Three years ago in San Saba Elementary School, Mrs. Dickerson’s class started using a program to help her students K-4th grade with reading. I thought…Maybe another way to keep the students engaged and learning! I will give it a try! To my surprise, the students loved the program!
Every time they come into the classroom, they want to know if they are going to log into the program. They also want to know if we have received any information about new contests or new activities to do; that is because this company has also sponsored several contests in which the students have participated. For example, one competition was to design a badge using a template, and ONE word that best represented our classroom. Third grade students picked a template and the word EFFORT. Fourth grade students picked a template and the word ENCOURAGE. To our surprise, they won! The company contacted me to let us know that they were going to use the company’s art designers to use our logos and words to create two new badges for the company. The students were thrilled to see their logos being used, and to admire the final design!
I believe this has given my students the pride to know they can accomplish goals in life if they work together as a team. Also I have noticed that they love to talk about their individual achievements within the program (they all have their own individualized tasks.) They are so excited when they get High Fives and Fist Bumps (Which are celebrations when they have mastered a task.) Right now, they are excited because the more masteries they make, they get to create their own Avatar.
Last week, the company had a challenge to celebrate High Fives. Of course, my students did not want to miss it! Unfortunately, the day to celebrate was on our state assessment day, but the company sent an email letting us know we could have our celebration on the following day, so on Friday, April 21st, my students were ready to do it! We went ahead and summited the photos to them.
As their teacher, I am so proud of them because I have seen their growth in reading, their growth in their confidence, and their growth as a group of students that know how to work together and celebrate together!
Celebrating High Five!
Photo submitted by Blanca Dickerson