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Mr. Heath and his 4th/5th grade class at Kent's Pine Tree Elementary.

3D Superhero Math! How a Kent Teacher Enchants His Students & Raises Test Scores

BY Rachel Belle  on November 15, 2012 @ 5:18 pm (Updated: 6:28 pm - 11/15/12 )

When Kent's Pine Tree Elementary School teacher, Jeromie Heath, told his 4th/5th grade class that there was only one more algebra problem left for the day, they groaned with disappointment. When does that ever happen? The kids in Mr. Heath's class love to do math. And science. And reading. It's not your typical classroom.

On Thursday, Mr. Heath was dressed in head to toe green, his torso covered by a muscled The Hulk costume, and the classroom was set up to look like a mad scientist's lab.

"We have black lights, things that glow, we have animated things, we have snakes and spiders and bats everywhere and giant cockroaches."

The kids sign, chant and enthusiastically learn.

"Every single month he changes themes," says student Dasha Kalchik. "The next theme is going to be Dr Seuss. He always decorates this room and it makes it really awesome because it makes you want to go to school everyday and have fun."

Thursday was Superhero 3D Math day. The kids put on their 3D glasses and pull out glow-in-the-dark highlighter pens to write math equations on the paper covered tables.

"Notice that when they write on the tables, it glows!" says Mr. Heath. "I realized that kids were not liking multiplication and long division. If you make it glow, they love it! When I put the answer up, if they get the answer right, they get to see the 3D image. That encourages them to want to see it."

The images he shows are of superheroes, and the kids ooh and ahh, and shout "Awesome!" when they watch them morph into 3D. Mr. Heath spends two hours a day, and many many weekends making 3D videos and writing math songs. He spent $2,000 last year on supplies. I asked him what makes it all worth it.

"It's a lot like buying people a gift. It's the reaction on their face when you give it to them. It's the, 'Wow! Oh, cool!' Sometimes they even say, 'Thank you' which is a little weird when you give them math questions and they say thank you. But that's why I do it, it's for the smiles."

The kids are definitely smiling.

"I want to come everyday. It's so fun," Dasha says.

"He has a lot of themes and he's very caring about us," says Elijah Presto.

"The things pop out at you in 3D and makes you want to know how to learn it so you can see the pictures," says 5th grader Molly Burke.

"Almost every year the state test scores in my room double," Mr. Heath says. "Last year they came in with a 50 percent passing for math for 4th grade. After a year's worth they went up to 84 percent passing. The same is true for reading. My science scores for the past three years have gone from 24 percent to 78 percent."

I noted that the kids seem very well-behaved and obedient.

"They are because they're really entertained. In this age of video games and multi-tasking and four Internet windows up at the same time, you have to match it. If you don't, you're going to lose their interest. I love this job, I mean, I really love this job. I'm part entertainer, part comedian, part musician. I have to be a tech specialist. I like presenting and entertaining and spending time with the children. The more you put into them, the more you get out of them."

Mr. Heath wants to share his lessons with other teachers. Click here to find all of his materials.

Rachel Belle, Ron and Don Show Reporter
Rachel Belle is a feature contributor and personality on The Ron & Don Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 3-7pm), and host of Ring My Belle Weekends (Saturdays at 5pm and Sundays at 3pm).
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  • lovepaintears wrote...
    Inventive Super Hero Teacher
    November 16, 2012 10:13 am
    I am SO thrilled the charter schools have passed. This alternative type of teaching that is so successful and in this class so popular is something that WORKS and is a natural part of charter schools. This teacher is brilliant and his school is fabulous for supporting him and allowing him to have an alternative teaching style in his class room. Many schools would not allow it. Our current school system is failing. If you get the scores mailed every year like I do that shows the scores of all the schools in your district you know that. I have even been told by a school principle that it is not his Job to provide the best education he can only equal access to education. This tells me he is not providing the best education he can to any student as each year I receive a letter telling me that school is failing and I have the right to have my child placed in another school because of it. Seems to me it should be the best education he can for everyone in his school. Anyway I am thrilled with this story and happy beyond belief the charter schools have passed. I just wish those who are so stressed about it would relax a little and take some time to learn what they are all about and how successful they are to so many students. It is a democratic society we live in after all. Shouldn't parents and students have the right to choose their education within the public school system. If its not for you that's ok don't have your children attend but I for one will have mine placed in the first one available. I only hope it happens VERY soon. Thank You for sharing this AWESOME story!!
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  • Bloodsurf69 wrote...
    Problem
    November 18, 2012 10:20 am
    The only problems that I see with Charter Schools is that all 50 of them with be in Bellevue area and Mercer Island. That with pull funding from all the other (poor) areas of the state. Where is mostly needed. Everytime the School District pulls funding it's always from the poor neighborhoods.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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