Snowstorms are in full force, and so are snow days! While it’s important for everyone to stay safe and off the roads, the interruptions to the regular school schedule can make keeping on track with learning a little more challenging. Thankfully, IXL Training Specialist Bobbi Bear is here to the rescue with ideas for both teachers and parents on how to make the best of school closures!
As a teacher, you can…
1) Devise a plan with students letting them know to expect an announcement on their class’s course page in the learning management system of choice (e.g., Schoology, Google Classroom). The announcement will tell them which IXL skills should be completed at home. [See example 1]
Example 1
Example 2
2) Plan early for snow days by using one of IXL’s skill alignment checklists, which provide students with a list of skills to be practiced at home in the event of a snow cancellation. You can find these checklists under the “Resources” tab of the IXL Community page. [See example 2 and download the template here.]
Example 3a
3) Challenge students to use the Progress report from the student Analytics tab to identify their current weaknesses and improve on them. [See example 3a] From the teacher Analytics Dashboard, establish a goal for the number of questions your classes should answer. Make the contest fun by providing a simple award or prize to students if the goal is achieved. [See example 3b]
Example 3b
Example 4
4) Assign K–12 students snow day skills to practice that are focused on the core math fluencies. [See example 4]
Example 5
5) Encourage students to review skills on snow days by having them revisit skills where they achieved a SmartScore of 90 or higher earlier in the year. Consistently returning to skills from the beginning of the year will help cement students’ confidence and lay a more solid foundation to tackle new concepts during the second part of the school year. [See example 5]
As a parent, you can…
Example 6
1) Sign into your child’s IXL account to view his or her progress under the Analytics tab. [See example 3a] After discussing any areas of weakness, you can encourage your child to work towards a higher SmartScore.
2) Turn IXL skill practice into a competition with kid-friendly rewards and incentives. [See example 6 and download the template here.]
