1) Is there research to support the effectiveness of TeacherMate?

As a nonprofit agency committed to creating the most effective tools for education, we are one of the few software developers that subject our programs to independent research by leading universities. The Spencer Foundation, the nation’s leading funder of educational research, commissioned Camille Blachowicz, a leading literacy scholar at National Louis University, to conduct independent research on the effectiveness of our Reading Program. She found a statistically significant effect that our program had on spelling measures of nationally normed tests. A copy of her research report can be downloaded from the Research Results tab. Currently, Professors Bill Teale and Taffy Raphael of the University of Illinois at Chicago are researching the effectiveness of the TeacherMate system in the Chicago Public Schools. A copy of their report will be posted on our website when it becomes available.

2) How does the content align with the reading and math programs used in the school?

With the TeacherMate System, we don’t require the teacher to modify the curriculum used in the classroom. Instead, we have aligned the TeacherMate activities to all of the leading reading and math programs used in early elementary classrooms.

At the beginning of the year, the teacher identifies in the Classroom Management Program which math and reading programs are used in the classroom. Then, once each week, the teacher spends a few seconds identifying in the Classroom Management Program which unit of the math and reading programs the class is learning during that week; in addition, the teacher can identify different units for different reading and math groups or even individual students who are advanced or in remediation.

The TeacherMate handheld computer system does the rest. It knows what the students are learning in the classroom, and all of the activities are geared to precisely complement what is being taught there. For example, if the class (or one or a group of students) is learning how to tell time to the half hour in math, the TeacherMate will present activities to support learning how to tell time to the half hour. In the Reading Program, if the class (or one or a group of students) is learning a group of sight words and phonogram families, all of the reading activities on the TeacherMates will focus on those same sight words and phonogram families.

3) What resources do I need in the classroom?

The only resource required to operate the entire TeacherMate system is a personal computer to download software updates and classroom management options and upload student scores and generate reports.

4) Does the TeacherMate system work over our network and the Internet?

Currently, class reports only can be viewed locally. In September, we will provide a free software update that will enable a school administrator to see classroom reports over the network. We also are working on our Internet based system that will allow teachers to “publish” student work to the Internet so that it can be viewed by parents and others who are given permission by the school.

5) What happens if a TeacherMate unit malfunctions? What is the warranty period?

We warrant the TeacherMates to be free from defects in design and workmanship for one year. If a TeacherMate is defective, mail it back to us, and we will promptly replace it. We suggest that each classroom have a few spare TeacherMates in the Synch and Store Case so that a student can use a spare without interfering with the teacher’s activities if he or she believes that a device is not working properly, The teacher can check later to see if the device is, in fact, defective.

6) What score data is saved and how is it reported?

The TeacherMate keeps track of every aspect of a student’s use of the handheld computer. When the device is synched to the personal computer, the Classroom Management Program compiles the information into various reports. The teacher report contains information on progress on every reading and math skill for each student. In addition, the teacher can drill down to see student proficiency on any detail (for example, how a student is progressing with the “at” family). The student report is a child-friendly report that can be printed out and shows the number of books the student read, the number of words the student knows, and words with which the student needs more practice. The parent report shows parents what the student is doing in the classroom, and the administrator report shows an overview of progress in each class. Each of these reports can be viewed on screen or printed. All reports other than the teacher report will be available in Release 1.1 due out at the end of 2008.

7) How do I customize instruction for groups or individual students?

The Classroom Management System has an easy-to-use menu of options that can be applied to the class as a whole, to reading or math groups set up by the teacher, or to individual students. Options include the relative time that is spent with reading or mathor any particular reading or math activity, the amount of time for practice of math facts, the amount of Spanish support, and the amount of extra practice on phonics.

8) How are teachers trained, and what professional development is offered?

We offer a two-hour training program for teachers and staff on the use of the TeacherMate handheld computer system. However, we believe that the TeacherMates are so easy to use that all teachers can learn the way students learn: by using our tutorials built into the TeacherMate device and the Classroom Management System. We also offer a free phone hotline to answer teacher questions.

9) Where is the TeacherMate System in use?

Nearly 300 schools in the Chicago Public Schools system are using the TeacherMate handheld computer system. In addition, we have commenced a national pilot test of the TeacherMate system in New York City, Detroit, San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, and New Orleans. Information about the schools we serve can be found under the “Schools Served” tab.

10) Can other software be loaded on the TeacherMate handheld computers?

The TeacherMate system has been developed to work only with our Reading and Math Programs, which represent a complete suite of all reading and math activities that are presented in kindergarten and first grade curriculum. In September, we will introduce our second grade activities, and we plan to introduce our third grade activities in September 2009. We also are working on expanding the materials that will be offered with the TeacherMates to include third party content.

11) How much time should teachers use TeacherMates?

Because the TeacherMate handheld computer system works with the teacher’s entire reading and math curriculum, teachers will find it useful to use the TeacherMate system throughout the day. We find that the optimal time for each session is approximately 20-25 minutes.

12) How often do TeacherMates need to be recharged?

The TeacherMate handheld computers need to be recharged after approximately 3.5 hours of use.

13) How does TeacherMate software get updated?

We periodically publish updates to our website, which can be downloaded over the Internet to the personal computer in the classroom. When the teacher synchs the TeacherMates to the personal computer, the software is downloaded to the TeacherMate handheld computers.

14) Are the TeacherMate devices safe for young children?

The TeacherMate handheld computer has been specifically designed to be safe for young children. All materials used in the TeacherMate are non-toxic, and there are no sharp edges or unsafe surfaces. The TeacherMate will survive drops and the normal wear and tear of first graders.

15) Can the TeacherMate devices be taken home?

We recommend that the TeacherMates be taken home to extend the school day and to encourage the parent to be involved in the student’s instruction. Schools should devise policies for parental responsibility for lost or damaged equipment.

16) Can two teachers share a set of TeacherMate handheld computers?

While we believe that teachers will find the TeacherMate useful for so much of their curriculum that they will want to use it throughout the day, the TeacherMates easily can be shared between two or more teachers. The Synch and Store Case easily can be transferred from one classroom to the next. Our Classroom Management System can be set up to allow multiple classrooms to use the same set of TeacherMates. TeacherMate sharing will be available in Release 1.1 due out at the end of 2008.

17) What grades does TeacherMate offer?

Currently, TeacherMate system is designed for kindergarten and first grade. During the 2008-9 school year, we will expand to second grade, and we plan to expand to third grade in September 2009.

18) Can teachers print our reports and student work?

All reports can be printed to a printer connected physically or over a network to the personal computer with our Classroom Management Program.

19) How does TeacherMate System support ESL and bilingual classrooms?

All of our stories are recorded in both Spanish and English.  A teacher can elect for any student or group of students to have the stories first read to the student in Spanish before the student attempts to read the story in English.

21) Are TeacherMates approapirate for Title I and other federal and state funding programs?

Since TeacherMate supports the school’s primary reading and math curriculum, the TeacherMate system is appropriate for most federal and state funding programs. See our website for help in obtaining grant funding for TeacherMate purchases.