Learning to Love Math

Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 115

I would like to thank you beyond words for the opportunity to enrich the motivation of the math students in the classrooms I work in at North Naples Middle school.  The students have increased their participation and excitement in math by 100%. 

As a new teacher in Collier County for over 23 years, but new to North Naples Middle school, I had a vision of what I could bring with this grant to the students.  It was slow moving initially as the inclusion teacher, I needed to build relationships with the teachers I work with to allow for the celebrations and find the value-added motivation to the classroom teachers to implement with fidelity my intentions.  It was a transitional year for the 8^th grade as their teacher had health issues and was unable to return, but as the inclusion teacher I was able to maintain stable instruction for the students and was able to implement my intentions for the grant as a motivational factor for the students. 

As the lead teacher with the instruction and plans, I was able to implement the clear goals for the students with more fidelity and was able to implement the celebrations with clear fidelity.  This transition was pivotal in their involvement and motivation to progress with the Aleks program during their independent learning time. 

I work with the intensive math classes where students have often become self-destructive in their own learning through negative self-talk and defeat in testing, but with this grant they were motivated to reach the 12-15 topic goal and as they began to participate more their self-talk slowly shifted to motivation because they saw that the work they were putting in had not only a prize at the end but a feeling of accomplishment in their learning. 

When I began, I started with class parties where the students collectively celebrated with ice cream parties and large cookie cakes but found moving to individual rewards was more successful.  I completed a student survey where they gave me ideas of what to purchase.  I even had students so excited they created an entire power point about why freeze-dried candy was the way to go.  I purchased that along with fidget toys, crafts, food items, and candy along with many items I had previously.  The students enjoyed the choices, but I quickly learned the cost of freeze-dried candy would not be long term effective and the individually wrapped food and bottled waters were the most motivating.  I then made large purchases of individually wrapped food items and displayed them in a well-organized cart to wheel around on Fridays.  This has become my traveling vending machine of success. 

With the smaller candies and stress balls I have been able to reward at random moments that stand out in the classroom with participation, great attitudes and it has been outstanding for classroom management and excitement, as these rewards are spontaneous and celebrate the positive attitude to reach achievement. 

I have also purchased trophies that the students will earn soon as they complete their FAST assessments and strands in the Aleks pie chart.  The pie slices are separated by strands in grade level math and as they complete a pie slice, they may choose from large items such as room decorations, full size candy bars, and items I have brought from home such as Lego sets and clothing items.  This was a large motivation for the students to focus on strands and complete them.    

I believe this grant has allowed me to celebrate the students with an initially extrinsic reward system but grew to intrinsic reward as they recognized the success, they were able to achieve.   I have always believed in celebrating the small moments even with stickers and stamps to show hard work pays off.  This grant has allowed me to move beyond what I would have been able to do alone and capture a much larger audience to motivate. 

Having items in my classroom has given me the opportunity to extend to other classes in my building.  In my building we also have the MC classrooms and several teachers have come to me for rewards for their classes as well.  I have had the opportunity with this grant to reach my students and celebrate the MC classrooms as well as motivate the other students’ excitement as they see me roll the cart in the hall and ask what this is for, and I tell them hard work.  You need to finish all your work and reach your goals.  There have been several students that come to me and tell me about a great math test score, or they ask me to ask their teacher how they are doing, and I can celebrate them for it. 

This grant has reached beyond the intended audience, and I am honored that you saw the potential in the success to give me this opportunity.  The growth in Aleks use has been tremendous and independent use of Aleks has developed beyond my expectations.  The buy in for some was slow but to hear a student say Mrs. Romano I reached my goal for the first time this year is beyond happiness.  Then having them do it again repeatedly not only showed them they could accomplish it.  The increase in motivation to work on ALEKS rewarded them with items, but even more rewarded them with confidence to do it again.  Their learning has without a doubt been enhanced with this grant.    

Thank you again and I plan to continue this next year with the request for another grant.  I feel at this point in the year the success is in their motivation and in the 8^th grade midterm scores, but I am very excited to see what will happen to the FAST assessment scores specifically with the 8^th grade students where I was able to take a leading role in the instruction and incorporation of the grant.