We love to hear from teachers who are using Wowzers in their classrooms. Today, we will be featuring Rita Minster, a veteran teacher of sixteen years who has been using Wowzers for three years! Currently, she teaches a classroom of fifth-graders at McCollam Elementary in the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District of San Jose, California.

Minster’s classroom uses Wowzers supplementally on computer carts that are rotated within each classroom, but that’s not enough for her students, who often beg to stay inside during recess to continue working on Wowzers. She reports that they even log on to Wowzers at home and on their phones without prompting. Perhaps one of the reasons her students love it so much is because she uses the built-in reward system to reinforce good behavior in class. Her students certainly have no complaints about the practice, as she has heard one of them exclaim, “OMG, I have 15 Wowzers coins!” after a particularly good day.

We asked what specifically about Wowzers has resonated so well with Minster’s students, and she credits several key factors. Her students enjoy exploring the virtual world of Wowzers with their custom avatars, and the lessons are straightforward and direct. The instant feedback and kid-friendly language means that students never feel like they’re working too hard and can learn without the fear of failing. Even when they get something wrong, they’re simply nudged back on the right track and receive re-teaching when needed.

Minster works especially hard to make sure Wowzers is individualized for each student. She keeps a close eye on her students’ progress in Wowzers and every two weeks, she readjusts each student’s learning path. Every time she’s had a question about the program, she’s been able to immediately reach the Wowzers staff through phone calls and chat. Her approach is undoubtedly working, based on the reaction of her students. Or, as she’s heard them say, “I can’t wait for tomorrow for Wowzers!”

Want to learn more?