben Keogh, CEO of Whizz Education. “We are grateful that the National Parenting Center is letting parents in on a secret that schools have been using for years to improve the math mastery of their students.” To read more about the selection process and Math-Whizz please click here. If you would like to learn more about some of the topics your child would learn with Math-Whizz check out our math topics pages or register for a free trial.
About the Author: Rita Rogers grew up in the PNW and despite her “low-tech” houseboat upbringing, went on to complete her Master’s of Communication in Digital Media at the University of Washington in 2010. She is passionate about the convergence of education and technology, educational gaming, and outer space.
Tags: award, Ben Keogh, Elementary Math, free trial, fun math, math-whizz, math-whizz tutoring plus, mathematics, national parenting center, online learning, seal of approval, whizz education
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November 10th, 2011 by Rita
Hopefully by now your child or student has had an opportunity to utilize two of our main features - both Replay and the Topic Bank. Today we are going to add yet another great feature into the mix and look at Challenges. Located outside of the Tutor, the Challenges keep kids actively and excitedly engaged in learning with Math-Whizz. The Challenge feature allows students to create lesson challenges to other students worldwide or to specific buddies. A little healthy competition motivates and encourages students to Replay some of the lessons they’ve already completed in the Tutor. For those Math-Whizzers without a lot of buddies there is no need to worry, it’s easy to create a challenge to other Math-Whizzers around the world! Let’s learn how!
First have your child or student login and access the Console. Select “Replay” at the bottom of the screen and you will see “Challenge History” as well as “Challenges” buttons in the lower right. The summary board in the upper section of the screen will also notify your student of any pending challenges. Selecting the “Challenge History” button shows the 20 most recent challenges and the respective outcomes, whereas selecting “Challenges” will take you directly to any pending challenges. To create a new challenge have your child scroll through the lessons shown in the Replay box and click on one of their choosing. The option to “create a challenge” will pop up – select it. You will now see a screen like the picture above, allowing you select another Math-Whizzer to challenge or add as a buddy. They will then replay the lesson and their time and score will be sent off to the chosen Math-Whizzer to accept! We’re pretty sure your kids or students won’t even notice they are reinforcing mathematical concepts.
Do you have a question about Math-Whizz? Email me!
About the Author: Rita Rogers grew up in the PNW and despite her “low-tech” houseboat upbringing, went on to complete her Master’s of Communication in Digital Media at the University of Washington in 2010. She is passionate about the convergence of education and technology, educational gaming, and outer space.
Tags: challenge mode, competition, Elementary Math, feature spotlight, math-whizz, online mathematics, personalized learning, replay, topic bank, whizz education
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November 9th, 2011 by Sally
Ginny will be exhibiting at 60th annual Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics. PCTM is an opportunity to network with colleagues from across the state, with the main focus on teaching and learning mathematics in Pennsylvania. Please stop by our booth November 10-11th to learn more about how Math-Whizz can raise achievement in your classroom. Our program is helping teachers deliver effective, individualized instruction for each student, whether struggling or advanced. Math-Whizz’s personalized, interactive and collaborative approach to teaching math is helping all students build the foundation they need to achieve proficiency in math. Math-Whizz can be beneficial in your classroom by:
- Providing differentiated instruction
- Allowing personalized learning for students at all levels
- Ability to login while in school or at home
To learn more about Math-Whizz content as well as to access sample exercises please visit our Math Pages.
Ginny Harbold is our Regional Sales Manager. She grew up in a small town in North Carolina and completed her B.A. in History and later Masters in Business Administration from Wake Forest University. Ginny’s career has always centered on education, from test preparation to higher education publishing to her current role with Math-Whizz. She lives in Maryland with a menagerie of animals and her 3 kids.
Tags: Conference, education, math fun, math games, math problems, math-whizz, online learning, PCTM, Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics, personalized learning
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November 4th, 2011 by Rita
Yesterday we took a look at the benefits of the Topic Bank, and today we are going to look at similar feature, albeit one with it’s own unique benefits – Replay Mode. All of us here at Math-Whizz have our own favorite lessons and we know many of the students using our program do as well, which is precisely where Replay Mode comes into play. In order to access Replay Mode you will first need to enter the Console. Once there, at the bottom of the screen select “Replay.” You’ll then enter a screen that looks like the one below.
From this screen you can then select which lesson you would like to replay, view the medals you’ve earned as well as your best times and scores. Challenge yourself to beat your best time and score and you’ll be awarded new medals (go for the gold!) as well as ten credits. Hover over a lesson to see your past times – lessons most recently completed will load first, scroll to the left to access those previously assigned.
So, in a nutshell: students can replay lessons they’ve completed in the Tutor Mode, and improved scores and times are rewarded with credits and medals. The lessons completed in Replay will not affect their Math Age™ or lesson as delivered through the Tutor. If you are looking to target a specific topic for extra practice, be sure to read all about our Topic Bank.
About the Author: Rita Rogers grew up in the PNW and despite her “low-tech” houseboat upbringing, went on to complete her Master’s of Communication in Digital Media at the University of Washington in 2010. She is passionate about the convergence of education and technology, educational gaming, and outer space.
Tags: feature spotlight, math-whizz, personalized learning, replay mode, topic bank
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