Dreambox learning is an online adaptive program that is completely common core standards based. Students are able to login and interactively practice standards that adapt automatically to their needs or their acceleration. Teachers are able to assign by skills and standards or can just allow students to "play" without knowing that the program is reading what they need and adapting questions, numbers, and levels of learning. This way the child has direct differentiation while still appearing to work at their grade level goals. Students can work at home and at school and teachers can check in to see specific skills to target in instruction or where students need to move on more quickly. This is another tool that allows students to grow as individuals within the classroom while teachers are able to track growth, collect data, and modify as needed.
The benefits of the program directly associate with the individual child, teacher instruction, and working towards the common core standards. Students who have met standards can go more deeply into conceptual understanding or begin to make across discipline connections to other mathematical concepts, while students who are below can be scaffolded and supported in this adaptive program without anxiety or frustration and therefore can make growth towards standards in a constructive and positive way while maintaining a growth mindset.
The program allows for data tracking on each grade levels standards and specific standard strands. The data on the program graphs what grade levels and standards students understand and teachers can specifically target gaps. We can find success as we see those gaps fill in and will also see an increase in understanding during daily number talks, classroom instruction, small group in depth problem solving, and in scores on our statewide CAASP assessments.
We would implement the use of the program in a variety of ways. First, as a staff we would participate in familiarizing and practice the best use as a school wide program. Then teachers may chose to apply the program during classroom Daily Three Math instruction, homework, additional small group instruction, and even during support on snow days and independent studies. The program is aligned with standards and has multiple language options in order to differentiate for students.
We intend on being sure that we, as a school, vertically align as much as possible for the best success of our students. Therefore, we will like to apply the grant to all three classrooms but utilize as needed differentiate for the children in our rooms.
I spent many hours trying to receive the most accurate quote I could when it came to pricing over the phone. I struggled with not being able to get an exact answer without taking next steps. The information I did receive was that the minimum size license that they will sell is for 75 students. The cost for student is roughy 20 dollars. This how I came to the $1500 price tag.
The purchase of this is not in the budget for next year, which is why we are asking for your support. We will reach out to our PTO and discuss it with our staff to include it on our site funds budget for the following year.