Summer assignments this year are much different than years past. 

With many summer programs and local recreational options being cancelled in their physical forms due to COVID-19, students will have more unstructured time on their hands. There is also the pressure of needing to help students not fall further behind, to cover missed standards, and to give all teachers and learners time to recharge. 

At the beginning of each school year, teachers and students engage in activities and conversations which are designed to set expectations. In many elementary school classrooms, processes and procedures are not only introduced, but actively practiced again and again.

Often during this time, little to no academic content is being taught. These efforts, though time consuming, create an environment in which learning can occur because everyone knows how to interact and behave within the classroom. This time spent at the beginning of the school year typically reaps dividends as the year progresses.

In the immense plethora of emotions and things to deal with during this time, we at Knowre want to help where we can.  

Personalized learning (however you may define it) is a fundamental tenet of what we strive to accomplish through Knowre Math. Our goal is to mirror the one-on-one interaction between a student and a teacher as much as possible. 

Data related to the Common Core State Standards is now available on the Knowre Math Teacher Dashboard. To access this data, click on the “CCSS” data view option (see image below).

With education instruction and technology changing so frequently, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to keep up with the trends and terminology necessary to feel "in the loop" (especially with many education conferences right around the corner). 

One such education term that has emerged is student agency. This article explores the following frequently asked questions about this timely topic:

Adaptive learning. Personalized learning. Differentiated instruction. Online learning. Hybrid learning. The "flipped" classroom. Blended learning.

With both education instruction and technology changing so frequently, sometimes it can feel difficult to keep up with the trends and terminology.

Let's take a deep dive into blended learning, including:

The Knowre Math Lesson Assignment feature is now available on your Teacher Dashboard! Learn more about the how, when, and why of this new feature below.

Q: Why should I make an assignment when I can just tell students what they should be working on? 

There are four main reasons to consider using the Lesson Assignment feature:

Just in case you haven't heard, Fortnite is an incredibly popular video game that seemingly every kid, teenager, and young adult is mildly (or seriously) addicted to.

Although it is easy to write-off Fortnite as just another video game, it is important to understand the reasons behind Fortnite's meteoric rise and sustained popularity. Furthermore, we can examine Fortnite and see what teachers can learn from Fortnite's expansive playbook that has made it the most prominent video game at this point in time. Let's review:

• What is Fortnite? 
• Why is Fortnite so addicting and popular?
• What can teachers learn from Fortnite?

When you consider how to make digital math instruction equal and fair for all students, you are likely referring to the concept of digital mathematical equity. Initially, digital mathematical equity may appear to be simple and straightforward. However, as you scratch the surface, you can quickly begin to see how complicated reaching digital mathematical equity has become.

Defining Mathematical Equity

First, it is important to define the two components of digital mathematical equity: mathematical equity and digital equity. According to The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, creating, supporting, and sustaining a culture of mathematical equity can be defined as:

“You’ll have a great time,” the visitor center greeter said as we headed towards the trail in upstate New York. The hike was described as fun, but challenging, and we figured, despite rarely ever hiking, that we’d all be fine. Countless hours later we descended the trail thankful to be alive. Simply put, the trail was much more difficult than we could have ever imagined. While there were optional ladders and ledges placed at certain parts, in others we couldn’t figure out why these supremely helpful elements were frustratingly missing.

It is important when tackling a challenge or learning something new that there are certain supports in place to maximize desired outcomes, decrease frustration, and maintain motivation (at one point on the trail I told my friends it was best they just leave me there). Without the availability of these critical elements it’s all too easy to give up.