The School Mastery Program makes homework a vital element
of each child’s learning process for mathematics.
When it is released in August 2010*, this exciting new Maths Builder program will set a new benchmark for best practice in teaching mathematics to primary school children.
The School Mastery Program uses interactive games attached to
Maths Builder Worksheets as the main source of homework. These fun,
online games encourage children to practise, learn and master each
mathematical skill after it has been introduced in class.
Children are rewarded for completing homework – and for playing extra games – with Merit Awards and Mastery Graphics exercises.
The strength of the School Mastery Program is underpinned by Mastery Records, a sophisticated online record-keeping system that enables teachers to record and manage each child's homework, and to provide parents with reports throughout the year.
The homework process
In class, the teacher presents a Mathematics lesson using Worksheets and other learning resources from the Maths Builder Program. The teacher then uses the School Mastery Program to set homework for the class (or for special learning groups or individual children) by selecting interactive games linked to the Worksheets. The teacher can also set Worksheets or other Maths Builder learning exercises for homework.
The teacher can direct how many times a game should be played for homework, or leave the homework default setting in place, which asks children to play a game four times.
At home, children play the interactive game online until homework is complete. Each time the game is reset, it randomly selects 10 game questions from a pool of 20, so a different version of the game is played each time.
When homework is finished, children can continue to play the same interactive games, or choose new games from work that has been
covered in class.
Mastery learning
Children usually need to play a game four times to master the skill it is designed to teach. If a child continues to play a game after the skill has been mastered, they will remember the new skill for much longer.
Merit Awards
Children receive Merit Award points, Merit Cards and highly creative
Merit Graphics exercises when they finish homework, and when they
keep playing interactive games after they have done their homework:
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4 points are awarded when one interactive game is played
, ie if the game is played four times for homework, 16 points are awarded
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1 point is awarded for each interactive game played after
homework is finished
-
online Merit Cards are awarded for every
200 points that are accumulated, along with highly creative Merit Graphics exercises
that children can enjoy and display in their online Awards Gallery.
Mastery Records
Features of Mastery Records are:
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Teachers can create a class list and/or group lists,
eg special learning groups .
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Each teacher and each student are allocated a username
and password for access to the School Mastery Program .
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Teachers can change the School Mastery Program password for
an individual student, special learning group, or for the whole class .
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Teachers can use the School Mastery Program to control student
access to various parts of the Maths Builder website .
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Teachers can create online class records and individual student
records as part of the School Mastery Program .
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Each student has access to their own School Mastery homework
page, Merit Awards page and Awards Gallery.
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Teachers can give parents regular homework reports through
the School Mastery Program .
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Teachers can use the School Mastery Program to individualise
homework for students. For example, remediation homework
can be set for a student whose test results show a learning gap.
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Along with interactive games, the teacher can set Worksheets and
other Maths Builder learning exercises for homework.
Summary of the School Mastery Program
Students in the School Mastery Program are given online, interactive games to complete at home. These games are designed to master the math skills introduced in the classroom through the Maths Builder Worksheets. Every Worksheet has one interactive game attached.
The interactive games are fun to play and an awards program provides plenty of motivation.
The process for teachers
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Teach the work on a Maths Builder worksheet in the classroom.
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Set the corresponding game as homework.
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Students play the game as many times as the teacher directs,
or more if they choose.
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Points are automatically awarded to students on completion
of the game.
- Other homework can be set using the Teacher Message feature.
Other features
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Class and individual records are kept online.
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Students can be given extra directed activities to address
individual learning weaknesses.
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Reports can be sent to parents.
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The teacher or school administrator can choose which
parts of Maths Builder are made available to students.
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Points earned go towards creating artworks that can be
displayed on the awards page or printed out.
- Teachers, students and parents can track progress online.
NOTE: *The anticipated release date of the School Mastery Program is 9 August 2010. This date may change.