Elite 100

Strategies for success:

IXL improves the efficiency of my classroom. I use IXL for both remediation and acceleration. I communicate the students' IXL progress with their parents frequently, and the students each set individual IXL goals. We also set class IXL goals. This motivates the students to push each other to use the program both at school and at home.

Strategies for success:

I use IXL for daily practice as well as for intervention and enrichment. Students can work at their instructional level on the the same concept because of the access to all grade levels. First, I model the concept for the whole group and then the students work independently. I love how IXL has brought the students in my classroom closer to each other. They want to see each other succeed so they help each other out. I absolutely love seeing students teaching other students. I couldn't be more proud. My students are learning skills at a quicker rate because of the practice on IXL. They are given immediate feedback on their progress and are taking responsibility for their own success. I love that it has fostered teamwork among my community of classroom learners.

Favorite teacher tools:

I love the Real-Time Center because it allows me to monitor the students as they work. I like looking at the Students Quickview report as it provides me a snapshot of what my students are learning and what they may need additional support with. I also like using the mini diagnostic that pops up under the Skills Practiced report. It provides insight as to which skills are mastered and which ones the class may be struggling with. I love the textbook alignment feature as it allows me to match my curriculum directly with skills on IXL. I frequently look at my state's standards to make sure I am covering the content that will enhance each learner.

Making it fun:

I keep a chart of skills mastered at each student's independentlevel. It provides a bit of friendly competition for the students and gives them a goal to strive for.

Strategies for success:

I teach math and I use IXL in the classroom daily. When my students come to class, they immediately get out their technology and work on the assigned skill of the day. I [also] assign weekly homework assignments on IXL, [and sometimes] we have classroom competitions. IXL gives immediate feedback which helps me tremendously with large class sizes. I have been using IXL now for over five years, and I know that it works because I have students who have done phenomenally on the end-of-year tests. I bring my IXL data to my administative meetings to show the correlations in student learning as proof that this program really does work each and every year.

Favorite teacher tools:

I like the custom date reporting feature and Trouble Spots report. This allows my students to slow down and pay attention to their areas of weakness. As an educator, I use the Real-Time Center to monitor students to ensure maximum learning is occurring. I also like the Recommendations feature. This way, students won't get bored and will stay engaged and on topic.

Strategies for success:

The growth that I saw in my students last year was monumental. The number of skills a student mastered reflected in their data for district assessments, class work, and standardized tests. About 96% of students passed ISTEP and 84% scored Pass+! We use IXL in a variety of ways each and every day in our classroom. We are a 1:1 school, so we use digital content as a component of daily work and in our rotational models. Students have a personalized "playlist" in which they have skills they set goals for. As students reach their goals, they track data on their list and choose the next skill to master. We have an "IXL Top 10 Leaderboard" where we highlight students who make the most growth each week. Students get super motivated to come to school early, stay late, or work over breaks to see who can be the next student to reach 100, 150, 200, or 250 skills mastered!

Favorite teacher tools:

The fact that students receive immediate feedback is huge, as it allows students to identify misconceptions and correct them on the spot. I love the Real-Time Center as it helps me identify students who may be off task or in need of extra help! I use the Real-Time Center and Skills reports that allow me to easily find groups of students that need assistance with particular concepts.

Making it fun:

After working on a specific skill for a week or two, we introduced a few correlating IXL skills in the form of a competition. Students got out whiteboards or notebooks and headed to the gym or cafeteria. As a grade level, we saw which class could master the most skills in a given time frame. Doing this from time to time was a way of motivating our students and finding a way to change the pace of everyday math. On a weekly basis, we form teams, and students earn points for their teams each time they master a skill. The students loved celebrating one another for reaching goals and earning points for their teams!

Strategies for success:

I use IXL to complement classroom instruction. After I decide which Common Core standard to focus on, I review the suggested IXL lessons for that standard. IXL lessons are assigned on a weekly basis and count for 35% of students' final grade. Students usually spend the first 15 minutes of class working on IXL. Occasionally, I will give them more time if they are struggling. I encourage them to go back and work on previously assigned objectives if they finish early or are interested in improving their grades.

Favorite teacher tools:

The feature that I appreciate most as a teacher is the Common Core page, which has the skills organized by Common Core standard as well as many of the reports. I [also] frequently use the Real-Time Center report when students are working in class to keep track of student progress, and I use the Scores report to assign grades.

Making it fun:

I encourage all of my students to reach a SmartScore of 100. They work in groups of 3 or 4 and do a wonderful job assisting and encouraging each other. I also encourage teachers to model answering questions in IXL.

Strategies for success:

I assign IXL lessons based on both whole group and individual needs. IXL provides my class with the opportunity to practice and review previously covered skills and to enrich their studies. It provides opportunities for remediation on the skills that require additional practice in order to be mastered.

Favorite teacher tools:

I appreciate the Analytic reports. I can quickly and easily get an update of my students' progress. At times, I send home reports to parents, too.

Making it fun:

Students enjoy being able to see where they made their mistake and correct it before they receive a final grade. It takes off some of the pressure many students feel when it comes to math.

Strategies for success:

I am using IXL as part of whole class instruction, homework, small group work, and to differentiate instruction. The most frequent way I use IXL is by teaching a mini skill lesson, and then assigning levels and assignments according to my students' level of proficiency and NWEA RIT scores. In my first year of using IXL, my students' NWEA test scores improved dramatically. I'm in a high poverty area with few resources, so I can say confidently that using technology and IXL made a huge difference. My 8th grade class ended up with 72% attainment in reading. IXL played a big role in that achievement.

Favorite teacher tools:

I have used all types of reports offered to analyze student growth and areas I need to focus on. I have to say the best IXL feature would be the Real-Time Center in Analytics. When I give my students an assignment, I go to IXL Analytics and can immediately see if anyone is struggling. If so, I'm able to provide one-to-one support and align IXL accordingly. I also love that I can differentiate the assignments for my students because each of my students has [his or her] own learning style and pace. With IXL offering so many skill and grade levels, I can easily make sure my students are challenged and not frustrated with their assignments.

Making it fun:

I offer incentives like a homework pass or free homework weekend if we reach certain benchmark levels either as a class or individually. I also have contests between small groups to see which group will score the highest most quickly, and I offer prizes as rewards.

Strategies for success:

This year, I have been using IXL to review materials that I have already covered. I always see an improvement in my students after they use IXL. IXL helps me target the students that need help, then I work with them and use Analytics to see the improvement. I like the Real-Time Center so I know that students are on task or if they need help. I use the Scores report a great deal too!

Strategies for success:

I use IXL for language arts practice to teach and reinforce grammar. I check student journal writing and other writing, targeting any issues that they may display. I also assign one or two IXL topics per week for students to master. They get to decide what their grade will be, by working as much or as little as they choose. I am pretty new to using IXL, however, after my students took the SBAC and ACT Aspire tests, they specifically thanked me for having them use IXL because it was so helpful on their tests.

Favorite teacher tools:

I appreciate the short, clear, concise explanations on each topic. I can use them as a whole group, small group, or individual mini-lesson. I also appreciate the ability to sort in various ways, depending on my needs and student needs. [In Analytics] I ususally use the Scores report for a weekly grade. I also look for trends. This helps me create my lesson plans—I know what I need to reteach or what everyone is competent in.

Making it fun:

I give a prize (treat, privilege, or pencil) to each student for every 10 topics they master.

Strategies for success:

IXL is our math curriculum. I teach the daily skill as a whole group. Once students show proficiency in the skill, I send them to a computer to start their assignment. My students are making wonderful gains with their math skills [and] the prizes and awards are very motivating.

Favorite teacher tools:

I really like the Trouble Spots report. It shows me which students are struggling with a particular skill. It gives me the exact problem most students are getting wrong. As a group, we can go back and review that problem or skill. The students really enjoy the prizes and awards. It motivates them to finish and see what they have earned.

Making it fun:

We run a multiplication and division tournament using the skill builders. Students race each other to a SmartScore of 100. We have brackets and the students get really excited.

Strategies for success:

I teach each grade level as a whole group for 30 minutes each day. Students have an accountability folder for keeping track of their progress when the lessons are assigned. I use IXL as a way to reinforce skills that our math series does not cover in preparation for making sure students are ready to succeed for the next grade level and beyond.

Favorite teacher tools:

I like being able to see Analytics for student progress—this helps me make sure I hold students accountable for completion. I use the Student Quickview report to record progress. This allows me to see completed skills and those that still need to be worked on. It also allows me to talk with the middle school team about the skills students need help with that week.

Strategies for success:

I use IXL for classwork and small group instruction. For language arts and math, my students are assigned certain strands they need to master each week. The strands that are chosen reinforce the grammar and mathematical concepts we're learning that week. I truly believe that my implementation of IXL in the classroom helped improve [students' test] scores. I believe IXL has higher, thought-provoking questions than a multiple-choice test or old-school textbook.

Favorite teacher tools:

I love the Analytics tab! It lets me see what students are working on, and what they need help with. I've used the Skills Practiced report to help me keep track of where students are at the end of the week in the assigned skills they were given. I've recently started using the Recommendations feature for my lower students. This helps guide me to skills to work with them on.

Making it fun:

Every other week, I reward the top 2 students with ice cream during lunch. These are the students that have mastered the most skills in the class.

Strategies for success:

I use IXL for whole class enrichment to see which students have mastered the lesson taught that day. I use the Score Grid report with Indiana Academic Standards. With this feature, I can match [my] lessons I teach each day to IXL, which makes it easy for me to check for mastery.

Making it fun:

Each student keeps a data binder with their SmartScore, which they update weekly. When their SmartScore improves, they will graph the improvements they have gained. I also require all students to get a SmartScore of 90. I post what percent of my students have reached that goal on my data wall. I give prizes to each student who gets an average SmartScore of 90 or above on all of the IXL skill sets that fall under each Indiana State Standard.

Strategies for success:

I use IXL as homework and class work. Students work through specific sections that are aligned with class lessons. My students certainly improved last year—many of them were able to master certain skills that they weren't comfortable with earlier in the year, and were able to perform these skills much quicker and with greater confidence than before.

Favorite teacher tools:

I love that IXL allows me to differentiate without spending hours creating differentiated sheets. Depending on student needs, students may go up or down a grade level in order to improve their level of understanding, while also remaining engaged. I also really like that I am able to see what students are doing in "real-time" as it's super useful when they are doing IXL in class, and I project their real-time progress on the screen. It helps to motivate the class to try harder, and gets students to put in more effort due to their competitive nature! I like the Students Quickview report [too] because it gives me a quick glance at how each student is performing and how much time they have spent practicing on IXL.

Making it fun:

I use a "Hall of Fame" checklist that is displayed in the class. Each student that completes the required daily time, along with meeting the minimal SmartScore requirement, gets a check mark. They collect check marks for prizes, as well as a free period at the end of the week.

Strategies for success:

I use IXL to reinforce what we are doing in class. The students have a list [of skills] and they are supposed to practice the skills on the list by a certain date. I think it is an awesome tool for young and old to use. My daughter, who was a senior last year, used it to practice for the ACT. I love it!

Strategies for success:

I use IXL in my grade 4 classroom for differentiation, homework, and as part of summative assessment. My students have improved so much, their NWEA MAP scores were the best in the whole school. IXL has made learning fun and easier! Thank you for meeting teachers half way and making our lives enjoyable.

Favorite teacher tools:

I like being able to see how many problems each of my kids has done on each skill and the time spent on each skill. This informs my instructional decisions—for instance, whether or not I can move on to the next topic, if I should reteach and assign a similar skill on a different level, and which student needs more support and attention.

Making it fun:

I announce the top 5 users from the weekly summary usage report. I also recognize my students for a job well done on Mondays during whole school assembly!

Strategies for success:

I use IXL in my classroom as enrichment for my students. I have what we call the "IXL Club" for students who consistently do IXL, in addition to their assigned work. When we reach big goals (25,000; 50,000; 75,000; etc.), we have a small celebration (donuts, pizza party, ice cream, etc.). My students have shown great improvement in math and also in writing.

Favorite teacher tools:

I appreciate the weekly student reports that give details about who did what—and how much—from the previous week. I share this information with the class, and the student who has done the most work for the week gets to go to the treasure box!

Strategies for success:

I assign IXL skills as part of my homework. The students have some time to work on the skills during school, but it is primarily done at home. [IXL] is a great tool for when students are having trouble grasping a particular concept. Students are always eager to teach other students when they are in need of a little extra help or explanation. Additionally, IXL provides a great way to stretch or push students—it can get tough in the challenge zone.

Favorite teacher tools:

I like the Score Grid report in Analytics. It's a quick way for me to see who has completed the assigned skills. I use it on the due date to see who has completed the assigned skills.

Making it fun:

I assign skills in both ELA and math that are due every two weeks. My students know that on the due date, if they have completed all assigned skills to mastery, then they get to "clip up" on our classroom behavior chart. It's as simple as that—they are so motivated by that one little thing. It works!

Strategies for success:

IXL is used in many different ways in my classroom. IXL is mostly used for daily homework where children have a time goal to achieve each night, not a certain amount of problems. It is also used during my math block for students to work on as a self-paced model. It is also used as a differentiation tool for IEP students and for students to set goals based on MAP test data. Students work on their "map goals" throughout the school year on IXL. I have definitely seen an improved mindset and eagerness of my students to continue working on a skill. Many of my students have made gains on MAP testing and were working on 6th grade material. The students enjoy some of the newer features on the iPad—for example, the ability to annotate on the screen has been well received.

Favorite teacher tools:

I really love the reports! The reporting feature is the most helpful to me. I can easily target which topics are troubling students, how long they've worked on a particular skill, and which skills or categories have been worked on the most. The new Dashboard report gives a nice overview of students or the whole class. I really like the Trouble Spots report [because] I can quickly look at what students may still be struggling with. I also like the Score Grid report as it gives a nice spreadsheet that's easy to read and helps with standards reporting. The Progress and Improvement report is also very handy to help drive instruction. I also find the e-mail updates to be very valuable. There are often days that I just don't have time to login to view reports in depth. The helpful e-mails contain updated "real-time" information about my students' progression, improvement over time, weaknesses, and strengths. These amazing reporting tools give me a wealth of information that help me make better instructional decisions based on the data. IXL has made my life easier by keeping all those records for me!

Making it fun:

Everyday as a whole class we celebrate the accomplishments students make on IXL. I print out certificates for individual students and for the class. I also post certificates on our class website. Students also color in goal sheets once they have mastered a given skill so they are accountable for setting goals and working towards them.

Strategies for success:

In my classroom, I use IXL in a variety of ways. At times, I log on and project problems for whole-class instruction. As a class, we break down problems and talk about how they are written or what is expected. Many times, I use IXL for homework. I have individual and class goals that I set for my students. Unlike paper homework, I don't hear groans when IXL is assigned. We have 1:1 technology, so in class I also have students work at their own pace for practice. Sometimes, with our devices, I will project the Real-Time Center from IXL Analytics and we will race to see how we do as individuals or groups. I have been using IXL for as many years as I can remember seeing it available. Each year, I see more progress as I learn to better utilize the tools. I think IXL helps to alleviate some of the fear students have of failing or not understanding—especially in math.

Favorite teacher tools:

I love the Analytics section—it's hard to pick just one area. Since the addition of Analytics, I feel like I can give students practice that fits their needs. I also really appreciate that our state standards are included so I can make sure students hit these areas hard and work towards mastery in these skills. I use the Scores Report and Skills Report frequently to help me chart, assess, and assign student work. Students get stickers on their chart for meeting certain goals. They enjoy seeing their stickers accumulate and the charts also allow them to take personal responsibility to see what they need to be doing. I use the Questions Log to individually help students. This really comes in handy after the school day when I receive an email or text from a student who is having trouble at home. The Questions Log allows me to work through tough areas with them over email, text, chat, or video messaging.

Making it fun:

One of the things the kids like the most is math challenges when I use the Real-Time Center. I can pit students one-on-one, group-on-group, etc. I try to make it competitive, but light-hearted.

Strategies for success:

I use IXL every day. I occasionally use it as a whole class teaching tool, especially after viewing the Analytics report that shows me trouble spots with multiple students. I also assign specific focus areas for all students to work on during our math enrichment/intervention block. This allows students to customize their learning and to reinforce skills that they may be having trouble with. This gives me the opportunity to work with small groups on skills they may be struggling with. I also use IXL as homework. I assign my students a weekly goal of one and a half hours per week and I give them specific areas to focus on that reinforce skills we are working on in class. I take the time at the beginning of each school year to show my students how to use IXL and how to learn from their mistakes. I think it is important that they take the time to review the explanation of any problem they may get wrong, and to continue with the skill until they reach mastery and earn a gold medal. I encourage my students to become self-motivated learners and I show them that with IXL, their learning is endless. They have access to all math skills necessary to be successful in 5th grade and they have access to many other skills that they will encounter in future years. I've had so many students get so excited after earning gold medals in the assigned required areas that they move on to other topics. [My students] use IXL to be self-motivated learners and to master many skills that I would not have time to cover within one school year. I also allow students to come to school early and stay late to work on IXL. I am often pleasantly surprised when I have 10 to 15 students offering to stay on a Friday night to master the necessary skills to be successful. It's not uncommon to see me leaving the school as late as 4:30 or 5:00 with a full group of students that has volunteered to stay and complete IXL. I've seen tremendous growth in many of my students using IXL. We administer a district wide pre-test at the beginning of the school year that shows us the approximate grade level the students are working at. Unfortunately, I have had many students test well below their grade level and those students that utilize IXL always show tremendous growth throughout the year. I also see how IXL can boost confidence in the classroom, and I can see the pride on those students faces as they are realizing their math skills are improving.

Favorite teacher tools:

I really appreciate that the IXL skills are aligned to the Common Core Standards. This makes it more meaningful for students and is an easy way to show parents what is expected at each grade level. I also really appreciate the Students Quickview report. This is a nice, easy way for me to see if each student has completed the assigned time for the week and then reach their monthly goal. The students get excited to see how much time they have completed. I also appreciate [the Suggested Skill feature, which gives me] the ability to highlight the star that is next to each skill. This feature keeps my students on task. One of the newest features that I have found extremely helpful is the Student Details report. I like that I can get a quick overview of the skills that each student has been working on, and it also quickly gives me exact times that students have logged on and the number of skills they have shown progress in.

Making it fun:

To motivate my students, I print my Students report each week and display it on the door with the students that have gone above and beyond the assigned time and skills—they're highlighted as "IXL Stars"! These students receive a small reward from me. Sometimes it's a special snack or something as simple as a pencil or a fancy eraser. I really push the idea of becoming a self-motivated learner, and therefore make a big deal out of those students who master all areas assigned and move onto skills I have indicated that would be helpful to them in their future. My school also does a trimester reward for all students in the school that have gone above the required time. Most importantly, I share stories of former students' success. I try to instill in my students that having high expectations and learning to be a self-motivated learner are traits that will help them be successful in their future years.

Strategies for success:

IXL is used to practice the [given] unit's concepts. It is assigned as homework, but I also have a "workday" built in to the week every week, so I can help [during class time] if necessary. I have used the site for 3 years and always see the most improvement in those students who do their homework, which is largely IXL. In general, when students do their work, their test scores improve.

Favorite teacher tools:

I love many features on IXL. For the students, I appreciate that they get immediate feedback, so they are not just blindly doing work. It is important that it not only corrects them, but gives them explanations. I use the Students report and the Scores report to update the homework done by students. The Scores report is a great way to see the skills completed by the students in one shot.

Making it fun:

I have found that giving students choices for homework works well. I will assign, for example, "The A's—complete 6 out of 8." When it comes time for the IXL competition, I have already talked about it most of the year and they are excited to win.

Strategies for success:

IXL is part of my everyday curriculum. Since using IXL for the last 3 years, I have seen my students achieve at least the 93rd percentile or higher for the National School Growth on the NWEA assessment.

Favorite teacher tools:

I use the Scores and Skills reports most frequently. During class, I have the report on my screen as students are working, which allows me to monitor them. I [also] appreciate the Real-Time Center report. This allows me to hold my students accountable and to be able to differentiate the work for my students when necessary.

Strategies for success:

We use IXL as practice for [our class] curriculum. It's great for the students to get immediate feedback and an explanation if their answers are incorrect.

Favorite teacher tools:

I appreciate Analytics. Using this feature, I am able to assist the students that are struggling. I use the Skills reports the most, so I can [keep track of] their accuracy and which students are completing their work on time.

Making it fun:

We have a "Top 5" board in our classroom for the students that have the most medals in 6th grade and above. The students buy into this and like to compete against each other. I have seen a strong correlation between how many medals the students complete over the course of the year and their standardized test scores.

Strategies for success:

I use IXL in all sorts of ways—it's fluid and ever-changing! After whole group instruction and a few practice questions, we will break off into rotation centers. Our aim is to move forward together as a class. Students aim to get up to at least 60 points on their SmartScore on the assigned skill while they're still at school. If they are having difficulty, they are encouraged to ask a teammate, and then myself [in order to] to develop teamwork and independence. If they are having trouble reaching 60 points, ideally I can help them before they go home for the night. The next day, we look at the Score Grid report and find a couple of examples to clear up any misconceptions. The main improvement I see is confidence and a willingness to see math as a challenge, not something to be fearful of. I can see it in my students and I believe that building confidence allows them to have a strong start in mathematics!

Favorite teacher tools:

I appreciate the Score Grid report the most. It gives me a quick snapshot of how many questions it took [students] to achieve their score—the lower the better. For the students, I ask them to get the first question wrong on purpose so that they can learn something from the IXL explanation. I love this feature because it gives instant feedback to anyone who is wanting to learn from their mistake, as opposed to just moving on to the next question and potentially repeating the same mistake.

Making it fun:

We have class T-shirts made with 26 stars on the back, one for each letter of the alphabet. When [students] complete a skill level (e.g. Grade 3 F: Multiplication skills), they get to fill in an F in the star. Our goal is to complete all 279 skills in the year.

Strategies for success:

It all started for me 4 years ago when my 5th grade class went with 1:1 devices via Google Chromebooks. I wanted to find something aligned with Go Math [and] realized that there was actually an alignment that existed for Go Math and IXL Math. Each day, I teach a Go Math lesson and then I post a "playlist" that concludes with the IXL skill that matches the lesson. Students start practicing in class and then finish the IXL skill at home for homework using their 1:1 devices. Students need to get at least 70% on a skill to get extra credit. I began to use the pre-kindergarten skills on IXL with my English learners that were new to the U.S. I also adjusted the IXL level to match the goals on the IEP's for my special education students. All students are making progress at their instructional level. In some cases, I have high-achieving students work on 6th–8th grade IXL. Another [benefit] is that when kids get an answer wrong, IXL automatically scaffolds the problems and teaches the student to do it properly.

Favorite teacher tools:

I review and track IXL data on a daily basis with Analytics. My students are held accountable, and with the Real–Time Center I can see exactly what each student is working on, how much time they have been on IXL, how many [questions] they have done, and the percentage correct. The Real-Time Center report is very powerful to display onto the whiteboard—I use it as an exit ticket for lunch or for checking homework from home in real-time.

Making it fun:

I use IXL for homework—now [my students] do not have to take home heavy math books—and the homework is used as extra credit for their math grade.

Strategies for success:

I use IXL as a means for tracking students' strengths and areas of difficulty. IXL allows me to focus my lessons according to individual and class needs rather than on the next planned lesson for the day. I also use IXL as a portion of class and homework activities, and as a means of tracking work habits and math skills. I encourage students, as well as parents, to use the data that IXL gathers to view and monitor individual progress. [My students] become proactive learners by celebrating their accomplishments and seeking assistance when troubles arise. Since IXL displays the underlying math concepts for each question, parents often feel empowered to help their children with their math homework. Suddenly, the "new math" difficulties that parents find challenging become easier to understand. Parents often tell me that they enjoy using the software with their children, and that they wish they had had IXL when they were in school. This daily conversation about mathematics and children's education as a whole has helped foster a learning community among our students, parents, and school.

Favorite teacher tools:

I appreciate the data that IXL gathers on each student so that I can focus my teaching on skills that are most in need of attention. I also value that achievement is evaluated through the SmartScore, which evaluates mastery level according to [the types of questions answered] rather than the percentage of right and wrong answers. Another great feature is that IXL allows my students to work and progress according to their abilities and to find explanations to questions they find difficult when I'm not able to help them at home. Also, I greatly value the Real-Time Center report in Analytics, which allows me to analyze live data as students are completing questions in class. Real-time analytics allows me to help students at the exact moment they are struggling with a concept. I [also] use the Students Quickview report to see current trends in my classroom. The data allows me to see if students are struggling because of a lack of effort or if there are any other underlying issues. The graph allows me to have discussions with those students and parents based on data rather than intuition.

Making it fun:

IXL has made me reassess how I teach, [and] has opened my eyes to a brighter light. My use of IXL over the last two years has allowed my students to excel in mathematics. I have had various students not only complete their current grade level but also complete their next year math requirements. I have had students who have struggled with math concepts in previous years shine in math scores and in other math contests.

Favorite teacher tools:

I use IXL for homework, independent practice, and remediation. I love the access to all grade levels, the scaffolded skills, and the Score Grid and Student Details reports in Analytics. I use the Score Grid and Student Details reports to look at how groups and individuals are doing, to determine who needs reinforcement, and [to see] who is completing assigned homework.

Strategies for success:

IXL has been a great addition to our classroom! We've been using it school-wide. In my classroom, I've been able to project IXL onto our interactive whiteboard and complete problems as a whole class or turn it into a friendly team competition making class time fun! I've been using it as a whole class introductional tool and reinforcing lessons taught in class since 2013. While students are completing their various problems, IXL provides question-specific explanations for every problem, and that way students are able to get the problem correct the next time. I appreciate and am always excited to use the real-time feature, which [enables me] to assist my students at home on the exact problem they are having difficulty with in real time! So, IXL has truly been—and continues to be—a great addition to our curriculum here at Diamond Minds Transformational Leadership Academy.

Strategies for success:

I use IXL daily and religiously. Students come in early before school for tutoring, enrichment, or lack of access to the internet at home, and work on IXL for an hour. During class, I use it as guided practice for our lesson for the day. I use IXL a lot for differentiation and to increase students' weak spots according to testing data. I also use it in RTI for students—it's a huge part of my math class. Last year, almost all of our students met and exceeded grade level on the NWEA assessment. I had a lot of students who were working above their own grade-level on IXL, and they scored in the 80th to 100th percentiles. Our school also has been the highest ranking Level 1+ for the past two years. I attribute a lot to IXL.

Favorite teacher tools:

I love the Real-Time Center, especially since I have 8th graders and I can hold them accountable. I like the fact that I can see the kids' scores go up and down according to their performance. Also, I like the Trouble Spots report where I can see the problems they missed, so I can plan to help them on their weaknesses and know their strengths. I like the Skills report, where I can show them how long they were on and how many problems they did. I will also show the data from these reports to parents to let them know whether or not their children are working up to their potential and using their time wisely.

Making it fun:

I post the top 5 students from the IXL weekly updates on the wall. I use charts and stickers for the skills they complete—and yes, 8th graders still love that stuff.

Strategies for success:

IXL is currently used for language arts and math in our class every day. I use it like a textbook and for instructional purposes. I also use it for personalization as students may work ahead when they've done well on written exams in math and proven mastery of standards. I have a grid with Common Core State Standards listed for math and then apply the IXL skill to be mastered under that standard. It helps me keep track of mastery for each student, and it also allows me to develop RTI plans very rapidly.

Favorite teacher tools:

Everything about IXL Analytics helps me drive instruction and meet the needs of individual students—it helps me personalize their learning. I use all of the Analytics reports. I especially like the Score Grid so I can see who is working toward 80% mastery goals. I love the Real-Time Center because I can keep it on next to me while tutoring, and then I can immediately check the next struggling student. I also like being able to click on individual names and see exactly where they are at in their mastery. They are always so surprised that I know what they are doing! Great stuff! I also appreciate the Common Core alignments and the ability to highlight skills for students to work on.

Making it fun:

I have a "standards" bulletin board with craft sticks. There are pockets for SmartScores of 80, 90, and 100. When they reach one of those SmartScores for skills in a particular standard, they may put their craft stick in the pocket. It's a gentle recognition for daily hard work. I plan to create an IXL thermometer somehow to measure all the skills we master this year! I don't ever assign [IXL] for homework, but I have found that if I say, "Work on your IXL standards, I will reward you for the extra work," that is enough motivation. Rewards are mainly free time to read, work on more IXL, play games, etc.