The State of the Challenge. . .

At the start of the 2006-2007 school year we at Semple Math issued a Challenge. We offered a free Level One Starter Kit (1st Edition) to any educator who would execute the program as written and then return feedback for posting on our website. The Level One Starter Kit contains more than 50 lessons and represents a full quarter of our complete program.

We did this because we believe in our product like no other educational publisher on earth. Although the feedback has been slow in coming, the Challenge has already succeeded. Based on the new orders from “Challenge Customers” and from what can only be word of mouth, the Challenge has proven itself to be an effective approach for opening new markets. There will be a second Challenge event this Fall! Details will be announced on our website in March, 2007.

All of this is welcome news but, we still want more feedback from the classrooms. This week a mailing has been sent to all the participants. They will receive fresh forms and a self addressed, stamped envelope. We understand that a teacher's time is limited and that educators are bound by law to fulfill a great number of requirements each day. We can easily imagine teachers finishing the traditional lessons and then rushing to try a Semple lesson in the last ten minutes of class. For the sake of fellow educators across the country we are asking our participants to make the time to share some meaningful feedback.

All comments are valuable. The positive feedback will encourage educators to try our program. The negative feedback is valuable as well. Perhaps there is a misunderstanding that we need to address or perhaps our text needs a corrective edit. Either way, we will all benefit from reviewing classroom observations.

We remain committed to the belief that publishers should allow educators to field-test materials in the classroom and then report their findings in a public forum. We believe this is something our industry needs to do more often. And we believe educators should support such rare initiatives when they occur. Don't you agree?

Please check back with us in February to review more feedback.

Bill Semple,
Semple Math

Received via email:

Dear Bill and Jan,

I am happy to say we completed Workbook B. Each student received the Certificate of Achievement from Appendix J. They were very happy and took their books home. They are excited about the "dark" Workbook C.

I have attached my second round comments. We are having fun with math due to your program! Thank you for supporting our efforts. Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Trudy

One Challenge Participant has engaged learners with Down Syndrome. Please continue to visit the Feedback Link for updates on their progress!

Matthews Elementary School is part of the Austin Independent School District in Texas. This school has elected to place the entire Second Grade (76 students) in the Semple Math Program for this Challenge Event. One of four participating teachers has responded with her first round of feedback on our program. We are thrilled to have such a large group representing a true cross section of a student population. Please review the initial feedback from Matthews Elementary School here.

Feedback from Austin, Texas has been received and is currently under review by the author. It will be posted with commentary on Friday, December 1st. Any participant wishing to respond to the author's comments is welcome to do so via challenge@semplemath.com. Any follow up remarks will be added to the original feedback posting.

We have had to wait longer than originally expected for feedback from the Challenge event. However, we are happy to see so many participants taking the time to be thorough and use the program as written. It is also encouraging to see several participants placing orders for the Level Two Set as well as the Core Program Set.

We thank the public for their patience.
Please come back and check us out on Friday.

Bladensburg, Ohio, Round 1

Challenge Feedback form is now available! Please click here to view it.

We take it as a very good sign when participants receive the Free Level One materials and within days place orders for Level Two and even the Core Program. Thank you for your support! The feedback question form will be posted Thursday, October 12th.

Let the Learning Begin!

The Semple Math Challenge is underway! Over 20 participants representing schools in Texas, Ohio, California, Florida, Indiana and Wisconsin have joined in this event. Many are teachers working with one or two challenged learners. We have principals, school psychologists, lead special education teachers and a home-schooler. Undoubtedly, the “Flagship” of our first Challenge is an elementary school in Austin, Texas with 76 (that's right – seventy-six!) second grade students enrolled!

We have shipped 6,125 pages in the form of Level One Teacher's Manuals and 27,876 pages in student workbooks as well as a full compliment of our unique Level One Teacher Cards. All told some 34,000 pages have just been sent, free of charge, with no obligation, to educators across the country. Our participants have agreed to use the program as written and provide honest feedback from their “classroom laboratories” every 30 days over a 90 day period. The feedback will be posted here, on our website exactly as written. Please visit us throughout the Fall and see what your fellow educators have to say about Semple Math!

Over the last 48 hours we have received an enormous and increasing volume of emails for this Challenge event! We have resolved to hold enrollment open until 4:00 PM Eastern Time on Friday, September 29th as promised. We will respond to every message filed before the deadline by Monday, October 2nd.

We will honor as many entries as possible. A physical count of our inventory has been initiated at our shipping location and our warehouse facility in order to identify any additional resources. Any applicants who do not receive Free materials may still participate in the Challenge by purchasing a Level One Starter Set for $55.95.

All Challenge materials will ship via UPS Ground by Monday, October 2nd. Please continue to check our website for updates. We are delighted to see such strong interest in our program!

Bill Semple,
Semple Math

The Semple Math Challenge! Fall 2006

Why are we sending FREE materials?

After 26 years of successful development the answer is clear... We know our program works and we want to tell the world. This Fall we are challenging educators nationwide to take the First Level of our program free of charge and experience the "Semple-Success" in their own classrooms. Use the program for 90 days. Give us your honest feedback every 30 days as the students progress. Visit our web site to see what others are saying about our program throughout the Fall. There is no obligation. There is only opportunity. Don't miss out. Supplies are limited. Apply now!

The Challenge!

A word to the wise. . .

Who should apply?

Questions?

Submit your request to participate here!

The Challenge...

A word to the wise. . .

Who should apply?

Questions?

Submit your request to participate here!