Reflex News

A cake to celebrate student success with Reflex

A teacher in Klein ISD in Texas wrote to tell us that today she's celebrating her students' success on Reflex with a special cake party!

At the beginning of the year, the 80 students at her elementary school who started on Reflex had an "average of only about 16% fluency."  Now 50 of those students have achieved 100% fluency, and another 10 are around 95% fluent! Wow!

To celebrate the students' accomplishments, this teacher made a cake and got her daughter to decorate it with all the students favorite Reflex characters (Coach Penny, Crabby and the frog from Swamp Chomper).

Congratulations to all the students and we hope you enjoy your party!

To try out Reflex in your classroom, apply to our grant program or take a free trial.

Fluency gains on Reflex 'stick'

"All students that participated regularly have seen fluency growth! I can see the correlation between Reflex usage and fluency gain. Students tell me that they are able to perform better in math because they are learning their math facts. Two students that were in a one-on-one early AM tutoring session last year... gained self-confidence and learned thinking strategies, but their fluency was still low. These two students have made good gains with Reflex--and Reflex fluency gains seem to 'stick!'

When students become fluent by using Reflex, it takes away the stress and time of trying to perform basic operations and lets the student concentrate on higher skills such as fractions, integers and equations."

--Math Teacher, Middle School, Lancaster County School District, SC

New confidence in math helps a student tackle other subjects

"I have a student who is currently on an Individual Education Plan for Math. He is currently working on the grade 3 program, but is in grade 4. Although his math skills are stronger than his language skills, he still never felt successful in math. After attaining 60% fluency on Reflex, he started to ask to play "around the world" with flash cards. Very soon he was fast enough to 'beat his friends' and move around the world --something he had never done before. The first time was a big celebration and even his classmates cheered him on! As of this writing, he is 88% fluent in addition and subtraction 0-10. Especially wonderful is the effort I am seeing in other subjects. When things are tougher, I simply say that it will just take some more practice (any subject) and he goes back to work even more focused.

Our grade 3/4 class challenged the grade 8 class (twice!) and beat all but 2 of them. Another students who has already mastered addition and subtraction and multiplication and division 0-10 went "around the world" twice in the grade 8 class. My class has even questioned why other students don't have their level of mastery with number facts, and it is easy to see how proud they are!"

--Grade 3/4 Teacher, Windsor Essex Catholic District Board, ON

Students become "more confident in math"

"My kids have learned 1500 new facts so far on Reflex. Several of my students have become much more confident in math. They are coming up to the board and are more willing to particpate in whole group discussions. Because the students are becoming more fluent, they can spend less time worrying about the facts and more time analyzing the problem."

--4th Grade Teacher, Collier County Public Schools, FL

Hallway graph and a "pink party" celebrate student success

Randi Diskin, a 3rd grade teacher in Chino Valley Unified School District in Arizona, wrote to tell us how excited her students are to learn their math facts. "I've heard them comparing which facts they're fluent in. 'Hey, I know 9x9! What about you?' They are also constantly excited to show me their growing trees."

Ms. Diskin decided to try a "purple skin" party, an idea that another teacher shared with us on this blog, but gave it her own spin. Her class saved up their tokens to turn their avatars pink, and then had a "pink skin" party (complete with pink plates, pink shirts and pink snacks).

"I like the multiple layers of engagement with the teaching time, games, and store. I appreciate that Reflex is ability based and every kid is working on what they need to be to improve and actually is gaining fluency quickly," Ms. Diskin adds.

They also have been celebrating number of facts solved along the way. "We like to review the milestones once a week as a celebration. We also made a huge lineplot graph out in the hallway. I think we've got some other teachers jealous!"

Reflex is "awesome." Before using Reflex, "I was piecing together mini-lessons, games and practice to try to get them where they needed to be, but now it's all together and they can work as quickly as they need to," says Ms. Diskin.

Apply for a Reflex Grant and get Reflex for one year in your classroom, or try out Reflex with a free trial.

Teacher "amazed at the progress" students have made

"I cannot say enough good things about this program. I am amazed at the progress my students have made. My students have multiple disabilities, and many would not have learned their addition and subtraction facts without Reflex. I noticed that my students' recall and retrieval is much faster and has carried over to other subjects as well. If Reflex can help those with significant disabilities gain fluency, then it would definitely help all students."

--Special Education Teacher, Crowder School District 28, OK

Math fluency has increased "exponentially"

"Math fluency has increased exponentially for all students using Reflex on a regular basis. I have a 7th grade student who used to become extremely angry when expected to quickly solve a problem. He has been able to overcome his frustration with fluency in math, reducing the number of angry outbursts in class.

Students are now able to solve more than just simple problems. Because they are not so bogged down and slow in completing basic calculations, they are able to complete more complex problems with less frustration. I think that every student in the school could benefit from using Reflex, especially those with disabilities in math areas and those at risk for falling behind in math because of fluency deficits."

--Special Education Teacher, Madison County School District, KY

Average growth on MAP test was 20 points!

"I have never implemented a program with such an obvious positive impact! My MAP testing RIT mean went from 204 last year to 211 this year. The average growth was 20 points! My students' math fact fluency scores were double the scores of the other two second grade classes who did not have Reflex."

--2nd Grade Teacher, Ampitheater School District 1, AZ

Reflex is "an incredible asset to my students"

"Reflex has been an incredible asset to my students this year. Their math fact fluency has improved from 25% to 59% this year. Reflex provides an avenue for students to have fun in math. The reports provide clear data on the students and how they are improving. I am very pleased with this progress, and it continues to show in their daily math experiences."

--8th Grade Teacher, Middle School, Coleman ISD, TX

Special education students' MAP test scores jumped "several grade levels"

"Reflex has made significant improvements in my students' math fluency skills. I have middle school special education students that need these base math fluency skills. Before Reflex, most of my students lacked the confidence to do basic addition and subtraction, but after one semester their confidence is evident in their faces, performance, and quick answers. Most of my students went from using their fingers or a number line to instantly able to add and subtract the numbers they have mastered.

In my 5-8th grade middle school special education classroom, I have seen students' grade level ranges jump several grade levels on the MAP test. In two students, they have scored on a higher level than their actual grade.”

--Special Education Teacher, Title 1 Middle School, Mountainburg School District, AR