I would like to express my thanks for the opportunity offered to my Special Education students by allowing us to be a pilot for Special Education on Socrates. This program is precisely what both my students and I needed to ensure a successful progression in their future math and language arts courses. I currently teach middle school grades 6, 7, & 8. However due to severe learning challenges, my students are on many various learning levels in both math and language arts ranging from K – 4. 

The Socrates program provides me the ability to individualize learning and assessment for each of my 17 students. I can access multiple learning areas of my students’ needs and can focus more on individualized learning strategies. In doing so, my students are finding more success in their core subjects than they have had to date. By using the variety of assessments and data analysis the program offers, students can advance at a much faster rate than when they are learning in traditional small/large groups. I can see exactly what they have learned, retained, and where additional assistance is needed in order to master the subject matter. 

My students finally enjoy learning math and reading. They become excited each time they master a section and receive credits toward reward time. They challenge each other. They “show off” their progress to their classmates and me. Most importantly though, the students can visually monitor their progress and are showing both self-confidence and independence in their overall responsibility of their learning potential. Several students are currently near grade level math due in part to the use and application of the Socrates program. 

Again, thank you for introducing me to Socrates and allowing my students and me to utilize this remarkable program that was made possible by the grant from the National Science Foundation. By having and teaching the students through this program, they are gaining the ability to achieve and become successful. I believe they will increase concrete confidence and have the tools to select higher learning opportunities which otherwise may not have been available to them.

I look forward to continuing to use Socrates next year. 

With appreciation,  

Deborah Amato  

Teacher, Special Education Department 

“The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see”