I like teaching math. I always have. But in past years, after about the first two weeks of school, I would start feeling like I wasn't really meeting the needs of my students. Some would be ready to move faster, others needed more time. Try as I would, I could not really individualize my math class to effectively meet everyone's needs. Enter Accelerated Math (AM). I have used the Accelerated Reader program for a number of years and really like the way it fostered independent, responsible readers. I was hoping for the same results in math, and I haven't been disappointed.

We all know that there are lots of effective ways to teach students how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. But, to me, what sets this program apart is the way it also encourages-actually demands-that students accept responsibility for their own learning. That's what I have been looking for. Those students are the ones who will be life-long learners.

Accelerated Math is a first through twelfth grade math instruction program developed by Renaissance Learning, Inc. It has several components. The computer software generates problems for students to solve. Assignments are printed for each student. The fifth grade library has 177 objectives covering everything from basic computational skills to such areas as number theory, geometry, fractions, decimals, measurement, probability, and statistics. The objectives were compiled using the standards of the National Teachers of Mathematics. The course covers everything that was in our math book and much more as well. In addition, no two students are given the same problems to work. The software is able to generate a seemingly endless number of problems for the same objectives. When the student finishes an assignment, answers are transferred to an answer card which is inserted into a scanner for scoring. The computer then generates a report telling the student which problems were correctly answered. Each practice has problems covering several objectives as well as some review problems. In addition to generating the problems, the software does a fantastic job of record keeping. Teachers know which students are working on the same objectives, who is ready to test, and who may be struggling and need some additional attention. The teacher determines when students will test over the objectives and once again the computer generates the test, scores it, and maintains both an individual record of accomplishment for each student as well as numerous class reports.

An observer in my math class would see a lot of activity. Some students would be working alone, some with a peer, others would be working with me. Some are scanning answer cards, some are taking tests, and others are making corrections. The constant in all of this is that almost all are working purposefully. There really isn't time to "fool around" or be off task. Students know what they have to do and go about getting it done. The business of keeping track of tests, practices, cards, and corrections and of using the computer and the scanner is what I consider the most elementary level of responsibility. Mastering the 177 fifth grade math objectives and accepting even this much responsibility would, in my mind, make the program worthwhile. But the bonus is that students learn much, much more.

When students are asked what they like about this program, they have a wide range of answers. Those fast-moving, high-achievers would say they like it because they can move at their own pace. They don't have to wait for the whole class to "get it." If they only need a little practice, that's all they do. "I like Accelerated Math because it is fun and I can move at my own pace. Some problems are challenging and some are easy. I have been moving better than I would in a book." (Catie, Grade 5). "I like Accelerated Math because I can move at my own pace. When I get stuck on something, I just keep getting more problems until I figure it out. Then I can move on." (Corey, Grade 5). Comments like these might be expected. But you'll also hear students say that they like the program because they can stay on an objective until they really have it mastered. "I like Accelerated Math because it gives me a good challenge. I also like it because I feel good when I finally pass an objective. And I can always stay on an objective until I understand it." (Madison) This reduces a lot of math anxiety! Perhaps Kassy sums it up best when she says, "When I finish something in math, I love it because it relieves me. But I absolutely hate it when I get stuck on something in math. Another good thing about math is that you can't fail because they keep giving it back until you get it." Some of the highest praise for the program came from the middle school principal who asked my principal, "What are you teaching those kids? They come to middle school loving math!"

In the past, every year I seemed to have a few students who acted as if math answers and know how were somehow magic: a select few got it and the rest, well, surely it couldn't be their fault! For most of my students this is either the second or third year that they have been in Accelerated Math classrooms. I am seeing changed attitudes. Students know when they need help and, more times than not, know what kind of help they need. I will have students come to me and say: "I'm on a new objective and I don't know how to do this." or "If you have to find common denominators to add fractions, will that also be true when you subtract them? How about when you multiply?" After a not particularly successful attempt at trying to multiply mixed numbers in his head, one of my boys told me, "I really need to slow down, I'm trying to go too fast. You're right, showing my work works better." All of these comments are ways of saying, "I'm responsible for this. Learning math is my job." That's the kind of student attitude I wish to foster.

After an assignment is scored, students make corrections and then bring them to me. My first question is usually, "Do you know why you missed this problem?" Some of my favorite discussions begin when a student who needs to have corrections checked says, without ever being asked, "I know exactly what I did wrong on this problem." The student is anxious to tell me how they found the mistake and solved the problem. This is a far cry from the old "Is this right?" that I used to hear!

I play golf, and one of my favorite things about that game is that people of very different ability levels can compete together because each is really competing against the course or her own personal best score. In many ways that analogy is true of my math class. We have a mix of cooperation and competition! Everyone is working to master as many objectives as he or she can, but at the same time, students like helping each other along the way. Sometimes it is the gifted math student who will be asked for help if I am busy helping someone else. Students like being known as the "expert" on elapsed time or dividing fractions-the one whom others can go to for help. Very often students who are on the same objective will work together to figure out especially difficult problems. The notion of "struggling" together builds strong bonds! Students know that they won't go on to something new until the objective is mastered. They also know that objectives continue to show up as review problems. It's next to impossible to fool the program into thinking you know something that you don't.

I love watching my students take pride in mastering a particularly challenging objective or watching a classmate succeed. One girl had an incredibly difficult time passing the test on elapsed time. After many days of studying and struggling, she took the test and all but shouted in joy, "I passed, I made it!" The whole class celebrated with her.

Among many students there is a good-natured competition. If Billy passed five objectives this week, then Johnny wants to make sure he does, too. As with Accelerated Reader, everyone can be successful because everyone is working at his or her own level. I like for my students to push each other to be successful. I want a pace setter who is out in front showing what is possible. My students set math goals, but they are individual goals. It is what that student wants to challenge himself/herself to accomplish. Again, it is competing against the course more than competing against the others in the class.

While the change in attitude and higher levels of responsibility among my students would be reason enough to continue with the AM+R=Success; our math assessments also indicate that the program is impacting learning as illustrated in the following figures.

Figure 1: Grant Elementary School, Muscatine, Iowa

This one semester comparison of student achievement levels during the fall semester of the 2000-2001 school year illustrates the amount of growth that Grant Elementary students were able to attain.

Figure 2: Iowa Test of Basic Skills Math Assessment Results

Figure 2 illustrates both the longitudinal growth of students at the third fourth, and fifth grade levels and program growth. (Change in achievement within the grade level over time.) The second grade scores indicate that students continued to come to us with a consistent level of skills during the period of implementation.

The magnitude of the change is substantial at all three grade levels and clearly supports the positive effect of the Accelerated Math program (see Table 1).

Table 1
Effect Size Comparison of Baseline and Post-Assessment Data for the
Iowa Test of Basic Skills Math Assessment.

Grade	Baseline (Feb. 1998)	Post Assessment (Feb. 2000)	Effect Size
3rd	63 percentile	92 percentile	1.08
4th	68 percentile	81 percentile	.41
5th	62 percentile	96 percentile	1.47

Perhaps, from a teacher's point of view, the best thing about this program is watching students' self-confidence blossom and grow. That really is no surprise. We know that self-concept and self-confidence are products of successfully doing something that is challenging or difficult. I see that over and over again. My students feel good about themselves as math students. They know that no matter what the math concept or objective, they will, either by themselves or with the help of others, master it. That attitude is what I want them to take from fifth grade: I am responsible for my own learning, I can and will ask for help when I need it, and I can master even the most challenging objectives that I am given. Armed with that, how can they help but be successful? Creating life-long learners is what we all want. This math program is a big help toward that end. No wonder I like teaching math!