Smartick Method has been available in the U.S.A for over a year now, so we thought we’d celebrate by talking to some of our families and sharing their experiences with you. Smartick is an online learning method, but our team makes sure communication with parents is smooth, via phone, chat or email. We’re always working to improve the platform, so we appreciate the feedback, and we take every comment seriously. We work tirelessly to achieve our aim of helping children overcome math anxiety.
Bill and his kids, Chloe and William (both 6), have been with us from the beginning and have been using the platform consistently ever since. They are true Smartick champions and rarely miss a session. Bill happily told us about how his kids enjoy math at school and certainly feel no anxiety when it comes to math class. He was also proud to share some of the results they received during their most recent math evaluation. He attributes this success to their dedication to Smartick, and we couldn’t be happier!
How did you hear about Smartick?
We learned about Smartick through Professor Barbara Oakley and her newsletter.
How hard (or easy) was it to start using Smartick?
Initially, the kids were excited to do it, especially when we first started. After the first few weeks they needed some encouragement as the sessions became more difficult, but as it became part of their daily routine they began to remind us that they needed to complete their session.
Do you think it helps that Smartick is based on short daily sessions of 15 minutes?
The length of each session is convenient because it can be done at any time and easily fits into our busy schedule. It also means that when a session is difficult for them to complete independently we have the ability to dedicate that time to help them.
How would you say your children have improved since they began doing their math with our program?
They talk more about numbers and have an overall better number sense than before they started. We began the program early on when they were five, so it’s hard to gauge improvement because they were doing basic counting and addition when we started. They regularly perform very well on their math assessments in school which I attribute to daily Smartick sessions, which has given them the confidence to do well and prevent math anxiety.
Examples of Chloe’s and William’s math assessment in school 🙂
Do they complete their daily sessions by themselves?
Most days they are able to complete their session with minimal to no help. The first few days of learning a new concept may require us to sit with them to help them grasp it.
What’s their favorite part? And yours?
They have a sense of achievement when they earn their diplomas along with spending the ticks they earn daily. They enjoy the games and Virtual World. Our favorite part of Smartick is it’s something they can do daily and the difficulty scales up or down based on their understanding of the concept. They are able to complete their math assignments in school with confidence and we attribute that to Smartick. It’s also nice to see the self-discipline they have in completing their session and the pride they take in their accomplishments. The near-real-time feedback on their progress and what they need to focus on is a great feature.
Do you see any differences in their performance/ how they approach the program?
When they approach the program excited about the lesson the results are usually higher compared to when they are trying to finish quickly. One of the largest struggles some days is for them to be engaged, which is mainly why we decided to start doing the sessions first thing in the morning before school as opposed to the last thing in the day.
Do they enjoy the virtual world?
They do enjoy earning the ticks and shopping to decorate their room and avatar, they also enjoy playing games and competing with others online.
There are many math programs in the US, and many of them are cheaper than Smartick. How would you explain the extra value that we offer?
The largest value we feel is how the system adapts to the child’s grasp of the concepts. This is an advantage over paper-based methods which require someone to ensure the concept is understood. The tutorials are also very helpful in solidifying the concepts through examples applying them.
Why did you think it was worth using an extracurricular math program like us?
Having a solid foundation in math opens up many more opportunities for children in the long term.
Do they have a special time to do it?
We generally try to work on Smartick before school or right after, to be consistent. Before is ideal, because they are often eager to do the session due to being well rested.
Do you give them any extra incentives besides the ticks and virtual world?
Initially, while we were learning how ticks were awarded we established goals, and when achieved them they could get a small toy or go out to dinner. As time went on we transitioned from tick based goals to goals centered around consecutive day streaks. We strive to achieve 30 days of Smartick without missing a session; when we reach the 30th consecutive day we’ll do an activity as a family. We’ve replaced the toy with an experience. (Go to the zoo, etc..)
Are you conscious of the math anxiety problem many children face as they grow?
Yes, this is one of the main reasons we decided to subscribe to Smartick. Alleviating this stress while allowing them to focus on learning is one of the main goals.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Bill!!
Learn More:
- Smartick, the Right Math Incentive
- Make Math Practice Fun with Smartick
- Smartick Helping Families and Children with Special Education Needs
- Homeschooling with Smartick Method
- Back to School, Welcome to Smartick Method!
- Raising Math Scores: Smartick Method - 04/06/2018
- Give Your Child A World Class Math Education - 03/30/2018
- Kids with Special Needs and Smartick Method - 03/21/2018
hi
i want to subscribe to smartick mathematics for my kids age 7 and age 10 please help me i need it so badly for my kids
Hi Aletta,
My colleagues from client support will get in touch with you to help you out with the registration process.
Thanks