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Dear Parent/Guardian, Your child’s classroom will be using DreamBox Learning- Math. DreamBox is an online, Intelligent Adaptive Learning(tm) program that helps all students become confident, lifetime math learners. They can play at home also! The information below provides access information as well as tips on using DreamBox at home. What is DreamBox Learning-Math? • DreamBox Learning Math, the next generation of web-based learning, provides personalized math learning in
an engaging, fun, game-like framework. • DreamBox automatically adapts to each student, optimizing his or her learning experience. The engine does
this by customizing the lessons, difficulty, hints, pace, and sequence to match a student’s knowledge and learning style -- just as a great tutor would!
Access on Computer: Your student can access DreamBox Learning from any computer, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at via MyKaty at https://mykaty.katyisd.org. It will work best if using Google Chrome web browser,
enable webpass and log in and then click on the DreamBox tile to be auto logged into their account. (Link for Instructions on downloading webpass http://www.katyisd.org/mykaty/Pages/default.aspx Access Using the iPad APP: To access DreamBox on iPad, go to http://www.dreambox.com/ipad, or search for "DreamBox Math" in the App Store. Download DreamBox Math Green and DreamBox Math Blue to ensure your student has access to the full catalog of lessons. When prompted in the app, use this School Code the first time only: 2tt4/n8cq Parent Accounts or Questions: To monitor your student’s progress, sign up for a parent account. For directions, go to dreambox.com/support and search for “parent access.” If you have any questions, please contact DreamBox Client Care at 877-451-7845 option 3 (weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Central Time), or email [email protected].
Tips for Parents • Encourage students to FINISH lessons. Explain to students that DreamBox is constantly taking into consideration their keystrokes, strategies, speed and answers to build the best “next step”. However, the platform won’t register all of that data if a lesson is incomplete. The best way for a learner to show what he or she knows or doesn’t know is to finish the lesson. Ask them to not out of a lesson because they want to try another. Encourage them to finish. If they must close a lesson, have them start with that lesson when they play DreamBox again. It is okay to get wrong answers and to test different strategies.
• Encourage them to use the “Help” (K-8) and “Hint” (3-8) buttons. • Use only the program. No pencil, paper or calculator. DreamBox will provide any workspaces needed and break the problem down into manageable parts. Students should use the tools and virtual manipulatives to guide them. If students get outside help, they may be placed in lessons they are not ready for. • Don’t help students answer problems. The program engine wants to “learn the learner.” If a student gets help, the software adjusts as if the student understands the lesson. DreamBox will eventually adapt back to the “right” level for the student, but if a parent helps, it can take longer and impede progress. • Encourage a growth mindset. It is okay for students to make mistakes and try their own ideas! Let students know that it is okay to get the “Oops, try again!” notification. When students worry about getting wrong answers, they are often hesitant to try new ideas. Mistakes are okay! We learn from mistakes every day.
Students should be encouraged to test their own strategies. This leads to true mathematical discoveries and thus understandings, and lifetime confidence in mathematics learning.
