This month we’re featuring Catherine Romero, a Nationally Board Certified Teacher with 20 years of experience. She teaches at Central Elementary, part of the Belen Consolidated Schools, which has been using Wowzers since early 2015.

In Catherine’s fourth grade class, students use Wowzers on Windows desktops, iPads, and Mac laptops several times per week, in 30- to 45-minute segments. Here’s what she has to say about Wowzers:

Currently we are on multiplication and about five students really understand the concept and have their multiplication facts memorized. I love that they can go on in the Wowzers program without waiting for others. Oftentimes they are on my classroom computers while I’m working one-on-one with students that need more individual help.

My students last year showed great improvement in math, but honestly, I think Wowzers helps with reading comprehension skills too. Students read or follow along a lot with the program, but it’s in a fun way and they don’t even realize the amount of reading they’ve actually accomplished in a session.

I just love Wowzers. It’s like having another 23 math teachers in class!

Catherine’s Teacher Tip:

Know your students. Some students need to be advanced through sections or they lose motivation and get bored. I require each student to keep a math journal that they often refer to.  The journal shows their work so I can see how they are solving problems and their notes are a good reference for them.

Central Elementary’s principal, Emily Sisk-Layman, fully supports Catherine’s enthusiasm for Wowzers as well. She reports:

From what Ms. Romero has shown me, I see that her students are engaged in the program and are working on very specific skills. She has shared with me very informative data reports on her students’ progress on those skills. She has shown me how she can provide feedback in the constructive response format on student tasks.

I would recommend the program to the schools simply for the fact that I see that students are highly engaged in using the program and are involved in tracking their progress.

We love hearing from teachers and administrators who are using Wowzers in innovative and creative ways!