David Lockett, a Grade 4 teacher in Tennessee, first found Reflex in an online search while he was looking for a way for students to become fluent with their math facts. “I recognized that basic fact fluency was an area of weakness for my students.” Right away he “loved how much adaptivity and individualization” that Reflex gave his students. He also liked “how Reflex continuously monitors each student’s performance so that it focuses on the individual needs of every student” and helps him keep parents informed on student progress. And his students liked how Reflex “was game-based, motivated them, and made the learning process fun.”
He uses Reflex in his classroom on iPads. “Students are able to log on two to three times a week at school as well as at home. Integrating Reflex into our daily routine for math centers has supported each student’s weekly progress.”
The results have been great for his students so far. “In eighteen weeks, my students have solved over 200,000 math facts. They have gone from a 31% fluency rate to 92%. All of my 4th grade students are now over 80% fluent.” He adds, “Reflex works for my students by allowing for enrichment as well as remediation so that every student can benefit.” The biggest change he’s noticed in his students is “a change in their attitude towards math. Instead of a few ready with an answer to a question, twenty hands will shoot up. They want to know their fluency rates and take ownership for their own progress.”
“With the integration of Common Core State Standards, I believe a math curriculum should build on the understanding of the relationships between concepts, critical thinking problem-solving activities and in turn engage students. Reflex is a great compliment to CCSS. Multiplication and division are of course leadins for upcoming units. Daily use of Reflex provides students with the daily fluency they need to succeed.” After using Reflex, he notes that “test scores have increased across the board.” Using Reflex daily during math centers and during free time “has definitely produced great scoring results for our 4th grade students.”
David Lockett is a 4th grade teacher at Campus School in Tennessee. His school is a K-5 laboratory school for Middle Tennessee State University.