Software helps students prepare for state assessment tests

By LAURIE LEVOY • Staff Writer • April 17, 2009

Michele Durik, a math teacher at Green Brook Middle School, is at 27 on a fast track of personal achievement.

Still gaining experience in her field — Durik's just in her second year of teaching — she also is enrolled in a master's program at Kean University to earn a degree in education administration.

Durik fosters similar goals of achievement for her sixth-grade math students who are preparing to take the state's NJASK assessment exams in May.

That's why Durik is the first among the school's six math teachers to consistently use Study Island software, she said.

"Study Island math and language arts software follows the curriculum standards of New Jersey," Durik said.

Green Brook Middle School Principal Linda Pollard said Study Island was purchased last year. "It integrates video components with learning to engage the student," said Pollard.

Durik attended a Study Island workshop after the software arrived and soon started to use it. By September, she was ready to incorporate Study Island into her lesson planning, Durik said.

"My students' percentages of right answers increased quite a lot, even in the time I had to use it last year," said Durik.

"I like Study Island because whenever I have trouble with something during math, I go to Study Island and click on the subject and review the information," said student Nikita Mukherjee.

With district sixth-graders attending an 80-minute math class every weekday, Durik has the block of time available to take her pupils to the computer lab to sign on and review.

"Kids like to compete," Durik said. "Sometimes I'll pick the player of the day. The software also awards blue or white ribbons for achievement. When they have earned a certain number of ribbons, the software allows them to answer questions in a game mode format, which the kids really like," said Durik.

Pollard said she receives a weekly printout from the company indicating how many students earned ribbons, and in what topics. Durik similarly gets feedback regarding her students' progress so she can tailor assignments to their proficiency.

Durik also praised the district's support.

"The administration provides us with a lot of technology to keep the kids interested and learning," she said.

Sixth-grader Skye Sass gives Study Island good grades, too.

"It's helpful because it is a review of everything you learned during the year, and of what will be on the NJASK. I like Study Island because I am very forgetful sometimes. So, when I get on Study Island, everything comes back to me."

Laurie Levoy; 908-243-6614;llevoy@MyCentralJersey.com

TeacherTube - Study Island at Valley Ranch Elementary

Take a look at what students and teachers have to say about using Study Island to master their required standards!

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=bf2937941b23e5840661

This is an example of an entry for Study Island's 2009 Spring Contest: "ADS 4 THE ISLAND "

Study Island Announces the Release of Graphic Novel Reading Programs

Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) April 1, 2009 -- Study Island, LLC, one of the leading and fastest growing Web-based educational companies, has announced the release of the newest addition to their family of products, Study Island Reading: Reconsidered & Revisited. The launch date of Study Island Reading: Reconsidered & Revisited is March 31, 2009.

Study Island Reading: Reconsidered & Revisited is an engaging series of graphic novels designed to assist struggling readers, reluctant readers, avoidance readers, and English Language Learners by engaging readers in the study of literature and language.

"We are so pleased to bring graphic novels to Study Island. There's no other program I've seen that combines the visual engagement of graphic novels with the rigor of effective reading comprehension instruction," stated Heather Harper, Study Island's Managing Editor of English Language Arts. "All readers, even struggling readers, can emerge with increased higher-order and critical-thinking skills."

Study Island's graphic novel program consists of:

• The World as You Know It - a Study Island original, six-book series with a middle school reading level and a high school interest level
  
• Graphic Planet by ABDO Books - a nonfiction series featuring major world events and biographies of fascinating people
  
• "The Timbertoes" by Highlights for Children - a two-volume series covering comprehensive reading and math skills for young students
  

About Study Island
Study Island is a leading provider of online, standards-based assessment, instruction, practice, and test preparation for the U.S. K-12 educational market. Named in Inc500 as one of the top small businesses of 2006, Study Island is used by over 9.1 million elementary and secondary students in over 18,000 schools, and is adding over 400 new schools per month. During the last school year (2007-2008), Study Island averaged 960,000 distinct student sessions and 7.4 million questions answered per day.

Study Island is foundationally and statistically research-based and is effective in increasing student learning and achievement in diverse settings across the nation. Moreover, Study Island enables students to choose their own style of learning and work at their own pace. Study Island records statistics for each student using multiple real-time reports, which helps teachers measure student progress and identify areas needing improvement. In addition, teachers can choose to use the printable worksheet or classroom response pad functions, making Study Island an extremely flexible, user-friendly, interactive program.

Founded in 2000, Study Island products are built from the ground-up from each state's standards, and this deep customization has enabled the Company to quickly gain market share via word-of-mouth teacher endorsements and build a loyal following. The Company currently has product standards in all 50 states. For more information, visit www.studyisland.com/intervention.