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- So I've tried a variety of things to motivate students
and get them hungry to continue to push forward
and motivated to push forward.
I have, one, shown them that whenever they show mastery
on Khan Academy, it directly results in better scores
on state tests, it directly results in better scores
in the class,
showing them that they will learn using this site.
That has been shown across the nation
as well as in my classroom.
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- So at the beginning of the year,
I assign the fourth grade course mastery
and that really sets the table for everything.
It's that march to 100%,
and throughout the year and throughout each lesson,
we just continue to gain more and more progress,
we continue to march towards that 100%,
and at the end of the year,
it's always a celebration to see how far
the kids have come.
'Cause the first time they see it, they're like,
"What?" and I say, "All right, let's get ready
for fourth grade."
And throughout the year,
we just try to continue to get better and better
and we try to persevere
and we try to become really good thinkers.
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- Sometimes when I present my screen
and solve these Khan Academy problems with them,
I also like to click that button
when I get it correct and they see that you get it correct.
And they like that excitement,
like, "Ms. Gunes, you're a genius."
So like they like that.
So they like to see that too, your teacher does that too.
So I like to solve the questions together with them,
and I like to see those sprinkles with them too,
the confidence with them as well.
So I feel like, do the Khan Academy assignment with students
to have their excitement, to share their excitement.
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- As a basketball coach,
I try to relate learning
to what happens on the court as well.
So a lotta times, I will tell students
that just because I can go into the gym
and I can make one shot,
that does not mean I am Stephen Curry.
That doesn't mean I'm ready for the NBA.
It takes practice and having those skills show up
over and over again, that is when you know
that you have truly mastered your craft.
So in the classroom,
even though you complete one assignment one time,
that means that you're on your way,
that you're doing some great things,
but you have to be able to show that over
a period of time to really show
that you have truly mastered that concept.
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- Another big, big benefit is parents.
You get more parent involvement.
Parents feel more confident
'cause they can watch the videos,
they can do a couple of problems,
and when they're helping their child with their homework,
then it's like, "I know what I'm helping them with.
I'm not playing a guessing game or Googling something
and Google have all these different ways to do it."
They can just go to Khan Academy
and they can find out this one way to do it.
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- Now the learning's less about what I want them to do
and it's way more about where the students have voice
and choice and drive and passion.
And I tell you what,
when they get 100%, it's like fireworks going off
in the classroom because it's hard.
It's rigorous and they've earned it,
and that earning is just, oh, just it's so motivational.