SpringfieldNewsSun.com

MECHANICSBURG, Ohio — Someone passing through the halls of Mechanicsburg's elementary school this past week may have been a little concerned that teachers were training their students for combat.

Relax. The third-graders decked out in camouflage were preparing for a math test, not a violent engagement.

Teachers at the school have devised a new tactic to prepare students for the math portion of the Ohio Achievement Test, which the students will take this week, said Danielle Prohaska, director of student instruction at Mechanicsburg.

Teachers used an army theme to try to get the school's 61 students excited about math before taking the test.

"There's so much pressure associated with the test and we wanted to take some of that off them," Prohaska said.

Students were split up into three "platoons" early in the week based on skill level. Teachers then spent most of each day going over core math skills, including measurements, data analysis and basic algebra, said Amy Marsh, a third-grade teacher at the school. Throughout the lessons, teachers tried to use military terminology to make the classes more fun.

Students and teachers both used dye to camouflage their T-shirts, and some students carried their supplies in camouflaged bags. Students could earn prizes like temporary tattoos and action figures for answering questions and turning in homework.

"Sometimes it just takes a little gimmick to give them that extra push," Marsh said.

Teachers and administrators say they think they can see the project paying off already. Teachers tried a similar tactic earlier this year to prepare students for the reading portion of the test, and 74 percent of the students scored proficient or above, Prohaska said.

The community also has become involved in the project. Volunteers, or mentors, have been showing up to help students work on specific math skills in small groups.

But Marsh said the real benefit is when she sees her students understand a problem they were struggling with before.

"We're seeing them think things through a little bit more, I think," she said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0355 or msanctis@coxohio.com.

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