Semple Math - Simply Unforgettable

Orwell, Ohio, Round 1

Joyce A Schaffer

1. How many years have you taught?

I have been teaching for 12 years.

2. What grade level are you currently teaching?

I am a Title One Reading Teacher for Second Grade. I am also an SSP, Student Success Process, educator for grades 1 - 5.

3. What do you teach?

General Ed, Elementary

4. How many students have you enrolled in the Semple Math Challenge?

I am currently working one on one with a Fourth Grade student who has dyslexia.

5. Have you executed the program in good faith, as written with no omissions or substitutions thus far in the Challenge?

I meet with my student for 30 minutes per day. As I meet with him I record any tasks or skills that may be difficult for him to comprehend. During the first part of each lesson, we review the key skills from the previous lesson. We have had to spend 2-3 days on certain lessons, but that was a necessary step for my student. It is my goal that he understands the material thoroughly before moving on to something new.

It is crucial to follow the dialogue as written. For any child with a learning disability, consistency is a key element of their learning process. They need to have a guide as they process the information they are learning.

This program provides my student with the organizational skills he needs to learn new concepts. It gives him a way to store this information in an organized manner, so he can retrieve the information when he needs to use it.

My student is exceptional and he makes teaching a delightful experience. Throughout my school day, I have been truly blessed with students who want to learn. This program enhances my school day as it does for my Semple Math student. Thank you for this program because we all learn differently.

6. Please comment on the math performance of each student as they entered the Challenge. Were they on or below grade level?

The student that I service was below grade level in Math. This student greatly benefits from the daily one-on-one instruction he receives.

7. What progress have you seen in their math skills over the last 30 days? Are they on or below grade level?

The student that I service has made progress by using this math program. The mnemonic devices, songs and activities have increased his confidence in mathematics. He is working toward mastering skills at his grade level; however, he is below his grade level in math. He is improving and continues to show improvement on a daily basis.

8. How do you rate the overall attitude, outlook and self-esteem of each student on a scale of 1 - 5, 1 being the lowest score? Comments are welcome.

His attitude is very upbeat and positive. He is an amazing student who loves to learn and welcomes any challenge with a positive outlook. I am proud and honored to be one of his math teachers. I would give him a 5.

9. How does the portion of Semple Math you have now seen compare to any "non-Semple" learning materials you have used in the past? (Please do not identify and materials and programs by name.)

It involves the student as well as invites the student to learn. This program gives the student a road map or way to organize information in a unique way. The hands on activities give the student the opportunity to practice newly introduced skills. This is very helpful to a child who has dyslexia or other disabilities.

10. Has any standardized or local testing been used as part of this Challenge? If so, please explain the means of assessment and share your findings with consideration for student privacy.

No standardized testing has been used; however, we use six weeks testing and benchmark testing to monitor the student's individual progress. We also use our SSP data to monitor progress and specific state standards in math.

11. Would you recommend this program to other educators? Why or why not?

Yes, I would recommend this program to other educators. The program gives the child a second chance to become successful by using a much different approach that is used in a regular classroom setting. It gives a child or shows a child how to organize information differently.

12. Should we sponsor a second round of the Challenge and for the purpose of sharing our Times Tables Kit?

Yes, you should sponsor a second round of the Challenge.

Jan Semple (Author) : WOW! That has to be the most thorough feedback we have received! You should write a book. I am happy for your students success, Joyce, and happy to see he has such a dedicated teacher. Thank you for the feedback. Please continue with the Challenge!

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Orwell, Ohio, Round 1 Joyce A Schaffer 1. How many years have you taught? I have been teaching for 12 years. 2. What grade level are you currently teaching? I am a Title One Reading Teacher for Second Grade. I am also an SSP, Student Success Process, educator for grades 1 - 5. 3. What do you teach? General Ed, Elementary 4. How many students have you enrolled in the Semple Math Challenge? I am currently working one on one with a Fourth Grade student who has dyslexia. 5. Have you executed the program in good faith, as written with no omissions or substitutions thus far in the Challenge? I meet with my student for 30 minutes per day. As I meet with him I record any tasks or skills that may be difficult for him to comprehend. During the first part of each lesson, we review the key skills from the previous lesson. We have had to spend 2-3 days on certain lessons, but that was a necessary step for my student. It is my goal that he understands the material thoroughly before moving on to something new. It is crucial to follow the dialogue as written. For any child with a learning disability, consistency is a key element of their learning process. They need to have a guide as they process the information they are learning. This program provides my student with the organizational skills he needs to learn new concepts. It gives him a way to store this information in an organized manner, so he can retrieve the information when he needs to use it. My student is exceptional and he makes teaching a delightful experience. Throughout my school day, I have been truly blessed with students who want to learn. This program enhances my school day as it does for my Semple Math student. Thank you for this program because we all learn differently. 6. Please comment on the math performance of each student as they entered the Challenge. Were they on or below grade level? The student that I service was below grade level in Math. This student greatly benefits from the daily one-on-one instruction he receives. 7. What progress have you seen in their math skills over the last 30 days? Are they on or below grade level? The student that I service has made progress by using this math program. The mnemonic devices, songs and activities have increased his confidence in mathematics. He is working toward mastering skills at his grade level; however, he is below his grade level in math. He is improving and continues to show improvement on a daily basis. 8. How do you rate the overall attitude, outlook and self-esteem of each student on a scale of 1 - 5, 1 being the lowest score? Comments are welcome. His attitude is very upbeat and positive. He is an amazing student who loves to learn and welcomes any challenge with a positive outlook. I am proud and honored to be one of his math teachers. I would give him a 5. 9. How does the portion of Semple Math you have now seen compare to any "non-Semple" learning materials you have used in the past? (Please do not identify and materials and programs by name.) It involves the student as well as invites the student to learn. This program gives the student a road map or way to organize information in a unique way. The hands on activities give the student the opportunity to practice newly introduced skills. This is very helpful to a child who has dyslexia or other disabilities. 10. Has any standardized or local testing been used as part of this Challenge? If so, please explain the means of assessment and share your findings with consideration for student privacy. No standardized testing has been used; however, we use six weeks testing and benchmark testing to monitor the student's individual progress. We also use our SSP data to monitor progress and specific state standards in math. 11. Would you recommend this program to other educators? Why or why not? Yes, I would recommend this program to other educators. The program gives the child a second chance to become successful by using a much different approach that is used in a regular classroom setting. It gives a child or shows a child how to organize information differently. 12. Should we sponsor a second round of the Challenge and for the purpose of sharing our Times Tables Kit? Yes, you should sponsor a second round of the Challenge. Jan Semple (Author) : WOW! That has to be the most thorough feedback we have received! You should write a book. I am happy for your students success, Joyce, and happy to see he has such a dedicated teacher. Thank you for the feedback. Please continue with the Challenge!
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