[Teacher Tips] Educators Share Exact Path Engagement Best Practices

It’s the dawn of a new school semester, which means, as your students settle back into their school day routine, you may find there is a need to reignite that motivational spark you managed to fan into a flame last semester.

At Edmentum, we understand the importance of capturing students’ enthusiasm when it comes to learning, and how encouragement can empower a student’s academic journey. That’s why our K–12, assessment-driven, individualized learning program, Exact Path, is designed to not only tailor learning to each student’s academic goals but also do so in a way that builds your students’ skill competency at their own pace so that they stay motivated as they progress.

In our recent Exact Path Skills Challenge, we encouraged students from schools across the nation to master as many skills as they could in five weeks. All in all, students mastered hundreds of thousands of skills, students made learning path progress, and we learned more about the unique ways that teachers are motivating their students using Exact Path. We asked teachers from a few of the top-performing schools who mastered the most skills throughout the contest for tips on encouraging their students while using the program and found out some of the creative ways they make Exact Path fun all year round. See what they had to share:

Which Exact Path features do you like using most in your classes?

“We love to use the Exact Path learning path with our students, especially in that blended learning atmosphere because, when they take their [diagnostic assessment] at the beginning of the year, they're not overwhelmed with the work. It starts them off with confidence, and they start to feel very good about themselves.”

—Kevin Meadows, lead instructor at the Tennessee Volunteer ChalleNGe Academy
 High School Exact Path Skills Challenge Winner

“I like that each student has a learning path at their own skill level. I can customize the path to include their main Courseware content to enhance the learning and retention of skills.”

              —Kim S., high school teacher in Texas

“I really like Challenges because that motivates my students to get started, and then they continue to their learning path once they finish a Challenge.”

              —Donna H., 4th grade teacher in Georgia

How do you motivate your students to earn Trophies and master skills, whether it’s for a classroom contest or our recent Skills Challenge?

“We ran a class weekly challenge for four weeks. I printed the [Exact Path Trophy] certificates in color and presented them at [our] morning meeting in a page protector. I also gave fun water bottle stickers for each Trophy. We used Trophies instead of time to keep students focused.”

              —Kerry F., 4th grade teacher in South Carolina

“When students complete their Exact Path skills, they can have 15 minutes free computer time.”

—Mary L., special education teacher in Kentucky

“I made a class chart with 100 Trophies and a second chart with each student's name and four Trophies. Each student has an individual goal, as well as a combined class goal, to earn a game/movie day.”

              —Kim S., high school teacher in Texas

“One of the students’ main sources of motivation is that they want to earn their Exact Path Trophies. I have a plan in place where for every three Trophies a student earns on their math learning path, they can go to the class Trophy Box.”

—Kandy Arena, special education teacher at Collegiate Academy at Weis
 Middle School Exact Path Skills Challenge Winner

Tell us about your unique Exact Path implementation. How do you and your students use Exact Path in the classroom throughout the school year?

“My 3rd graders use it during centers and small groups. The students are self-motivated; they actually like to get on Exact Path during any spare time that they have. They have printed Trophy pictures out on the wall, and the students color them in as they're mastering skills and working though the Progress Check list.”

              —Kristi Hildreth, reading specialist at Red Level Elementary in Alabama
               Elementary School Exact Path Skills Challenge Winner

“As part of our morning work routine, students must complete a whole lesson each day—Monday, reading; Tuesday, math; Wednesday, language arts; Thursday, reading; and Friday, math.”

              —Mary L., special education teacher in Kentucky

“After students have completed their daily goals in Courseware, they work on Exact Path to increase their math skills and earn Trophies.”

              —Kim S., high school teacher in Texas

Inspired to try out some new engagement strategies with Exact Path in your classroom? Download your FREE copies of our Exact Path student and class trackers today.