Pointers Run Elementary first-grader Nicholas Taber logged onto the First In Math online program recently and demonstrated his prowess for problem-solving, quickly accumulating electronic award stickers for correct answers.
Then his math teacher, Patty Jannetti, stopped him long enough to get a printout of where he ranked among elementary school students across the country who collect stickers on the program.
As it turned out, Nicholas, who has been playing the game since October, was first at First in Math, ranking at the top of the list with 32,132 stickers, nearly 11,000 points ahead of a second-place player from California. He was the only player in the state in the top 25.
As many kids his age aim for high rankings nationally on video games, Nicholas has become tops at a Web program that teaches everything from simple addition to problem-solving to advanced algebra. The Howard County school system has made the program, launched in 2002 by Easton, Pa.-based Suntex International as a spinoff of its popular 24 Game, accessible for students this year.
First in Math has already made an impact among county elementary schools. At Pointers Run Elementary, the school improvement team, a group of people within the school community that works with Pointers Run officials, listed placing stronger emphasis on First In Math as part of its plan.
At Stevens Forest Elementary in Columbia, the school's newsletter lists students who rank tops among their grade-level teams at First In Math.
Columbia's Atholton Elementary recognizes students taking part in First in Math, and its newsletter says, "Students have made strong gains by playing the online math games for as little as 10 to 15 minutes per day."
And students at Bollman Bridge Elementary in Jessup play the game each week during their technology class.
Though some students play the game at school, Jannetti says, "It's a way to encourage kids to do math at home."
Nicholas' father, Rich Taber, said that his son's fascination with math concepts began last summer, when Nicholas' mother, Kate, taught him multiplication while the two were on a walk.
"When they came back, he knew how to multiply," said Taber. "He really picked up on it very quickly."
Back in school, Nicholas was placed in Jannetti's first-grade class, which covers some second-grade objectives, and Nicholas took to First in Math.
"I think Nicholas has just good numbers sense, more than just knowing how to memorize a skill," said Jannetti. "It's really important for them to have a good sense of numbers and what they mean and how they look together, and I see that in Nicholas."
"A lot of kids can do a skill, but give it to them in a word problem or ask them to apply it, and they can't," Jannetti said. "With Nicholas, if you give him real-life situations, he knows not only how to do the skills, but what skills to use."
Rich Taber said that initially he and Nicholas' mother didn't know that the program ranked sticker counts across the country, but saw how their son took to it and sought to know more.
"The week after they started the program, I saw Ms. Jannetti and I said, 'Thanks, you've created a monster,'" said Rich Taber, "because he was using it two hours a day."
His father said that Nicholas has begun tackling such concepts as metric conversions.
Rich Taber spoke while Nicholas played a First In Math game that involved assembling numbered tiles to make them add up to 10. He asked his son how he felt about being in first place in the country, and Nicholas replied that he was "really happy and proud, since I worked hard."