My Nonprofit Reviews

Math in a Basket has transformed my 4th graders since the program was implemented in my school last year. The in-service training provided to teachers before the first year of implementation was phenomenal; we spent four days learning about the "math" behind the program while we had the opportunity to create four unique baskets for ourselves. I believe that Dramatic Results truly embodies the Chinese proverb "Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand." By being involved in the basket making process ourselves, we were well equipped to help our students understand not only how to design and create a basket, but to learn some key mathematical concepts that are vital to success in 4th grade Common Core mathematics. The teaching team is top-notch; it's clear that Dramatic Results recruits and trains their teaching artists to combine their knowledge of art and engineering with meaningful mathematics instruction. Both last year and this year, I have had students come to life with enthusiasm for the program who previously thought of math as something difficult to understand.

In addition, Dramatic Results has designed a 3-year inclusion program for classroom teachers which has allowed us to gradually take on more responsibility. The first year, we served as "guides on the side" while the teaching artists delivered the lessons. This year, the classroom teachers have collaborated to teach half of each lesson with guidance from the teaching artists. This interim step gives the classroom teachers the valuable opportunity to learn and embody the concepts before we "step up to the plate" next year as the primary instructors.

The most amazing thing about our Math in a Basket program, however, centers around the students and their enthusiasm for learning. My 4th graders eagerly look forward to each lesson, and I have witnessed several at-risk students embrace both the program and the essential learning behind it. I feel truly lucky to be a part of this incredible program and, as a veteran teacher of 30+ years, I have yet to see a program that produces the same results as Math in a Basket.