With the issues of Algebra there are lots of questions about the data and how we should adjust to provide better learning and performance for our students. We need time to study our data and even gather more information about what others are doing that would seem to be successful (best practice?). We owe it to our students to “rethink” Algebra and our current practices. With a “rethinking” will obviously be a time when we will need to take “risks” in attempting what may not have occurred before (though within the confines of good professional judgment on the parts of educators). With “rethinking” we also will probably need to “weed the garden” and consider elimination of practices that have not provided our students with the greatest leverage in learning the essential elements of Algebra. There may be multiple ways to “deliver” Algebra – including those that may currently be “non-traditional.”
One issue is abundantly clear with lots of evidence over time -- If we fail to assist our RUSD students in acquiring the competencies of Algebra, they will be limited in our high school curriculum and more importantly they will be limited in both their collegiate and career choices.
Students on their part should know that they should take an active interest to learn the nitty-gritty of algebra, even if the topic feels repulsive. This way they would be in a better position to learn algebra.Teachers on their part must make the algebra class more interesting, and that includes discussing completely different topics of interests, of course with limitations. Teachers should highlight the different benefits of learning algebra.
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