Jul20

Igniting the Math Spark with Smartick

Math Gray Area

We all have heard that some students are just good or bad at math. And they either love it or hate it. The in-between doesn’t seem to exist.

Kelly, a teacher, and Smartick supporter found herself in an odd gray area which she describes on her blog Reviews by the Banks. She was great at math but didn’t necessarily find the spark in the subject. However, as a child, all she knew was that she had to do well in math. Math was her key to a successful future. But she questioned whether there was a way to make the subject more intriguing.

Nowadays, there are numerous ways to make math interesting and incorporating it into a child’s life early on. As a teacher herself, she has used numerous programs, some with solid content but not necessarily with a great curriculum exclusive to math. Luckily, Kelly found Smartick with its complete focus on mathematics for children ages 4-14 with content covering up to 8th grade, including geometry and algebra.

Sparks and Innovation

When Kelly initially started working on Smartick with her students, she found herself a bit perplexed. She thought her students were simply reviewing the same exercises. However, after a few sessions, she understood that it was not a duplicate session. She learned that Smartick assesses her student’s level and focuses on their needs in real time. Repetition is part of the methodology. It’s imperative that students master and automate the simplest mathematical procedures, adding to their math skill set and ultimately helping them solve more complex problems.

Although repetition is an important facet, Smartick aims to provide dynamic sessions. Apart from mastering arithmetic, students work on logic and word problems to help develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They work on various types of sessions: normal, review, and logic which all add to the dynamic and diversity of Smartick. Kelly found the depth of the program exciting–a rigorous method applied through dynamic sessions that are individualized to each student.

math

Smartick strays from comparing students’ results with other students, let alone standardized tests scores and grades. The program focuses on each child as an individual, stressing their strengths and weaknesses to provide the individualized attention they often miss at school. As Kelly acutely highlights, children’s learning is not directly related to grades at school or points on a test. Instead, we should make conscious efforts to use innovative methods to teach math, and perhaps help children find that spark!

Learn More:

Fun is our brain’s favorite way of learning

Diane Ackerman

Smartick is a fun way to learn math

15 fun minutes a day
Adapts to your child’s level
Millions of students since 2009

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Katrina Intal

Hails from the Bronx, NY and the Head of Business Development. She studied International Relations and Economics at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and went abroad during her junior year to the Complutense University in Madrid. When she isn't eating or traveling, she loves kickboxing and playing squash.