We’re in the home stretch of the Study in the Sun summer usage contest! With less than two weeks left, are you in the running to win one of our fabulous prizes? Check out our leaderboard to see if you’re in the top 20!

Remember, the top three students in each grade band who answer the most questions on IXL by August 31 will win a Samsung Galaxy tablet! For contest rules and FAQs, head over to this blog post.

Want another way to win prizes from IXL this summer? Enter our Summer Snapshot contest!

Here are our leaders in the usage contest so far: *

Pre-K to 4^th grade

1. Chu Man Duc, Hanoi, Vietnam, 48,492
2. Suvir G., Frisco, TX, 37,454
3. Rohan B., Plainview, NY, 34,255
4. Viggu G., Slatersville, RI, 33,220
5. Nguyen Quoc Dat, Hanoi, Vietnam, 25,764
6. Euphony Z., Chula Vista, CA, 25,702
7. Akshay B., Miramar, FL, 24,926
8. Hibba M., Pikeville, KY, 23,806
9. Esra A., Naperville, IL, 23,042
10. Alexus P., Apopka, FL, 22,872
11. Pallav K., Sun Prairie, WI, 21,183
12. Amir C., Jacksonville, AR, 20,476
13. FreAnna T., Spokane, WA, 19,911
14. Migara F., Canoga Park, CA, 19,720
15. Shrika A., Placentia, CA, 19,498
16. Josh W., Franklin, TN, 19,050
17. Vedika S., Overland Park, KS, 18,827
18. James S., Caldwell, ID, 18,796
19. Mohammad E., Silver Springs, MD, 18,765
20. Floressa M., Pleasanton, CA, 18,466

5^th to 8^th grade

1. Hope A., Phoenixville, PA, 77,672
2. Shann T., Middleton Grange, NSW, 60,137
3. Hyuk Lee C., Cumming, GA, 54,640
4. James W., Salt Lake City, UT, 52,018
5. Shamiksha K., Irvine, CA, 50,322
6. Sanjana N., Fort Collins, CO, 44,353
7. Eliee C., Reseda, CA, 43,183
8. Jeeven S., South Barrington, IL, 40,871
9. Aliyah S., Marina, CA, 40,391
10. Seth P., Nacogodoches, TX, 37,967
11. Shivani A., Westborough, MA, 35,491
12. Ashman R., Ballwin, MO, 35,077
13. Ife A., Phoenixville, PA, 34,181
14. Charlene C., Haverhill, FL, 33,522
15. Grace K., Sarasota, FL, 33,171
16. Shravan B., Wilmington, DE, 32,191
17. Shrivardhan T., Cheswick, PA, 31,579
18. Ramari C., Jacksonville, AR, 30,736
19. Raishawn C., Jacksonville, AR, 30,325
20. Navdeep N., Westchester, IL, 30,293

9^th to 12^th grade

1. Alexis L., Lakewood, CA, 52,454
2. Justin C., St. Louis, MO, 36,441
3. Kanak G., Mercer Island, WA, 33,826
4. Seerat K., Woodridge, IL, 26,519
5. Aman N., Westchester, IL, 26,316
6. Sobhia N., Thompson, MB, Can, 26,062
7. Kai D., East Wenatchee, WA, 24,844
8. Sophia Q., Andover, MA 20,465
9. Yuki H., Minnetonka, MN, 18,343
10. Elizabeth M., Cayce, SC, 17,907
11. Christopher J., West Des Moines, IA, 15,107
12. Caleb F., Newport News, VA, 14,804
13. Ritvik K., Newport News, VA, 14,758
14. Ali B., Marietta, GA, 14,530
15. Pan San R., Portland, OR, 14,196
16. Vari P., Kansas City, MO, 13,504
17. Andrew L., Johnston, IA, 13,196
18. Dahkil J., Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 13,160
19. Joshua Y., Alpharetta, GA, 12,601
20. Hannah T., Lilburn, GA, 12,330

*Results as of August 14, 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time. Due to large number of entries, we are unable to share rankings for students outside of the top 20.

    

Whether you’re teaching to the Common Core or your state’s standards, getting students ready to meet these benchmarks and succeed on high-stakes assessments can be a huge challenge for the new school year. IXL can help you and your students, with our comprehensive content that is aligned to Common Core and all state standards. Keep reading to learn more about how to use IXL to achieve success on standards!

IXL skills are aligned to your standards

IXL is fully aligned to Common Core and state math standards, and is the only program with comprehensive alignment to the new Common Core language arts standards. We make it easy for you to identify the skills that match up with each standards – simply click on the Standards tab, select your state and grade, and you’ll be directed to a comprehensive list of standards and the IXL skill or skills that correspond to each one.

The depth and rigor of IXL skills prepare students for the new assessments

The PARCC and Smarter Balanced assessments are more rigorous than ever before, so we’re constantly updating and adding new skills to help students master the concepts they’ll encounter on the exams. For example, in our latest release of language arts skills for grades 11-12, we added brand new skills targeting Common Core standards. These skills—which are often hard to practice using traditional worksheets—include writing arguments, planning and organizing writing, and identifying appropriate audience, purpose, and tone.

With content that is aligned for the standards you’re teaching, you’ll feel confident that students will be prepared for whatever test they are required to take.

Robust reports help you assess students’ state-standards readiness

Our collection of powerful state standards reports provides real-time analysis of your students’ performance on standards and provides actionable data to help pinpoint areas for improvement and guide your teaching.

For more ideas about how to use IXL to make this school year a great one, visit the IXL Community!

    

The beginning of the school year can be an exciting time, but it can also be daunting, especially for students that are entering middle school. They’ll encounter a new school environment, new social situations, and all of the other (often awkward) issues that come with becoming a tween.

If this transition is creating stress for your child, here are some ways you can help him or her.

Get the lay of the land

If school hasn’t started yet, take your child to the campus and walk around so he or she can get familiar with where everything is, and figure out how to get from class to class. Doing this can help reduce anxiety on the first day of school. Additionally, school will likely start earlier in the day than in elementary school, which means you might need to get up earlier as well. So, suggests psychologist Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D., “two weeks before school starts, get everyone used to going to bed and getting up earlier…a tired kid isn’t going to do well in school. Set up a healthy sleep routine from the start.”

Stay on track with schoolwork

Now that your child will be taking more classes and working with more challenging material, provide some structure to help him or her succeed academically. School counselor Dr. Sharon Sevier recommends that you create a set time for homework, and make sure your child has a distraction-free place to study. “Don’t accept, ‘I don’t have any homework,’” Sevier says. “If there is no homework, they can always review what was taught that day or they can read.”  If you notice your student struggling with grades, take action as soon as possible to provide support, such as talking to your child’s teacher or hiring a tutor.

Support your child’s social life

The new social scene in middle school can be just as challenging for your child as the academics – and so is figuring out how involved you should be. When it comes to social problems, resist the urge to intervene, says parenting expert and author Michelle Icard. Rather, be supportive and focus on guiding your child to solve his or her own problem by asking questions like these. If your child is having trouble making friends, encourage him or her to participate in activities that naturally involve meeting others, such as team sports or volunteering.

Have other ideas for how parents can help their kids navigate the transition to middle school? Share them in the comments below!

    

We’re excited to announce today that IXL has opened our first office outside of our SF Bay Area headquarters! Our new location in Raleigh, North Carolina, will be home to new team members and allow us to better serve our East Coast customers. Raleigh is a booming tech hub, and we’re thrilled to join that vibrant community.

We’ve got plenty of job opportunities at the Raleigh office, from curriculum designers to engineers and sales consultants, so visit our jobs page and apply! For more details about our new office, read our press release below.

Edtech Leader IXL Learning Opens North Carolina Office

 IXL unites Silicon Valley and the Research Triangle with Raleigh office, tapping new talent for learning technology that reaches 1 in 10 students

SAN MATEO, Calif. & Raleigh, N.C. – September 1, 2015 – IXL Learning (http://www.ixl.com), an educational technology company, is pleased to announce the opening of its first East Coast office, located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company’s Raleigh office is already home to IXL team members in sales, marketing, and customer support, and is recruiting talent in engineering and curriculum design.

IXL provides all students, in all grades, an immersive learning experience. With over five million subscribers in 190 countries, IXL currently offers math and English language arts practice, with more subjects planned for later this year. In the U.S. alone, IXL is used by more than 200,000 teachers and one in 10 students.

The Raleigh office is the first outside of IXL’s headquarters in the Silicon Valley. IXL serves more than 5,000 educators and over 150,000 students in North Carolina at public and private schools, with that number growing every day.

“As we grow and continue to broaden our influence in the edtech community, our new Raleigh office allows IXL to join the thriving tech culture of the Research Triangle and better serve our East Coast customers,” said Jennifer Gu, Executive Vice President of IXL. “Raleigh is a booming tech hub, and we’re thrilled to tap into talent in the area.”

“We’re actively hiring engineers and curriculum designers to join our team,” said Karen Penner, Recruiting Manager for IXL, “Building out our team in Raleigh will allow us to reach even more students, educators and parents with our passion for K-12 educational advancement.”

IXL is an online learning experience that improves student understanding and performance while building confidence and inspiring curiosity. IXL’s differentiated learning environment generates questions at the right level of rigor for every student and continues to adapt with students as they grow. For teachers, IXL provides real-time analysis and actionable data to help them identify areas for individual student improvement in their classes. With unmatched, comprehensive coverage of over 4,000 skills in K-12 math and grades 2-12 language arts, IXL help students at every level excel.

To view job opportunities at IXL in Raleigh, please visit: https://www.ixl.com/company/jobs

About IXL Learning

IXL Learning is an educational technology company that delivers an immersive learning experience — for all students, in all grades, across all subjects. With one in 10 students already using it in the U.S., and over 18 billion questions asked and answered around the world, IXL is helping schools successfully use technology to improve teaching and learning. Our team of PhDs, teachers, and technologists crafts unique high-quality content and uses strategically mapped progressions to provide unprecedented depth, breadth and challenge for each specific skill. From preschool to pre-calculus, grammar to geometry, IXL’s content and technology enable fresh, engaging and personalized experiences that spark curiosity and build confidence. To learn more about IXL, visit www.ixl.com, facebook.com/IXL and twitter.com/IXLLearning.

Press Contact

TriplePoint for IXL

ixl@triplepointpr.com

(415) 955-8500

    

We know that this is a busy time of year as you put the finishing touches on your classroom, learn your students’ names, and start the first days of school. That’s why the IXL Community is here for you! There, you’ll find great ideas, tools, and strategies to make this school year the best yet.

Read on to discover more about the tools available.

Printable materials

On the IXL Community, you can find a variety of printable resources to motivate your students and organize your classroom. We’ve highlighted a few of the materials below, but head to the printable materials tab to find even more.

Username and password cards

Use these simple sign-in cards to get your class started on IXL right away, without any forgotten usernames or passwords. You can even print them on sticker paper to make sure they really stick with your students!

Classroom goals

Use these playful posters to inspire your students to reach their goals. Choose your favorite theme, add specific goals, and then display the poster in the classroom as motivation.

Parent handout

IXL isn’t just for the classroom! Students can practice concepts they learned in class at home or anywhere they have an Internet connection. Print this handout for parents so they can help their children continue learning even after school.

Webinars

Upcoming webinars

Check out the webinar schedule and sign up for complimentary sessions that will help you gear up for the new school year. Get tips for integrating IXL into your classroom, learn how to use reports to monitor student success, and more! Check back regularly for new sessions or follow us on Twitter (@IXLLearning) to be notified about future opportunities.

Archived webinars

Not able to attend a live webinar? Visit our archived webinars tab to see how teachers like you have used IXL to drive success. Want even more webinars? Check out our YouTube channel!

Textbook alignments

Did you know that IXL provides skill alignments for several popular textbook series? If you use enVisionMATH, GO Math!, Texas GO Math!, or EngageNY, view our textbook alignments to find recommended IXL skills for each chapter.

We hope these resources help you make a smooth transition back to school!

    

You’ve practiced hard on IXL all summer, and now it’s time to see if you’ve won a prize in our summer contests!

Study in the Sun Summer Usage Contest

We were blown away by how much all of our summer usage contest participants practiced this summer – our 23,000 participants completed over 45.2 million questions correctly! We hope you are all proud of what you learned over the summer, regardless of whether you ranked in the top 20.

And now, without further ado, here are the final rankings! The top three in each grade band will be awarded a Samsung Galaxy tablet. Thanks to everyone for participating—we hope to hold more contests like these in the future, so stay tuned for more opportunities to win prizes!

Pre-K to 4^th grade

1. Suvir G., Frisco, TX, 60,489
2. Vignesh G., Slatersville, RI, 53,900
3. Chu Man Duc, Hanoi, Vietnam, 51,864
4. Sahar R., Fort Collins, CO, 50,053
5. Rohan B., Plainview, NY, 40,956
6. Shrika A., Placentia, CA, 32,159
7. Hibba M., Pikeville, KY, 27,995
8. Alexus P., Apopka, FL, 27,131
9. Nguyen Quoc Dat, Hanoi, Vietnam, 26,870
10. Euphony Z., Chula Vista, CA, 26,157
11. Amir C., Jacksonville, AR, 25,798
12. Akshay B., Miramar, FL, 25,540
13. Gagandeep S., Mason, OH, 25,035
14. Ashley P., Chicago, IL, 24,588
15. Pallav K., Sun Prairie, WI, 24,542
16. Esra A., Naperville, IL, 24,306
17. FreAnna T., Spokane, WA, 23,932
18. Mohammad E., Silver Springs, MD, 23,484
19. Migara F., Canoga Park, CA, 22,354
20. Kartikeya G., Secaucus, NJ, 21,271 

5^th to 8^th grade

1. Hope A., Phoenixville, PA, 91,928
2. Hyuk Lee C., Cumming, GA, 88470
3. Samiksha K., Irvine, CA, 85,829
4. Shann T., Middleton Grange, NSW, 83,749
5. Shravan B., Wilmington, DE, 70115
6. Sanjana N., Denver, CO, 77,438
7. James W., Salt Lake City, UT, 53,923
8. Charlene C., Haverhill, FL, 47,420
9. Eliee C., Reseda, CA, 45,633
10. Jeeven S., South Barrington, IL, 42,652
11. Aliyah S., Marina, CA, 40,958
12. Seth P., Nacogodoches, TX, 38,670
13. Ife A., Phoenixville, PA, 38,402
14. Ramari C., Jacksonville, AR, 37,791
15. Raishawn C., Jacksonville, AR, 36,274
16. Ashman R., Ballwin, MO, 36,054
17. Shivani A., Westborough, MA, 35,919
18. Quinn D., East Wenatchee, WA, 34,779
19. Navdeep N., Westchester, IL, 33,304
20. Grace K., Sarasota, FL, 33,171 

9^th to 12^th grade

1. Sobhia N., Thompson, MB, Can, 70,028
2. Justin C., St. Louis, MO, 57,773
3. Alexis L., Lakewood, CA, 53,553
4. Michael M., McKees Hill, NSW, Aus, 50,719
5. Kai D., East Wenatchee, WA, 44,844
6. Kanak G., Mercer Island, WA, 41,836
7. Seerat K., Woodridge, IL, 30,453
8. Lala N., Thompson, MB, Can, 28,060
9. Aman N., Westchester, IL, 27,859
10. Yuki H., Minnetonka, MN, 23,983
11. Sophia Q., Andover, MA 23,562
12. Elizabeth M., Cayce, SC, 19,394
13. Caleb F., Newport News, VA, 17,872
14. Christopher J., West Des Moines, IA, 16,560
15. Ritvik K., Newport News, VA, 16,493
16. Vari P., Kansas City, MO, 15,968
17. Pan San R., Portland, OR, 15,415
18. Ali B., Marietta, GA, 14,706
19. Andrew L., Johnston, IA, 14,591
20. Dahkil J., Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 13,376

Summer Snapshot Contest

We loved seeing how students around the world practice on IXL over the summer through the photo submissions we received for the Summer Snapshot Contest. It was a difficult choice, but below are the three winners – they’ll each receive a $100 Visa gift card! To view all photo submissions, check out our Facebook page.

Julia, 1^st grade

Here is my daughter Julia staying sharp with her 1st grade math while camping at Hammonasset Beach. —Jana (Julia’s mother)

“I like working on IXL because it teaches me to never give up even though some questions are difficult, and it also lets me have fun with my awards.” —Julia

Kailey, 10 years old

Kailey is doing math on IXL at the flea market when she does not have any customers. At the age of 10,  she loves money; she saves most of the money that she makes from working at the flea market for her grandparents. IXL has helped her to stay mentally sharp in adding, subtracting, and multiplying, and comes in handy when working at flea market where cash register machines and calculators are not available. It helps her to add up total items being purchased and make changes to her customers correctly. Kailey especially enjoys and welcomes the challenge zones in the IXL questions. –Blai Spicer, Kailey’s mother

Janel Folland’s family

Here is a photo of three of my four children, and my nieces and nephew.  As a former teacher, I know how important it is for kids to keep up with their skills over the summer.  I monitor my four children and five of my nieces and nephews doing their IXL everyday.  Some days are easier than others!  This keeps me busy all morning!  Pictured are left to right in front: Isabelle Folland, Chris Folland; Second row left to right: Annabelle Folland, Ella Wieber, Matthew Rowell, Grace Rowell, Mickey the Black Lab and standing is myself Janel Folland.  Not pictured are Jett Wieber, Jack Folland and Blaise Wieber!  –Janel Folland

    

You’ve asked, and we’ve listened! We’re excited to introduce our newest feature, Suggested Skills. You can now communicate to students the specific skills you’d like them to work on with just a single click. Find out more about how this works!

To use the Suggested Skills feature, first make sure that you’re logged in. Then, simply click on the small star that appears to the left of the skill you want students to practice. The selected skill will immediately be starred and highlighted for your entire roster. To turn off the suggestion, simply click the star again.

Now, whether at home or in class, students will know which skills they should work on. Head to IXL to try Suggested Skills for yourself!

    

We’ve got brilliant news for our international friends—or should we say, mates: This week, we released IXL English for all of our international editions! Keep reading to learn more about how our new content brings English language arts to life for students around the world.

IXL English is available for years 3-7 in the U.K. and New Zealand, and in grades 2-6 for Australia, Canada, Europe, India, Ireland, Singapore, and South Africa. Skills are aligned to each country’s national curriculum and cover topics such as grammar, mechanics, vocabulary, writing, and reading—in the same rigorous, interactive, and engaging ways you’ve seen with IXL Math.

In addition, we consulted with experts to ensure that the content you’ll see in each international edition fits with that country’s cultural context and is aligned with local language conventions.

Check out a couple of fun examples of the localized skills below, then visit www.ixl.com/ela to try out some of the IXL English skills yourself!

I say “apartment,” you say “flat”:

Different countries, different wild animals…

    

September is National Literacy Month! To celebrate, here are some ways you can encourage a love of reading that extends far beyond this month. Read on for strategies to turn every child into a bookworm.

Give children autonomy

First and foremost, let your children choose the books they read. While there’s a time and place for assigned reading, kids should also be given ample opportunities to read the things they want to. It’s great to recommend specific books to your children and encourage them to tackle more challenging reads, but leave the ultimate decision up to them. Whether your children devour every book on space travel, horses, or soccer, reading is a great way for them to pursue their interests.

Furthermore, allow your kids to explore various reading levels, genres, and formats. Sometimes they’ll select books that fall short of our definition of “literature” or choose comic books, but that’s OK! The point is to develop a love of the written word, and that can come in many different forms.

Make reading a family priority

Your children will pick up on the value of books through your own actions. For young children, read aloud to them. Use rhythm and tone, as well as distinct voices for characters, to draw children into a story. With older kids, set aside time for your family to read independently in the same room and to have informal discussions about what each family member likes and dislikes in their current selections.

Most importantly, carve out time for pleasure reading. If you make reading a part of your daily routine, it will be easier for your children to do the same.

Create reading space

One of the simplest ways to encourage reading is to make sure your children always have access to plenty of reading material. You can set up a small library or reading nook with a variety of books that pique your kids’ interest. Make this space as inviting as possible so they want to spend time there—even a small bookshelf with a few seat cushions can create a safe haven to read.

Introduce new reading material

There’s something to be said for the power of novelty. Regularly introducing new books to your library can whet a young reader’s appetite. A tantalizing new book just might encourage your child to move up to a higher reading level. To keep things budget-friendly, take your children on trips to the local library or second-hand bookstore so they can pick out stories that catch their eye.

Do you have other ideas for developing lifelong readers? Share them in the comments below!

    

Find out what it takes to work in IXL technical support in our Q&A with Tom Cox! Plus, learn about the best support call he’s gotten, his childhood aspirations, and his surprisingly philosophical reflection on the type of donut he’d be.

The Basics

Name and title: Tom Cox, Technical Support Manager

Has been at IXL for: 7 years

Hometown and current city: Grew up in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. Currently lives in San Mateo, Calif.

Life at IXL

What did you do prior to coming to IXL?

Before I was hired here, when I was right out of college, I briefly worked doing manual labor in the Lagunitas Brewery in Petaluma, Calif. I would physically lift the cases of beer off the assembly line, and I’d put them on the pallets that they’d ship them in. I like to joke that I made sure the beer was “pallet-able.” [laughs]

What do you do at IXL? Give us a taste of what a typical day at work is like for you.

Well, a typical day in tech support involves a whole lot of phone calls and emails. We have a lot of customers who call in to ask about how to use the product, or if there’s some technical issue with their browser or their network. We answer a huge variety of questions, which makes it really interesting and means that I’ve still not heard every question that customers are ever going to ask us. Personally, my job is to help guide the rest of the team to answer the questions and find the best solutions for our customers.

What qualities does it take to do your job?

I think the most important thing is just being able to empathize. If you can put yourself in the customer’s shoes, you can better understand what they’re asking for. You can better understand the problem behind the question. You can truly care about giving good support and making them happy. It’s something that we can’t train you in. When we are hiring, that’s the number one thing we look for. When people can really establish a connection and show enthusiasm and be genuine about it, then we know that we have someone we can train to make a great support specialist.

What’s the best tech support call you’ve gotten?

Some of my favorite interactions are when, after we’ve answered a parent or teacher’s question, they write back with a quick thank-you, but then they’ll say, “By the way, we love IXL. It’s made everything so much better. Our kids are doing so much better, and they’re excited about math.” One teacher wrote in and talked about how her third graders would walk down the hallways, and they had a little IXL chant about how much they love it. Of all the things that I read, I think those little heart-warming tidbits are the ones that make me happy to do what I do.

Life beyond IXL

What do you like to do in your free time?

I read a lot, at least an hour or two every day. I just can’t get enough of books. I read mostly fiction, science fiction, fantasy, but also, a pretty wide variety, stuff that would be considered very literature-heavy, things like Cormac McCarthy. I also play video games, and like everybody else, I like hanging out with my friends.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I would say I probably wanted to be president of the United States and then an astronaut. And at some point, probably a dinosaur, but, you know, all of us trade in our dreams for something a little more practical. [laughs]

What’s your ideal vacation?

Any beach with beautiful clear water, a hammock, and zero responsibility. I’ve had several really relaxing vacations in my time, and the ones at the beach are always the best.

Just for Fun

If you were a donut, what kind would you be and why?

I would be a Devil’s food cake donut because I’ve been trying to find that donut ever since I learned of its existence, and nobody that claims they have it ever has it. So I would have to be that one, just because I don’t know what it is. Whoever knows what they are, right?

Who would play you in the movie of your life?

Bill Murray. I think he’s cool; he’s got a quirky sense of humor.

What would the movie be called?

“Oops.”

    

There’s one more week of National Literacy Month left, and fall will officially be here tomorrow, so what better way to usher in the new season than curling up with a good book? We’ve pulled together a selection of books, both new and old, that will delight readers from elementary to high school!

Children’s

Classics

1. Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola (1975)

Awarded a Caldecott Honor, this classic tale introduces Strega Nona, “Grandma Witch,” who supplies potions and cures in her small Italian town. Curiosity gets the best of Big Anthony, and he uses Strega Nona’s magic pasta pot without permission. The disastrous results are not only entertaining, but also demonstrate the importance of following directions.

2. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1943)

A timeless French story that’s just as enchanting in English! Saint-Exupéry reveals life’s truths in this tale of a little boy, his love for a flower, his friendship with a fox, and his travels across the universe. The whimsical illustrations and musings on strange adult behavior are perfect for children, while adults will appreciate the deeper meanings.

Recent Releases

1. This Is Sadie by Sara O’Leary and illustrated by Julie Morstad (2015)

This picture book centers around a feisty heroine who lives in the world of her imagination. Her endless adventures inspire creativity and exploration in the young and old alike.

2. Hoot Owl: Master of Disguise by Sean Taylor and illustrated by Jean Jullien (2015)

This humorous story, full of bold illustrations, follows Hoot Owl, the master of disguise, as he tries to trick his prey. For a rabbit, he’ll be a carrot! No matter that his targets always see through his disguises—he will prevail!

Middle Grade

Classics

1. The Farthest-Away Mountain by Lynne Reid Banks (1976)

In this fairy tale, a girl named Darkin has three goals: to visit the farthest-away mountain, to meet a gargoyle, and to marry a prince. Despite her fellow villagers’ doubts, she sets off on a journey to the mountain where she must use her wits to overcome obstacles. Darkin is a relatable heroine who makes mistakes, but is ultimately determined to follow her own path.

2. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (1996)

A Newberry Honor winner, The Thief is the story of Gen, a thief conscripted into retrieving an ancient treasure for the king. His devious actions and sarcastic, witty comebacks drive the story forward. And since Gen’s motivations remain murky, he’s a great introduction to unreliable narrators.

Recent Releases

1. Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty (2015)

This New York Times bestseller is a spooky mystery-thriller that follows a young girl who secretly lives in the basement of the Biltmore Estate. When children at the estate begin to disappear, Seraphina starts to investigate, but to follow the clues, she must head into the forbidden forest.

2. Wonder by RJ Palacio (2013)

Wonder is sure to hit home for any teen who’s ever felt out of place (and who hasn’t?). The main character, August, wants nothing more than to be ordinary. Unfortunately, August has a terrible facial abnormality, which keeps him from blending in. For the first time, he won’t be homeschooled and will instead attend a private school where he’ll learn to navigate the challenges of middle school.

Young Adult

Classics

1. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (1948)

Set in the 1930s, the eccentric Mortmain family occupies a ruined castle in England, which is much less romantic than it sounds. Told through the poignant and funny perspective of the younger daughter, Cassandra, the story chronicles her family’s adventures, as well as her first foray into love.

2. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954)

The dark, haunting nature of this classic makes it perfect for brooding teens. Young adults who loved The Hunger Games should be equally spellbound by the chilling depiction of marooned boys descending into savagery.

Recent Releases

1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2011)

This book is for teens who don’t want to put down the video games for a book. It’s set in a futuristic society where the majority of the world population spends most of its time escaping into the virtual reality of OASIS. Wade must use video game skills and ’80s pop culture knowledge to solve a puzzle with a multi-billion dollar prize.

2. Mosquitoland by David Arnold (2015)

Mosquitoland is perfect for fans of indie movies and quirky heroines. The main character, Mim, hops on a Greyhound bus to travel from her father’s home in Mississippi to her mother’s in Ohio when she learns her mother is sick. Her road trip takes a few unexpected turns, and along the way, she learns a few new things about herself too.

Which of these books have you read? Do you have any other suggestions?

    

It was the third Saturday of September, and the Indian summer had officially arrived in San Francisco. The thermometer read 85^oF when local dog rescues arrived at CitiPets Playground, a family-owned pet supply store, to set up for an adoption fair. They hoped to find forever homes for their loving rescued dogs who were getting a second chance at life.

We IXLers gathered around Copper’s Dream Rescue, a San Francisco Bay Area all-breed rescue saving dogs from shelters throughout California. Copper’s Dream was founded with the goal to help end the euthanasia of adoptable dogs in the U.S. The rescue works to increase public awareness, take legal action benefiting shelter animals, rescue dogs scheduled for euthanasia, and place them in permanent and loving homes.

After the canopy had been set up, the Copper’s Dream Rescue sign had been hung, and the puppy pads had been laid down, it was the moment we had all been waiting for—puppies! Among us 15 volunteers, we shared the responsibility for 10 dogs under the age of one. We learned their names, ages, and other information to share with families looking for a new best friend.

Throughout the day, a gathering of dog-lovers stopped by Copper’s Dream to meet and play with the dogs, hold them, receive big puppy kisses, ask us questions, and—we hoped—bring one home. By adopting just one dog from a rescue, one more space becomes available in a foster home for a shelter dog, and one more shelter space opens up for a homeless dog. Because of adoption events such as this one, Copper’s Dream has saved over 3,000 dogs. We all came away with the understanding that dogs don’t get to pick their owners or decide where they’ll end up, but people can help save their lives by adopting instead of shopping!

To learn about volunteer opportunities with Copper’s Dream Rescue or to find a furry friend to adopt, please visit www.coppersdream.org.

By Tatum Radcliffe, Operations Coordinator

    

If you’ve visited one of our booths at a conference or event, you’ve probably met our Tradeshow Manager, Suzi! In this Q&A, Suzi shares her passion for crafting, her background as a teacher, where she would travel in time, and more!

The Basics

Name and title: Suzi Streppone, Tradeshow Manager

Has been at IXL for: 3 years

Hometown and current city: Born and raised on Long Island, N.Y. Currently lives in Tampa, Fla.

Life at IXL 

What did you do prior to coming to IXL?

I was a classroom teacher for 10 years. I mostly taught 3^rd grade, but I also taught 1^st grade for 2 years. Then I got this amazing opportunity with a start-up company, where we taught teachers how to teach math. I was the elementary school specialist and also the technology specialist. There were a lot of different, really cool ways that I was still in the classroom with the teachers. While I was working there I also got my master’s degree in Education and Technology Integration.

What do you do at IXL? Give us a taste of what a typical day at work is like for you.

I don’t have a typical day; I definitely don’t. Every day is different. I like variety. I thrive on it. I am in charge of researching and planning all of the tradeshows and events that we do. When I go to the shows, I usually fly up, check in, and then I set up the booth and work the show. [see photo, left] I always laugh because I’m in my sweatpants and baseball hat on Day 1, and on Day 2, I’m all dressed up! I stay at the booth all day to talk to the teachers. A lot of them come up with questions about their classrooms, and my background really helps me answer them because I not only worked in the classroom myself, but I also worked in hundreds of other teachers’ classrooms.

What skills/qualities does it take to do your job?

Energy. I have a lot of energy, and you need a lot of it to do this job. I’m a big-time people-person; I’m a talker. I love to talk about education and I love to talk about IXL in education, so when I’m at a show talking to teachers, I just love the conversations we have.

Life beyond IXL

What do you like to do in your free time?

I’m a crafter—I love doing craft projects. I have this cutting machine called the Cricut, and I’ve been spending a ton of money on paper; it’s my newest hobby. I also do a lot of video editing and Photoshop work. We have a tradition in my family where my three sisters and I make each other Christmas gifts every year—this coming Christmas will be our 16^th year doing this. It has become a competition of who can outdo the others. One year, I actually made my sisters into Barbie dolls. I’ve also made a personalized Monopoly game called “StrepponeOpoly.” [see photo, left] We call it Make-a-Gift, and as creative as we are, we have the most uncreative name, which is kind of funny!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I always wanted to be a teacher. I was 7 years old—I remember the day I woke up and decided I wanted to be a teacher. And I never veered from that except for a short period of time in high school where I thought I was going to be a fashion designer.

What’s your favorite:

Source: http://theleagueofheroes.yuku.com

• Food: My mother’s cooking. Hands down. My mother makes the best stuffed shells, eggplant parmesan, and sauce and meatballs. It is my grandmother’s recipe on the Italian side, and I would choose my mother’s cooking any day of the week.
• Movie: I’m a huge, huge Star Wars fan. But I’m a Star Wars purist. I am all about Episodes IV, V, and VI. I’m very much looking forward to Episode VII. I will be dressing up. My sister is going as Luke, so I’m going to go as Leia, but I don’t want to go as “buns” Leia; I’m going to go as Hoth Leia [see photo, right]. So I’m working on that costume.
• Subject in school: In the 9^th grade, I took a computer course and learned BASIC [an early programming language]. I was the only girl in the class and I loved it. And I think that’s where my love for technology began.

Just for Fun

If you could have any superhero power, what would it be, and would you use it for good or evil?

As far as superheroes go, I definitely relate to Wonder Woman, and yes, I would love to have her Truth Lasso. Of course, I’d use my powers for good.

You invented a time machine! Where and when do you travel to first?

I just want to go back to my thirties! My thirties were awesome!

Interesting in joining the IXL marketing team? We’re currently hiring an Email Marketing Manager and a Growth Marketing Associate. Apply here!

    

We’re excited to share a guest blog post by teacher Chris Mangan, who has integrated IXL into his flipped, data-driven classroom. He shares his strategies for ensuring that students at all levels can learn at their own pace and get the help they need, when they need it.

By Dr. Christopher Mangan, 5th grade teacher, Cetronia Elementary School

I have created a hybrid, inclusive, and self-paced math class using IXL, where my students do not move to the next math lesson unless they have mastered that particular skill on IXL. Using IXL in this way has completely transformed the way I teach, and my students continue to love math! 

Differentiating students through a self-paced classroom

Students are instructed through interactive screencasts I have created. I make my videos interactive, and instruct students to write down notes and work through problems with me. Then, students move on to the corresponding IXL activity and try to obtain a SmartScore that demonstrates mastery in that particular skill. After they master the skill, they move on to the next lesson. Some students need to complete 20 IXL problems to obtain mastery and others might need 50 or more, but the important part is that they master the skill.

Since students are working at their own pace, we often span about five to six chapters at any given time. I have some students finish as early as March and receive enrichment the rest of the year, while other students take the whole year to finish the math series. Without IXL, I would not be able to provide students the opportunity to learn at their own pace.

Using data to pinpoint individual student needs

Planning for a self-paced math class is very different than planning for a traditional class. I do not spend time creating engaging lessons for whole group instruction; rather, I plan my lessons by looking at data given to me through IXL. I also use one-on-one or small group instruction instead of whole class instruction. Every morning, I look at the Recent Skills report to see which students are struggling. Then, if I see a student struggling on a certain skill, I will make a note of it to work with that particular student at the beginning of math class. I will often have more than one student who is struggling, so I meet with the most intensive student first and make my way through the others. I like designing my instruction this way because I am working with students solely based upon data, and not because it is just the “next” math lesson.

Encouraging peer teaching

Peer teaching is something I strongly encourage students to do during math as they can often relate to each other so well. Often, when I get to students that are struggling, they have already mastered the skill because they might have asked a peer or re-watched the instructional video. After I have met with the struggling students I will then walk around to look at students’ IXL screens to see if the data is showing they are struggling, and help them if needed.

Dr. Mangan is a 5th grade teacher at Cetronia Elementary School in Allentown, Pa. He received his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Clearwater Christian College, his master’s degree from Wilkes University in classroom technology, and his doctorate in education technology management from Northcentral University. He has a passion for using high quality technology in the classroom and seeing how it impacts students. When he is not teaching, he loves spending time with his family: his wife, Trisha, and two daughters, Cierra and Connor.

    

As the days get shorter, it’s getting harder to spend after-school hours outside. But that doesn’t mean you have to hunker down for a long winter! Use the autumn season to bring nature inside the classroom and cultivate your students’ imagination and curiosity.

Being in nature has often been linked to feeling awe, which in turn, is linked to numerous cognitive benefits, such as being more generous, feeling more creative, lowering stress levels, and even boosting your immune system. What better traits to help your students develop? And the great thing about awe is that you don’t need to visit the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls to inspire it; researchers have found feelings of awe are common in everyday life.

We’ve gathered some ideas of how you can bring nature into the classroom this fall and inspire your students to look more carefully at the world around them.

1. Gather nature items like acorns, pinecones, pumpkin seeds, or mini pumpkins or squashes to bring to the classroom. Students can sort the items to practice counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. This hands-on activity helps students visualize mathematical operations, and the tactile aspect engages curious learners and provides an outlet for their energy.

2. Encourage the artistic side of your students while developing their problem-solving and pattern-recognition abilities. Give each of your students a mix of pumpkin and sunflower seeds, sturdy paper, and glue. Instruct them to create a pattern-based mosaic, whether it be stripes, chevrons, or circles. Then see where their imagination takes them!

3. Take advantage of the fall harvest to conduct some science experiments with apples or pumpkins. Develop a hypothesis, and then test which household acid or base best preserves apples. Or, introduce simple chemical reactions by creating a pumpkin volcano.

4. Bring a collection of leaves, both green and colorful, into the classroom. Then ask students to give their best explanations for why leaves change color in the fall. (You can find a simple explanation here.) You can also conduct a simple chromatography experiment to predict what color leaves will turn.

5. Introduce your students to dissection by having them investigate the inner workings of leaves, pumpkins, and squashes. Students can compare different types of leaves, as well as leaves in different states of changing color. If you’re willing to deal with a bit more mess, cut open a pumpkin or squash and have students identify the different parts of the vegetables.

Do you have other fall-themed activities you do with your class?

    

On Sunday, October 4, a group of IXLers came out to support the Millbrae Education Foundation’s (MEF) Walk-A-Thon event. For the first time, all five MEF schools walked together in one location, and IXL volunteers were on hand to support the students as they participated in this fun-filled, family event.

MEF is a non-profit group that supports all five of Millbrae’s public schools. Its 100 percent volunteer staff is comprised of parents who contribute their time and energy for the 2,500 diverse students in the district. MEF donations enable the district to hire staff and support programs necessary for a 21^st-century education—programs like technology and music. In fact, two of the schools in the district currently use IXL to enhance classroom learning. Without the support of MEF, many programs like IXL would be cut.

The warm fall weather was a perfect backdrop for the families and children that assembled at Taylor Middle School Field to take part in the walk-a-thon. The walk consisted of three groups: K–2^nd grade, 3^rd–5^th grade, and 6^th–8^th grade. Mills High School brought their cheerleading squad to encourage the children who were participating, and a DJ played fun music to keep the energy high. Along with many community and business booths and activities, lunch and T-shirts were provided. There was even a Hawaiian shaved ice vendor on-site to ensure the kids had a cool treat after they finished their walk.

IXL supported the day with a staff of 13 volunteers who helped with a variety of tasks, including manning the registration and sales/raffle booth, counting donations, coordinating lunches for volunteers, and cheering the children on as they walked. The day was a huge success—according to our very own Karen Bettucchi [pictured below, at right], Director of Customer Support and MEF Past President, “MEF reached 81 percent of our $200,000 goal on Sunday, with a donation total of $162,000. This puts MEF at almost 40 percent of our annual goal of $400,000. Thank you, IXL volunteers, for helping to make this event so fun and successful!”

By Charla Rodney, Human Resource Manager

    

Science has joined the expanding family of IXL subjects! Available for grades 2–5, IXL engages students’ innate curiosity about topics in physical science, life science, and Earth science. As always, our skills are aligned to state and the Next Generation Science Standards and include a variety of interactive question types that captivate students. Read on to find out more about IXL science and see examples of our new skills!

IXL brings science to life through interactive diagrams and illustrative photos, so students can perfectly visualize the concepts they’re studying. As students progress through skills, they’ll discover new facts, both through the questions themselves and through additional explanations that encourage learning for its own sake. Our content goes deeper than rote memorization, which is why students will develop their critical thinking and other cross-disciplinary abilities as they learn science.

Also new: each science skill presents students with a different challenge, such as answering a streak of questions correctly or collecting a certain number of tokens by learning facts. They’ll always know how close they are to reaching that goal, motivating them to keep practicing until they conquer the challenge.

There are so many exciting skills to explore, but here are a few of our favorites!

Force, mass, and motion

Through real-life examples, students learn the mechanics of how the world works and are challenged to apply logic and reasoning to solve problems. Our content is always grade-appropriate, but we also introduce students to important concepts early on—that way, students will have the foundational knowledge they need to succeed when they learn the topic as a whole.

Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement

Certain facts, like the difference between inherited and acquired traits, do require memorization, but we take students a step further by challenging them to choose supporting evidence for their answer. The logic and reasoning students learn are skills that they can take with them long after they finish school.

Compare fossils to modern organisms

Using photos and background information, students answer questions based on evidence and reasoning skills, rather than their prior knowledge.

Construct animal life cycle diagrams

Explore brand-new interaction types that debuted with IXL science! Students learn about the animal kingdom and the circle of life as they complete animal life cycles.

Head to IXL to try out these new skills for yourself! You can add science to your membership here or start a classroom trial here.

    

History comes to life on IXL! Available for grades 2–5, IXL Social Studies helps students delve into U.S. history, geography, civics, economics, cultural celebrations, and more. New interactive question types and motivating challenges will keep students coming back for more. Read on to learn more about IXL social studies and view some of our new skills!

IXL challenges students to think critically as they evaluate primary sources and draw connections between historical events and other subjects. Compelling historical narratives engage students with history and the real people who lived then, helping them to look beyond facts and dates. And, as students progress through skills, they’ll discover new facts, both through the questions themselves and through additional information that encourages learning for its own sake.

Each IXL social studies skill motivates students with one of three types of challenges, such as correctly answering a streak of questions in a row, getting a certain percentage of questions right, or collecting tokens for learning facts. They’ll see a visual representation of where they are in the challenge, encouraging them to keep working toward mastery.

Here’s a snapshot of some of our favorite skills, but be sure to head to the skills page to try them all!

Jackie Robinson

We challenge students to examine history in all of its complexity, even while keeping skills age-appropriate. As students learn about historical figures, they not only consider the impact of that individual, but also the ways in which other cultural and political factors had an effect on society.

The American Revolution: struggle for independence

Using primary sources, students analyze the multiple causes and effects of historical events. There’s always more than one side to any story; our content pushes students to consider the past from a variety of perspectives.

Identify state capitals of the West

IXL makes learning the states and their capitals fun and interactive as students collect tokens for every right answer to master the skill. Not to mention, it’s much easier to learn and practice identifying states and capitals on IXL than it is on paper!

Use a letter-number grid

With appealing visuals and brand-new interaction types, students will learn to read maps and develop their spatial relations knowledge.

You can try these skills and more for yourself here. And if you’d like to add IXL social studies to your membership, go here or start a classroom trial here.

    

We all know from experience that teachers have eyes in the back of their heads, and now, IXL Analytics makes that supersight work even when teachers are out of the classroom! Whether you’re looking to make sure students have completed assigned work or are on task, IXL Analytics makes it possible for you to be everywhere at once.

Real-Time Center

We’ve heard from many of you that you love the new Real-Time Center, and we’re thrilled to hear about the creative ways you’re using it in your classrooms! But did you know that you can also use the Real-Time Center outside of class? Whether for evening study sessions or days your class has a substitute teacher, the Real-Time Center can give you a window into your students’ practice on IXL and enable you to check in on their progress.

Students Quickview

The Students Quickview will give you insight into your students’ practice sessions so you can see what’s happening outside of class time. With this report, easily monitor your whole class’s practice at a glance: see practice split by home versus school use and when students last practiced. This makes it easy to hold students accountable for assigned work and even to determine whether a student hit a trouble spot or just needs encouragement to sign in more often.

How have you been using Analytics in your classroom? Share your ideas below!

    

How many diverse languages do the students in your class speak? The population of English language learners (ELLs) has been steadily growing, so chances are you’ve had at least one ELL in your class. In fact, according to the most recent U.S. Department of Education data, an estimated 9 percent of public school students are ELLs, and in some states, that percentage is over 22 percent. ELLs face the two-fold challenge of learning not only the academic content of their classes, but also the language of instruction, so we’re sharing some teaching strategies to help this growing segment of U.S. students.

1. Be patient

Though ELL students often acquire conversational English relatively quickly, it’s a much slower journey for academic English. In fact, it’s estimated that ELL students need between four and seven years to reach academic English proficiency. However, forcing ELLs to speak only English at school or home doesn’t speed this process up—research demonstrates that by developing their native language, ELLs are better able to transfer concepts from their first language to their study of English.

2. Value linguistic diversity

While you’ll never learn all 6,000 of the world’s languages, you can learn and pronounce your students’ names correctly—it will make your students feel respected and valued. Likewise, learn your students’ countries of origin, and even better, research their home countries, cultures, and languages. By thinking of cultural and linguistic differences as resources and learning opportunities rather than obstacles, you’ll create a welcoming environment where your students won’t worry about taking risks as they develop their English skills.

3. Leverage background knowledge

Although ELL students aren’t fluent in English, they still bring valuable skills and knowledge to your classroom. Assess their educational background: find out if and where they’ve attended school and if they’re literate in their home language. This sets you up to better support them, and if they are literate in their native language, encourage them to keep reading in it! Research shows that literacy in a student’s native language helps scaffold English literacy. Similarly, if ELLs aren’t able to answer a written task in English, have them answer in their native language instead. Even if you can’t understand their response, it allows them to participate while practicing valuable academic skills.

4. Provide visual support

A lot of communication in the classroom is verbal, but for ELL students, providing visual support is important. When giving instructions, make sure you also provide a written summary, whether on the board or in a handout. Supplement your presentations and lectures with visual aids, and vary your medium of instruction: oral, written, videos, teacher demonstrations, and student demonstrations. Create strategic bulletin boards with words of the day or high-frequency word lists, and provide your students with graphic organizers to take structured notes. ELLs aren’t the only ones who will benefit from these methods—so will mainstream students.

5. Model comprehensible language

ELL students need to be exposed to complex language, but without scaffolding, ELLs are more likely to sink than swim. Luckily, just being aware of your language and speech patterns will help your students. Speak slowly and clearly, and avoid idioms. Use shorter sentences and simple tenses when possible. Give examples of what you want students to do and model the academic language you want students to use. Rephrase your instructions multiple ways and use synonyms, gestures, and demonstrations so students have more than one chance to catch your meaning.

6. Create groups with purpose

Just as with mainstream students, purposeful pairing with ELL students helps them get the most out of group work. Give your ELLs chances to practice their language skills with peers of varying English proficiency. Working together allows ELLs to support each other while English proficient students can model language and provide personalized feedback. And don’t forget to allow group work between speakers of the same language! If you pair ELLs with bilingual students, they’ll have an opportunity to clarify questions about the lesson in their native language.

Are there any strategies you’d add? How do you help ELLs succeed in your classroom?