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| What People Ask Us, Help Desk... | ||||
| Frequently Asked Questions | ||||
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If the answer to your question does not appear below please take the MINDsprinting tour . Our Tour pages also contain very detailed information about our programs (and convenient links). General Questions
What is MINDsprinting? MINDsprinting vs. other tutoring programs
How is MINDsprinting different from other Internet programs? MINDsprinting's Programs
How do MINDsprinting�s Math programs work? Enrollment Questions
How do I enroll for the first time? Dashboard Questions
How do I print lessons? Account Questions
How do I add students to my account after I�ve enrolled? Technical Problems
What if I forget my User ID and Password? General Questions MINDsprinting is the premier online destination for parents, teachers, and students seeking a proven tutoring program in math and reading. MINDsprinting is a specially designed, �directed� worksheet program (and worksheet programs have been used successfully to teach students for centuries). We tailor a program to each student�s abilities and needs (based upon the results of our FREE Assessment Test) and we assign the lessons based upon the student�s progress. Students print their assignments and do them the time-proven way � by hand; they don�t sit in front of a computer monitor. And our unique State Standards Math prepares students for the annual proficiency exam in your state (we have over 50 different programs) required by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. We tailor the program for each student: (i) by grade and by state; (ii) based upon the results of his/her Assessment Test; and (iii) your state�s requirements.
Traditional worksheet programs focus on memorizing through repetition. Our worksheets were designed to instill higher order thinking � not memorization � through practice, and thus MINDsprinting actively encourages cognitive and emotional development. Our materials teach MINDsprinting students how to learn through easy-to-understand instructions and illustrations, so that they can respond successfully to different types of problems � something you can�t do if you simply memorize rules and facts.
MINDsprinting�s core curriculum has been honed for more than 20 years and has helped hundreds of thousands of students improve their skills and excel. Our programs have been endorsed by an internationally renowned panel of educators and have been approved for NCLB tutoring purposes. We teach math the way the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics recommends! Our programs have been endorsed by the UAW-Ford, various Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Wal-Mart. Click here to read what the experts say about our programs. Click here to Take A Tour and learn more about our programs, view samples lessons, and see how our easy it is to use our system.
No � because we assign the lessons. You don�t have to develop your own lesson plan or sort through a library of materials. However, if you wish to select a particular topic, level, or lesson, we enable you to do so using Fast Tracking. Anyone wanting or needing to improve their skills! MINDsprinting is ideal for:
Yes. Our Math curriculum is complete and comprehensive so both our math programs are suitable for homeschooling (as an independent course or as an additional tool). Our Reading Excellence program teaches youngsters how to read and write from the very beginning. Once those basic skills are mastered, our Reading Comprehension program focuses exclusively on improving reading comprehension.
Yes. Our programs were designed for international usage and currently they are used by people all over the world. [Click here to see what our internationally renowned panel of experts says about our programs]. Personal Math is logically sequenced, Reading Comprehension uses an international index to determine grade level, and all programs are tailored to the student�s knowledge.
No. Students complete their lessons off-line. MINDsprinting uses the Internet as a delivery vehicle � to deliver assignments to your home (or anywhere else you can access the Internet and a printer) and to retrieve assignment results. Our students learn in a time-proven manner � completing printed lessons by hand. The only time students must be online is to take a FREE interactive Assessment Test prior to starting a program.
Yes. An important feature of MINDsprinting is that we assign lessons based upon a student�s performance. So we do not recommend printing multiple lessons in advance. But since we know there are times (e.g. vacations) when an Internet connection and printer are not handy, we do not prohibit you from printing multiple lessons at one time. For instructions on how to print multiple lessons, click here.
No. The lessons are designed so that the student (other than those too young to read) may complete them on their own. This process of self-learning increases their self esteem. But for 5 minutes - you can witness the student learning. For 10 minutes - you can participate in his/her education. For example, in Reading Comprehension, we request the student read the story quietly and then aloud. Reading to a parent is special for a child. While innumerable studies have shown parental involvement to be extremely beneficial to student learning, we understand that parents don�t have the time to do everything they would like to. So, your involvement can range from simply correcting assignments and reporting results, to reviewing problems done incorrectly, or listening to a story read aloud. You can also change the default settings during registration to allow the student to do everything alone (e.g. access the Answer Keys, report assignment results, and use the Problem Solver to review incorrectly done math problems). Click here for instructions on changing default settings.
After you enroll, just click on the log in button on the homepage, enter your User ID and password, and you arrive at your Dashboard � the place where you can access all of MINDsprinting�s features, such as: printing assignments, viewing Answers, entering lessons results, and accessing reports. It�s all there (and more) at the click of a button. [NOTE: Enroller�s and students have different User IDs and passwords because an enroller's Dashboard can access many features and information that we do not make available to students on their Dashboards.] MINDsprinting vs. other tutoring programs How is MINDsprinting different from other Internet programs? To our knowledge, there is no other tutoring program currently offered on the Internet that:
For starters: timesaving, convenience and cost. Non-Internet programs require travel to and from a �center.� Most programs provide small group tutoring a few times a week for approximately $45 per hour (approximately $500+ per month; $6,000+ per year). The largest non-Internet worksheet program (Kumon) costs $85 - $110 per month per subject (approximately $1,000 per year per subject). MINDsprinting has a proven curriculum, can be used at home, and is FREE! MINDsprinting's Programs How do MINDsprinting�s Math programs work? Our Assessment Test determines the skills a student has mastered and those that need to be addressed. Each unit contains lessons, optional companion homework assignments, and a Unit Test. Students print an assignment, insert the start time in the blank at the top of the page, do the lesson, and then insert the end time in the space provided. The assignment is corrected (we recommend by an adult) using the Answer Key we provide, and the results reported to us by filling in 2 boxes on the enroller�s Dashboard. Students achieving 80% correct (or more) on a lesson advance to the next lesson; a score of less than 80% causes a �Recommended Homework� to appear in red on your Dashboard (which we strongly recommend the student do before the next lesson). A Congratulations pop-up appears after results entry for positive reinforcement regardless of the results achieved. In Personal Math students must pass a Unit Test (with 80% correct) to advance; if not, we reassign specific lessons in the unit (as determined from the test results) to ensure mastery of the material. There are not always Unit Tests in State Standards Math because individual lessons from multiple units may be assigned for a particular state standard; instructors determine which lessons to reassign based upon results achieved. Click for more information about Personal Math or State Standards Math. Click to read what the experts say about our programs. Click for sample lessons or to view our entire curriculum.
The difference between our two math programs is the curriculum path: State Standards Math addresses all the requirements for a specific grade in the order selected by each state; Personal Math addresses math skills (and skill gaps) in a logically sequenced order that has proven effective over 20+ years of tutoring and it is not limited to a specific grade. So when a student encounters a grade level skill in State Standards Math he/she is unable to do because he/she failed to master a skill taught in an earlier grade, simply switching to his/her Personal Math program will enable him/her to remedy the skill gap. As students with skill gaps have difficulty mastering grade level material and enrichment students lose focus on insufficiently challenging material, our programs are ideal for both remedial and enrichment purposes, as well as NCLB exam preparation. Both programs can be used independently, but when used in tandem they provide a unique educational tool for parents and teachers.
In the Personal Math program, Geometry skills are introduced at times and grade levels based upon the 20+ successful years of tutoring by our educators.� Should you want to address a particular skill in Personal Math out of the sequence we recommend, you may use Fast Tracking to do so. In State Standards Math we assign lessons for Geometry skills, by grade, in the order set forth in your states' published standards, so that all geometry skills required for each grade on the state's annual proficiency exam are addressed. �
Our Reading Excellence program teaches students how to read and write. It begins with letter sounds, moves onto �word-attack�, early reading, and finally building vocabulary and clear thinking with word lists and writing. Reading Excellence teaches students all the basic skills usually taught through the end of the 3rd grade (when all the �basics� should be mastered). Then students should be ready to focus on improving their understanding of what they read and we automatically transfer them into our Reading Comprehension program. Click Here for more information about Reading Excellence. Click to read what the experts say about our programs. Click for sample lessons or to view our entire curriculum.
Each Reading Comprehension Unit contains 25 short stories, starting at a 4th grade vocabulary level. The student reads a story silently and then aloud (which enables an adult to identify incorrectly pronounced words). The student then looks up unfamiliar words in a dictionary and answers 10 questions without looking at the story. The lesson is corrected (we recommend by an adult) using the Answer Key we provide, the results reported to us, and the student reviews any errors made. We track the student�s performance throughout the unit to determine the next level of stories we assign. Click Here for more information about Reading Comprehension. Click to read what the experts say about our programs. Click for sample lessons or to view our entire curriculum.
Math assignments usually take between 10-20 minutes. Reading Excellence assignments are lengthy (but they can be split up over multiple days if desired) and time varies with the student. Reading Comprehension assignments usually take between 5-15 minutes each. Enrollment Questions How do I enroll for the first time? On the homepage click on Enroll Now. Then select the appropriate enrollment path and complete the short registration process. Make sure to provide all of the required information. If the same page reappears after clicking on Submit, scroll down to find the red error message, correct the error, and click on Submit again. During registration you will be given the opportunity to register multiple students if you wish. You can also easily add them later from your Dashboard.
No. If you do not take the Tests before enrolling (you can take them now for FREE), or you do not opt at the end of registration to use the results from any Test previously taken, an Assessment Test prompt will appear in orange on your Dashboard when enrollment is completed. An Assessment Test must be taken before you can begin any program (but only one math test is required as its results create the Personal Math and State Standards Math programs simultaneously).
Yes. At the end of the registration process you will be given an opportunity to apply the Test results from any prior taken Tests to create the student�s program. Make sure to select the prior Test result for each subject you want to apply to that student or else he/she will be required to re-take the Test for that subject. .
It depends. When you register a student you are given an opportunity during the
registration process to select a prior taken Assessment Test and apply its
results to create the student�s program. STUDENTS WHO ARE ALREADY REGISTERED
MUST TAKE THE TEST FROM THEIR DASHBOARD; prior test results cannot be applied
to an already registered student. We alert users to this with a notice in red
at the beginning of the test. If you missed this warning the student must
re-take the Test or you can do the following to avoid the student having to
re-take the Test:
Each student automatically receives ALL of our subjects for FREE: Personal Math; State Standards Math; Reading Excellence; and Reading Comprehension.
Yes. You must have Adobe� Reader� Version 3.0 or higher installed tin order to print assignments. If you do not have it, you can install it for free after you enroll (there are links on most pages).
NO! In order to enroll a person must be 13 or older (the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 defines a �child� as someone under the age of 13), and our systems are designed to reject enrollments attempted by persons who indicate that they are under the age of 13 (and any information they may have provided in the process is automatically deleted). And our information collection is also designed NOT to encourage persons to provide a false age. Lastly, we limit the amount of personally identifiable information we collect about anyone - enrollers and students (for example, we do NOT collect students� email addresses). We are extremely protective of your privacy (see our Privacy Policy for more details).
No, but we strongly recommend that you set your browser to allow pop ups on our site. If you don�t, you may not be able to receive important information in many different places on our site. For example, after math lesson results are entered, a pop-up message appears to inform you if we recommend the corresponding Homework be done before advancing to the next lesson. And Achievement Certificates are only accessible via pop-up windows. Your browser�s Help section will tell you how to permit pop ups on our site. Dashboard Questions Click the printer icon or lesson number next to the lesson on the Dashboard. That will cause a window in Adobe Acrobat to open. Click the print button at the top of the Adobe Acrobat window. [If you don�t have Adobe Acrobat, click on the link at the top of your Dashboard to download it for free]. If the Assessment Test prompt appears on your Dashboard instead of assignments, you must take the Test for your tailored program to be created. The Test must be taken before you can begin any program (but only one math test is required as its results create the Personal Math and State Standards Math programs).
To print multiple lessons:
That will return you to your Dashboard where the first lesson you printed will appear again. When the lessons are completed, enter the results, and if a Recommended Homework appears in red on your Dashboard after results entry for any lesson we recommend you to require the student to do it. You can also print the Answers for lessons in advance by entering the lesson number and printing the pages that appear on your monitor.
If the enroller (not the student) logs in using his/her User ID and Password, View Answers appears in the middle of the Dashboard. If View Answers does not appear (or you are not permitted to access it), it is because you logged in using a student�s User ID and Password and students are not permitted to view the answers under the default settings (unless you changed them during Registration or by going to Edit Student/Info from the enroller�s Dashboard). To view answers, simply type the number of the lesson or homework you want to view exactly as it appears in the corner of the lesson page or on your Dashboard (e.g. M21-6 or Mh21-6) in the empty box under View Answers, click on Get Answers, and a new window with the answer key will immediately appear. Often the answers appear over multiple pages so use the arrow buttons at the bottom of each page to go forward or backwards and click Close when you are done.
After correcting the lesson using the answers we provide, mark the incorrect responses and insert the total number of errors at the top of the main Dashboard page. Then enter that number in the Errors box on your Dashboard next to that lesson or homework. Students should mark the Start and End times on the top of each printed lesson in the space provided. From those entries, determine how long it took the student to do the lesson and select the appropriate range from the Time drop down box. If a student fails to note the start and end times, simply select your best estimate of the time taken. Then click on the Submit Results button.
If you make an error in reporting results, simply click on the Undo Last Lesson button at the bottom of your Dashboard. That will enable you to re-enter the results for the last reported lesson indicated there, and it will also enable the student to print the lesson again if he/she wants to do it over. If you want to change the results or re-take an earlier completed lesson (one that does not appear as the Last Submitted Lesson), click on the Fast Tracking button, locate that lesson on the Fast Tracking page, uncheck it, and click on the Submit button. That will take you back to your Dashboard where that lesson will appear. A companion lesson is provided with each math lesson for extra practice of the skill set taught in the assigned lesson. You may elect to do it if you want. If the student does not pass a lesson, �Recommended Homework� will appear in red on your Dashboard underneath Optional Homework. It is strongly recommended that the student do this lesson for additional practice on the un-mastered skill.
Every student you enrolled is listed under the Select Student drop down box on your Dashboard. Simply select the student you want to manage, and his/her lessons for the subject identified in the Select Subject box will immediately appear.
Every student is automatically enrolled in all of our programs (including Personal Math and State Standards Math), which are listed under the Select Subject drop down box on your Dashboard. Simply the select the subject you want for the student listed in the Select Student, and his/her lessons for that subject will immediately appear. If �Assessment Test� appears on your Dashboard for any subject, the student must take the Test before any lessons can be accessed.
Fast Tracking allows you to skip lessons, select another Unit (e.g. different math skills), or change grade levels in reading programs, if you want to do so. For example, because our programs are designed for the average student, a particular math skill may have 4 practice lessons assigned because that is the amount of practice the average student requires to master that skill. But if your student masters that skill after 1 or 2 lessons you may want to skip the final 2 assignments. To do so, simply click on the Fast Tracking button on your Dashboard. At the top of the Fast Tracking page, make sure the correct student and subject are selected, and click the button for instructions on the page. Simply put, the system will assign the first unchecked lesson, so all you have to do is fill in or remove check marks to get the lesson you want. If it is in a prior or later Unit, first select that Unit from the Unit drop down box and then check or uncheck lessons as necessary to get to the lesson you want. If you are denied access to Fast Tracking, it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password and students are not permitted to access this function under the default settings (unless you changed them during Registration or by going to Edit Student/Info from the enroller�s Dashboard). General Tips informs you of the purpose of the current Unit and contains parent pointers to help you provide assistance if a student is struggling with the material. If nothing appears, there are no pointers for that Unit. The Problem Solver show parents detailed solutions to various addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems. It is not available to students unless you changed the default settings during Registration or by going to Edit Student/Info from the enroller�s Dashboard (and if you granted the student access, it should not be used when doing lessons). Follow the instructions on the Problem Solver page to enter the problem the student answered incorrectly and then click the Solve It! button. A detailed, visual solution of the problem will appear that can help you locate where the student may have made a mistake in his/her computation. We provide you all the tools you need to monitor a student�s academic growth � and you can see or access them all on one page. Clicking the View/Create Reports button on the Dashboard takes you to the page where you can select (i) a detailed Transcript that identifies the lessons done, dates, scores, and percentages correct; (ii) a Progress Report intended for younger students (as a motivational tool) that only identifies the number of lessons done in a specific time period; and (iii) a Custom section that allows you to create a report containing the information you select. And all reports can easily be e-mailed or printed.
Simply click on the arrow next to the drop down box for Select Subjects on any page on which it appears (e.g. Dashboard, Fast Tracking) and select the subject you want. You may switch back and forth between State Standards Math and Personal Math as you please, as different lessons will likely be assigned in each program. Account Questions
Simply log in to the enroller�s Dashboard and click on Register Another Student. If you are denied access to this page it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password. Only enrollers can add additional students. Please log in with your enroller User ID and password. Do NOT add students by starting the registration process again from the homepage; if you do you it will create a new, separate account and you will not be able to manage those students from the same Dashboard.
Simply click on Cancel Service on the enroller�s Dashboard and follow the instructions on the page that appears. Upon cancellation you will be immediately denied further access to that account or student and all records will be deleted. If you are denied access to this page it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password. Only enrollers can cancel accounts. Please log in with your enroller User ID and password.
Simply click on Edit Student/Info on the enroller�s Dashboard, scroll down, select the settings to change and click Update Info at the bottom. If you are denied access to this page it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password. Only enrollers can change Parental Controls. Please log in with your enroller User ID and password.
The enroller must click on the Manage Assessment Test Link on his/her Dashboard, select Reset a Program, and complete the steps indicated.
It is extremely important that you make sure both your and the student�s information is current. For example, if we do not have a current email address we cannot contact you about the student�s performance or other important matters (and we cannot locate your account to assist you as we use your email address as the primary locator). Technical support cannot change any of this information; only the enroller can do it. So the enroller needs to log in using his/her User ID and Password, click on Edit Account Information or Edit Student/Info, update the necessary information, and click on the Update Info button at the bottom of the page. If you are denied access to either page it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password. Only enrollers can edit account information. Please log in with your enroller User ID and password.
Yes. The enroller (e.g. parent, teacher) needs to log in using his/her User ID and Password, click on Edit Student/Info, scroll down to State Standards Selection and update the necessary information, and then click on the Update Info button at the bottom of the page. If you are denied access to this page it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password and students are not permitted to access this function under the default settings (unless you changed them during Registration or by going to Edit Student/Info from the enroller�s Dashboard). Technical Problems
Click here to go to the Lost Password page, enter the email address you registered with us, and your User ID and password will be promptly emailed to that address. If you are not permitted to log in it is because you are not entering the correct User ID or Password that you created. If you�ve forgotten your User ID and/or Password simply go to the Lost Password page, enter the email address you registered with us, and your User ID and password will be promptly emailed to that address.
When you click the printer icon or lesson number next to the lesson, a window in Adobe Acrobat should open for you to view and print the lesson. If you don�t have Adobe Acrobat, you can download it for free here. If you have Adobe Acrobat and a lesson still does not appear:
Most often this is a problem with your computer. Adobe Acrobat is a large file and you may have too many other windows open. Usually rebooting your computer and limiting the number of open windows will resolve the problem. If the problem continues email a detailed description of your problem to [email protected]. If View Answers does not appear, it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password and students are not permitted to view the answers under the default settings (unless you changed them during Registration or by going to Edit Student/Info from the enroller�s Dashboard).
If you are not permitted to enter results, it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password and students are not granted this ability under the default settings (unless you changed them during Registration or by going to Edit Student/Info from the enroller�s Dashboard).
If you are denied access to Edit Account Information, it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password. Only enrollers can edit account information. Please log in with your enroller User ID and password.
If you are denied access to Edit Student/Info, it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password. Only enrollers can Edit Student/Info. Please log in with your enroller User ID and password.
If you are denied access to Cancel Account page, it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password. Only enrollers can cancel accounts. Please log in with your enroller User ID and password.
If you are denied access to Fast Tracking, it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password and students are not permitted to access this function under the default settings (unless you changed them during Registration or by going to Edit Student/Info from the enroller�s Dashboard).
If you are denied access to this page, it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password and students. Only enrollers can register additional students. Please log in with your enroller User ID and password.
If you are denied access to the Reports page or a specific report, it is because you logged in using the student�s User ID and Password and students are not permitted to access this function under the default settings (unless you changed them during Registration or by going to Edit Student/Info from the enroller�s Dashboard).
A couple of possibilities: (1) the student is at the Unit Test (there is no homework for a Unit Test) - so look at the lesson description to see if it says Unit Test or click on the Fast Tracking button to see if it is the last lesson in the Unit); or (2) the student has completed all of the homework for that Unit.
First, clear your cache (or delete Temporary Internet Files) in your browser. Each browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.) is different so you should click on Help in your browser if you need further assistance. Generally speaking, you will find this under Tools, and then Internet Options (or just Options). Then re-boot your computer (i.e. restart it) and log in again. If the problem continues email us a detailed description at [email protected]. |
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