Middle school is a time of development, discovery and transition for students - but also an exciting and powerful time for math education. Tom Vander Ark of Getting Smart will share his research and findings around successful implementations of blended learning in middle schools across the nation, as well as lessons learned. Elementary math often provides a level of instant gratification—you see the problem, you know the answer. In middle school, the math starts to get more complex, building connections among content. We need to help students practice patience, use a variety of solving techniques to attack problems, and learn from their mistakes in order to persist through difficult math situations rather than simply giving up. Attend this web seminar to learn how to motivate students to succeed with competency-based learning, build persistence through learning that is student-driven, and equip schools for learning that happens anytime, anywhere.

1. BLENDING MIDDLE
SCHOOL
A POWERFUL TIME FOR MATH
EDUCATION
Tom Vander Ark, Getting Smart CEO
With support from DreamBox Learning

2. Today’s Webinar
 Overview of Blended Learning
 Why Blended Models Work in the Middle
Grades
 10 Lessons Learned from Middle Grade Math
Blends School Wide Data
Alignment Management
Motivation Support
Tech Support Start Whole Group
Portfolio Blend Flexibility

3. What is Blended Learning?
Christensen: Students learn at least in part
through online delivery of content and
instruction with some element of control over
time, place, path, and/or pace.
Getting Smart: A
shift to an online
delivery for a portion
of the day to make
students, teachers
and schools more
productive.

4. Middle School Landscape
What we know about
middle school students:
 Encountering physical
and emotional
changes
 Experiencing more
complex mathematics
 Increased social
awareness
 Desire for
independence

5. Middle School Landscape
What we know about
middle grade math
 Indicator of success
in more advanced
math
 Shift from learning
the number system
to a thoughtful use
of that system
 Connections and
conversations are
key

6. Why Blended Works for Middle
School
Its Personalized
• Meets the unique needs of learners and creats independent opportunities for
success and growth
Its Competency-Based
• Increases student confidence and independence by focusing on growth mindset
and allowing individual progression based solely on competency
It Builds Persistence
• Offers opportunities for students to learn through productive failure and at their
own pace
It Can Be Social
• Allows for flexible learning environments that open the door for peer tutoring and
whole class conversation

7. Lessons Learned from Middle Math
Blends
SCHOOL WIDE–
blended learning is a
team sport and
requires a shared
vision
 KIPP: suggests
leaders start school
wide conversations
around instructional
design and school
model design

8. Lessons Learned from Middle Math
Blends
DATA – blended
learning provides a
wealth of information for
both teachers and
students
 Teachers: benefit
from synthesized,
actionable data
 Students: benefit from
direct feedback and
vision of growth

9. Lessons Learned from Middle Math
Blends
ALIGNMENT – aligned programs seek to
calibrate difficulty – between frustration and
boredom. What Tim Hudson of DreamBox
Learning calls “appropriate scaffolding –
strategic social interactions, learning
experiences, and instruction based on a
students past performance, intuition, and current
thinking – that guide effective learning and
development.”
Blended Learning Implementation Guide 2.0 from Digital
Learning Now

10. Lessons Learned from Middle Math
Blends
MANAGEMENT –
determine a plan for
what will be needed in
order to manage the
new classroom
structure
 KIPP Chicago:
strong classroom
procedures and
management
 Alliance: digital
learning agendas

11. Lessons Learned from Middle Math
Blends
MOTIVATION –
support the
development and
realization of goals as
well as the need to
solve difficult
problems
 Firstline Schools:
Goal setting
 Khan: goals,
reflection,
accountability

12. Lessons Learned from Middle Math
Blends
SUPPORT – teachers
should be sufficiently
trained on acting on
data from programs
and on creating
systems/processes
required for
streamlined
procurement and data
integration

13. Lessons Learned from Middle Math
Blends
TECH SUPPORT –
be aware that with any
technology you will
encounter difficulties.
It is important to good
tech support and a
classroom culture of
support and
collaboration around
trouble shooting

14. Lessons Learned from Middle Math
Blends
START WHOLE
GROUP – it can be
difficult for students to
learn a new program
and new content at
the same time.
 Beginning with all
group instruction
 Initial practice with
content that has
been previously
mastered

15. Lessons Learned from Middle Math
Blends
PORTFOLIO BLEND
–develop a portfolio
approach to content
that allows student
input into what helps
them succeed and
why

16. Lessons Learned from Middle Math
Blends
BE FLEXIBLE – take
an iterative approach:
develop and test
hypothesis on short
cycles
 Seek inspiration
 NGLC
 Blended Learning
Universe
 Sweat the culture as
much as the design
 Be good to each other

17. Q & A
Continue the conversation:
GettingSmart.com
@Getting_Smart
@Tvanderark

18. DreamBox Learning K-8 Math
Intelligent Adaptive Learning™
Engine
• Millions of personalized learning paths
• Tailored to a student’s unique needs
Motivating Learning
Environments
• Student Directed, Empowering
• Leverages Gaming Protocols
Rigorous Mathematics
Curriculum
• Reporting Aligned to CCSS,
Texas TEKS, Virginia SOL,
Canada WNCP, & Canada
Ontario Curriculum Reports
• Standards for Mathematical
Practice
Seeing is believing! dreambox.com/request-a-demo

19. DreamBox Lessons & Virtual Manipulatives
Intelligently adapt & individualize to:
• Students’ own intuitive strategies
• Kinds of mistakes
• Efficiency of strategy
• Scaffolding needed
• Response time
Seeing is believing! dreambox.com/request-a-demo

20. Robust Reporting
Seeing is believing! dreambox.com/request-a-demo

21. Strong Support for Differentiation
Seeing is believing! dreambox.com/request-a-demo

22. FREE Interactive Whiteboard Lessons
DreamBox supports small group and whole class instructional
resources.
www.dreambox.com/teachertools
Seeing is believing! dreambox.com/request-a-demo

23. Seeing is believing!
www.dreambox.com/request-a-demo