Get Ready For Pre Calculus
TLDRThe speaker, a calculus teacher, recounts their experience with a pre-calculus summer packet that was traditionally assigned to students. Initially, the teacher was unaware of the packet's existence and found it to be a source of unnecessary stress and busywork for students. After analyzing the situation, they decided to revamp the approach. The teacher developed a new method where students could complete a set of problems related to each chapter of the course throughout the year, rather than over the summer. This allowed students to review and prepare for each chapter without the pressure of a large summer assignment. The teacher also provided the answers and video explanations for the problems, encouraging self-study and understanding over rote completion. This innovative approach not only reduced the risk of cheating but also helped students gain confidence and a deeper understanding of the material, ultimately improving their performance in pre-calculus.
Takeaways
- 📚 The teacher was unaware of a pre-calculus summer packet requirement and received completed packets from many students.
- 🤔 The teacher questioned the effectiveness of the summer packet in correlating with student success in pre-calculus.
- 📉 The teacher observed that students who needed the packet most were less likely to complete it honestly.
- 🚫 The teacher decided against using the summer packet as it seemed to be busy work and did not aid in understanding.
- 🔄 The teacher went against the norm and created a new approach to pre-calculus preparation.
- 📈 The new approach included breaking down pre-calculus content into manageable chunks for each chapter.
- 🎓 The teacher wanted students to have work that would genuinely help them understand and be successful in the course.
- 📈 The teacher provided students with both the problems and the answers to the summer work, along with video explanations.
- 📹 The video explanations aimed to help students who are embarrassed to ask questions or don't understand the material.
- 📝 The teacher gave credit for the summer work regardless of when it was submitted during the year, as long as it was done.
- 📊 The teacher tracked the impact of the summer work on student performance and found it beneficial for those who engaged with it honestly.
Q & A
What was the unexpected situation the teacher encountered on the first day of teaching pre-calculus?
-The teacher found that many students were submitting completed math problem packets on the first day of class, which was a summer assignment requirement unknown to the teacher.
Why did the students submit a packet of math problems at the beginning of the pre-calculus course?
-The students were told by their Algebra 2 teachers or found on the website that they needed to complete a pre-calculus summer packet and submit it on the first day of class.
How did the teacher initially feel about grading the summer packets?
-The teacher was unsure about how to handle the packets, as they were unsure if the students had done the work themselves or copied the answers.
What was the teacher's concern regarding the correlation between the summer packet and student success in pre-calculus?
-The teacher was concerned that there was no clear connection between the summer work and how students would perform in the actual pre-calculus class.
How did the teacher decide to handle the situation with the summer packets?
-The teacher gave some students who had completed the packets 'fluff credit', and offered extensions to those who hadn't completed it, to ensure fairness.
What observation did the teacher make regarding which students completed the summer packet?
-The teacher noticed that the students who needed the summer packet the least were the ones who completed it, while those who needed it most either didn't do it or copied answers.
What was the teacher's conclusion about the effectiveness of summer packets?
-The teacher concluded that summer packets were ineffective, serving as busy work rather than genuinely helping students prepare for pre-calculus.
How did the teacher decide to change the approach for future pre-calculus preparation?
-The teacher decided to create material that students could complete over the summer or throughout the year, focusing on problems relevant to each chapter and providing answers and video explanations.
What was the benefit of providing students with the answers and video explanations for the pre-calculus preparation work?
-This approach helped students who were embarrassed to ask questions or didn't understand the material, allowing them to review and learn at their own pace without feeling judged.
How did the teacher ensure that students who cheated on the pre-work would not gain an advantage?
-The teacher made it clear that if a student showed a lack of understanding during the curriculum, it would indicate that they had not done the pre-work themselves.
What was the change in student behavior that the teacher observed after implementing the new approach?
-The teacher observed increased confidence among students, as they knew what was expected of them for each chapter and felt supported in their understanding of the material.
How did the teacher's approach to pre-calculus preparation evolve over time?
-Over time, more students began to submit their summer packets, either at the start or throughout the year, and the teacher continued to refine the approach to ensure it was beneficial and engaging for the students.
Outlines
🤔 Unexpected Pre-Calculus Summer Packets
The teacher recounts their initial experience with teaching pre-calculus and the surprise of receiving completed summer packets from students. These packets were not part of the teacher's curriculum but were a requirement from previous algebra teachers. The teacher grappled with how to handle the packets, questioning their relevance and authenticity, and the correlation between completing them and success in pre-calculus. The teacher observed that students who needed the practice least were the ones who completed the packets, while those who needed it most either did not complete them or copied answers. This led to the conclusion that summer packets were ineffective as busy work and did not ensure understanding or success in the course.
📚 Rethinking Pre-Calculus Preparation
Frustrated with the inefficacy of traditional summer packets, the teacher decided to abandon this approach and create a new method for pre-calculus preparation. The teacher wanted to assign work that would genuinely help students succeed in pre-calculus and ensure they understood the material. The solution was to break down the curriculum into manageable chunks corresponding to each chapter, acting as a pretest to refresh students' knowledge before delving into new topics. This approach allowed students to complete the work over the summer or throughout the year, accommodating different schedules and needs. The teacher reviewed and curated problems from the original summer packet and the curriculum to form this new preparatory material, aiming to provide a beneficial and less burdensome alternative.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Calculus
💡Pre-calculus
💡Summer Packet
💡Algebra
💡Teaching Method
💡Student Engagement
💡Gradebook
💡Diagnostic Test
💡Cheat
💡Video Explanation
💡Confidence
Highlights
The teacher initially encountered an unexpected situation with students submitting completed summer packets on the first day of calculus class.
The summer packet was a pre-calculus requirement, given by algebra teachers to prepare students for the upcoming course.
The teacher questioned the effectiveness of the summer packet in relation to students' success in pre-calculus.
The teacher decided to give partial credit for the summer packet and offered extensions to those who did not complete it.
Data tracking revealed that summer packet completion did not correlate with success in pre-calculus.
The teacher observed that students who needed the packet least were the ones who completed it, while those who needed it most either copied or did not do it.
The teacher concluded that summer packets were ineffective and decided to abandon the practice.
The teacher developed an alternative approach, creating material that could be completed over the summer or throughout the year.
The new approach included 'pretest' material for each chapter, focusing on prerequisite knowledge rather than the course content itself.
The teacher provided students with both the problems and the answers, along with video explanations, to facilitate self-learning.
This method was more helpful than anticipated, as it allowed students to learn at their own pace without fear of embarrassment.
The teacher found that providing answers and explanations actually improved academic integrity, as it removed incentives to cheat.
Students who copied answers were identified when they failed to understand the curriculum, and the teacher used this as a teaching moment.
The teacher's innovative approach led to a change in student behavior, with increased confidence and understanding of pre-calculus material.
The 'Get Ready for Pre-Calculus' course was well-received, with more students submitting their work and benefiting from the approach.
The teacher's method emphasizes the importance of understanding material over simply completing busy work.
The teacher's experience demonstrates the potential of technology in education to support diverse learning styles and needs.
Transcripts
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