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Redbird Math Teacher Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Find answers to common questions about Redbird Language Arts Writing.

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What is Redbird Mathematics?

Originally developed at Stanford University and grounded in more than 25 years of research in adaptive learning technology, Redbird Mathematics is an all-digital personalized learning program designed to supplement instruction and proven to accelerate learning for all students from remedial to advanced.

Redbird Mathematics will:  

  • Deliver just the right level and amount of instruction and practice to propel learning forward .
  • Use STEM connections to show students why algebra readiness matters and connect math to the real world.
  • Identify and close algebra readiness gaps, without requiring additional whole class instructional time.
  • Generate real-time data to help educators make insightful, actionable decisions about every student’s progress towards algebra readiness.

 

Will my students be in very different places in the Redbird Mathematics curriculum? How can I control that and how does it impact my instructional goals?

When students begin Redbird Mathematics they can start at one of 16 points in the curriculum, at the beginning or middle of a grade level K-7. The Course Placement Activity can automatically place students, or the educator can choose student placement. Because the program personalizes for each student by adapting based on student input, no two students will have identical pathways through the content. The goal of Redbird Mathematics is to do what is so very difficult for a single teacher to do—provide a personalized learning environment for each student with real-time responses to student input. An educator’s instructional goals may remain the same as always, with the benefit of having data from Redbird Mathematics to inform small group or whole class instruction. Or an educator may choose to move to a student-centered model, allowing each student to move through goals at their own pace. In either case Redbird Math is designed to be one of the tools that a teacher employs to reach goals.

 

How much time should I plan for students to use the program to optimize Redbird Mathematics benefits?

There are 44 lessons per grade level, so to complete a grade level in a school year, we recommend investing 60-90 minutes per week for most of the year. Students who have gaps in their foundations may need more time to get through a year’s worth of content, students who learn efficiently may need less time to get through a year’s worth of content. There are a variety of implementation models that educators have employed to provide this time for students to benefit from Redbird Mathematics while continuing other mathematics instruction.

 

What technology is required to access Redbird Mathematics?

Redbird Mathematics can be accessed anywhere, at any time, as long as users have a device and an internet connection. View the McGraw Hill System Requirements article for a detailed list of requirements. For a list of domains to properly access the Redbird Digital Curriculum, take a look at the Redbird Whitelist Information article.

 

What mathematics does Redbird Mathematics address?

Redbird Mathematics focuses on the mathematics for grades K-7 that are the critical foundations for success in Algebra 1 based on research done by the National Mathematics Panel. It also aligns to 100% of the major clusters in the Common Core Mathematics standards.

 

How does Redbird Mathematics engage its learners?

There are a variety of features built into Redbird that engage learners. Research shows that one of the most impactful features is immediate responsiveness and adaptivity to personalize the material for the students. They see immediately what they understand and what they haven’t learned yet, and they have help, hints, and feedback to support them along the way.

Other features that engage students include STEM themes for every unit, starting with a unit introduction that shows how the math they are going to learn is used in STEM careers; STEM projects; a large variety of response interactions; virtual manipulatives; and games that reinforce concepts and provide skills practice.

 

What are the STEM projects like? Why are they part of Redbird Mathematics?

STEM projects are opportunities for students to synthesize their mathematics understandings while solving the kinds of challenges that STEM professionals work on every day. Students use tools to simulate, code, or design solutions. During this work students transfer their learnings to new contexts. STEM projects have four parts— Introduction, Math Tasks, Solution Creation, and Concluding Activities. STEM projects are part of Redbird Mathematics for many reasons—they allow for the synthesis and transfer step in mathematics learning, they inspire students to think about how they might use mathematics in their own career in the future, and they engage students in challenging, and fun STEM experiences.

 

What implementation models are best for Redbird Mathematics?

Redbird Mathematics has been used effectively in a wide variety of implementation models. These include variations of Lab Rotations, Station Rotations, Flex, Homework, and more. Redbird Implementation Specialists can consult with you to determine what implementation model would work best for your situation.

 

What data can administrators and teachers access?  

Teachers and administrators have access to usage and performance data for students, classes, and schools. The Snapshot Report provides access to each student’s unique learning pathway, including a video recording of every keystroke the student makes to allow teachers to conference with students about how to optimize their use of the learning supports.

We strongly encourage you to retrieve your student data via the Snapshot Report when you conclude use of the program. After your subscription ends, data will be deleted in accordance with our data retention policy. You can find further information about our privacy practices in the McGraw Hill Privacy Center.

 

Is the seat/license lost if a student moves? How is the seat/license managed?

No, you will not lose the seat/license. All you need to do is remove the student that moved from your class. Then you may add a new student to replace the previous student’s license.

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