Our biggest challenge this year was getting students used to being on a computer to complete the new Common Core tests. I knew that my class needed a computer program that was able to not only help them adjust to taking tests on a computer, but truly focus on the change from multiple choice answers to a written answer/critical thinking format. As a teacher I have used Khan Academy, but the format is not as kid user-friendly as ScootPad and did not have the English/Language Arts Common Core focus my students needed.

ScootPad was implemented to see if students would use the program to help get familiar with a computer testing format in the classroom. Students were given an hour about twice a week in school to work on either an assigned Common Core concept or as a supplementary tool for skills that needed to be practiced. Students enjoyed being able to earn coins and earn rewards. As the teacher, I enjoyed being able to track students progress without having to grade multiple papers to know exactly which Common Core concept they needed more practice in. I love that you can assign extra practice right then and there.

We have just finished our second day of Common Core testing and usually testing is an anxiety time for kids. This year, I thought it was going to be extremely difficult because testing was all done on the computer. Instead, students said that ScootPad was much harder than that test. Upon further discussion, all kids admitted that if we had not used ScootPad this year, the test would have been really hard. That conversation validated my use of ScootPad this year, and made it well worth the money I spent out of my own pocket. Initially, my students were very frustrated when we started using ScootPad because the format was so different. The true success is my students' initial frustration being turned into a sense of success. ScootPad has taught them that when practicing a skill, you learn from your mistakes by critically reasoning out problems and that frustration leads to more errors and then success.