About 5 years ago, many 3rd through 5th grade teachers attended Rational Number Project (RNP) training and it completely changed how we taught math. We saw the need for visual models, representing in multiple ways, and the importance of number lines. The RNP curriculum was wonderful but we needed more to help fill in the gaps. Our school had bought a different online math program but it didn’t reinforce conceptual understanding, the placement test put students in the wrong spot, and students disliked it.

Last November at NCTM Minneapolis, I was introduced to Woot Math, which partners with the researchers from the Rational Number Project and immediately signed up for a free account. I also shared it with my 3 math classes, and they were instantly hooked. Since our school is 1-to-1 with iPads, students were able to use Woot Math at school and at home to reinforce skills taught in the classroom.

The Solution:

As a teacher Woot Math is a wonderful tool for many reasons. I need to differentiate a lot with the variety of levels in my classes. I use Woot Math to reinforce the skills we are learning in class so I could work with a small group. Because students loved doing Woot Math, they were engaged and practicing concepts. In fact, I’d often hear “woot, woot!” from students as they were practicing.

I also love that Woot Math pushes students to show their thinking with multiple representations so I know students really understood the why. The way Woot Math deals with mistakes by giving students extra problems and the video lessons are invaluable especially when students take it home and share with parents. Many parents appreciated being able to learn along with their child so they could better help if there were questions.

The reports in Woot Math teacher dashboard allowed me to check in on student progress and really target student misconceptions. From the dashboard, I can see screenshots of my students work. This gives me insight into my students’ exact mistakes from their practice and assess whether they were able to correct their mistake. I can also see how much time they spent watching the instructional videos and the tasks, and then use that data to guide my instruction.

The Result:

Our whole district bought Woot Math for 4th and 5th graders this year, and I was fortunate to present Woot Math at our October staff development training. Teachers were excited about the engaging way it taught number sense and the fun they knew students would have. Many have contacted me and shared how much students are enjoying Woot Math, and how helpful it is for differentiating in the classroom.

I created this wordle using feedback on Woot Math from our teachers;