[missa_g]

Does anyone use Accelerated Math? How do you use it? I have heard all of the benefits of using it, but I just can't find a good time in the day to fit it in, but it would definitely be beneficial toward our yearly math testing. Can I use AM as homework?

[teach4k]

I used it last year. I had the students do the work first thing in the morning when they came in. They were supposed to finish it by the time I had attendance, lunch count, etc. done. The only part of it that I had a problem with was all the paper that it used. Even though I recycled it by using the backs, I still went through sooooo much.

My students all had an AM folder where they kept their scores for work done and then the new work and card. I made them all the same color just to keep it organized. I also had a set of stacking trays to put them in. If you have a student that is really good at doing work for you, you could have that person scan the cards. I did the cards myself. Sometimes I would do it while some were still working and others finished, or I would just do them at the end of the day. Whatever time allowed me to do.

It is a good program and it did help many of my students. It also has a great diagnostic test section to see what areas students have mastered.

Good Luck with it !!!

[ee]

I use Accelerated Math only for kids that need challenge. It is one of the ways I provide their enrichment. I start about 2-3 out at first and once they get going, I can add more in as my first ones can help the new ones. Rarely do I have more than 6-8 working on it. They work on AM when others are doing the drill activities that they don't need. They may also work on it any other time that they are done with regular work. The trickiest part has been that many kids in gr 1 and 2 can do the math but aren't very good at transferring their answers to the computer answer card so they get a lot wrong. Now parents or I do it or I find a volunteer. After a student's work is scored, I have them look over their mistakes and tell me the correct answer and explain why it is the right one before I give them their next practice or test. The computer lab para does the scanning and runs the next tests and practices for me as well as printouts every couple of weeks that tell me their status. She also lets me know when I need to select new objectives for a student.

[Mrs. C]

Is there anyone that uses it for their entire class and as differentiated instruction? We are implementing it for the first time this year and I am struggling to decide how to make it work in our room. One idea was to pretest students on our curriculum units, then allow students to "test out" of lessons they do not necessarily need to have and work on AM. My concern would be that students (probably the higher-level) could be working on AM a lot and I am worried about motivation for the program.

I have also thought about doing flexible groups, but am concerned about organizing this method. Anyone have thoughts or tried this out?

[Aurora]

We usually do AM for about 45 minutes a day. The kids scan their own cards and have a file folder to keep everything in. They need to show me everything they've scanned so that I can get them immediate help if need be. We work in groups, so they've always got group mates to help. Sometimes we work toward group goals, many times an individual goal. I've sent home a practice or exercise as homework a few times, but I don't do it often. The kids are very independent. It's been great. While they work on AM, I can actually have some time for small group instruction at the table!!!


Edit: Some days I decide to have a random "color day" (i.e.: put colored paper in the printer). When students scan that day, if they received over a certain percent, I'll give a point to their team. FYI, don't make a habit of waiting to do a color day say, every Tuesday. The kids will wait and work slowly so they can scan that day!

[MrsPsop]

I used Am for my whole class when I taught 5th grade. (My new school doesn't have it )

Here's what I did. Every day the students were given an assignment. They had to turn in their cards before the end of the day, or it was their ticket to a lunch, p.e., etc, if they didn't have it done they stayed to finish.

Someone created a really cool chart for the kids to turn their cards in, so just by looking at it, I could see who turned theirs in and who didn't.

After the program was going for a while, If students turned in wrong card, or forgot to put form number on, I charged them a classroom buck. (I used a token economy) Also, if students LOST their assignments and needed a re-print they had to pay Two bucks, lost cards were One buck.



For motivation, When I graded I kept a simple graph to chart how many objectives each student has mastered for the quarter. This got a bit of a competition going. I created awards and had a "ceremony" for the first, second, and third place winners each quarters.

When students reached an EXERCISE the assignment had to be done with me or a student tutor (a student who already mastered that objective) I would write WORK WITH ME or the name of the student tutor on the assignment.

I hope I explained this well enough.

I have been using Accelerated Math for 8 years and have used it as my main math program for most of that time. Here is how I do it. 1. I divide my scan cards into 4 different categories: diagnostic tests, tests, practices, and exercises by color coding them with highlighters across the top. Students matches assignment with the correct color of the scan card. This helps the student with organization! 2. Each student is given an Accelerated Math folder. One side is labeled working and other completed. The cards are also kept in the folder. 4. I place the students in appropriate math libraries based on their performance on state tests, observations, and performance on the Accelerated STAR math test. 5. At the onset of the year, I review math objectives in correlation with the listing of math objectives in the Accelerated Math libraries. Each student is required to have a math spiral in which notes are taken on various skills -- number properties, how to round whole numbers and decimals, compatible numbers, etc. These notes are given daily. (This is because our district uses Everyday Math and students do not master these skills.) I begin at the beginning of each math library, highlighting 5 objectives and printing a diagnostic test for each student. 6. Students are given class time to complete the assignment and place completed scan card on the scanner with the completed assignment in a wire basket by the computer 7. While students are working on other assignments, I scan the cards and staple the TOPS report to the scored assignment. 8. I review each TOPS report to evaluate the mastery of the skills. I meet with students individually or in small groups, grouping according to unmastered objectives. Those students who show mastery move ahead 5 objectives at a time. Those who have not mastered objectives are given practices to work on and scan. 9. I continue to review skills and give notes. (I enter myself as a student in each library and print out free response assignments for homework or quizzes for instructional uses.) It can get a little wild, so I set my class up in learning centers. Once the Accelerated math assignment is finished, students are working on a project in other subject areas. Because the district' s adopted math program is Everyday Math, I am required to teach it. I begin Everyday Math vol. 1 after my students have taken notes through addition and subtraction of mixed fractions -- around Dec. or Jan. We can then move through Everyday Math with little or no frustration -- Since I have been conducting my math classes this way, I have been one of the few 5th grade teachers to complete both Everyday math volumes by the end of our school year. The most rewarding part of this is that the frustration level of students is drastically reduced and test scores are great!!!