Elements of Design: PROTOTYPE ASSIGNMENT Why Are we pushing Algebra 2? What are the Alternatives?

Wyoming Hathaway Scholarship Requirements:

Reason #1: Instate Scholarship funding

Reason #2: Admissions Requirements to University of Wyoming

As listed on the UW website: Requirements

Alternative Admissions:

Why 4 years of Mathematics at Jackson Hole High school?

I emailed multiple people within my school to help give me ideas surrounding why we pushed so hard for the Jackson Hole High School diploma that requires 4 years of mathematics including Algebra 2. I only received one reply from the counselor saying that getting the Jackson Hole High School diploma would qualify the students for the highest level of scholarship in Wyoming called the Hathaway Scholarship, Algebra 2 will prepare them for the basic level math they will need to take in college, and admit them right into their UW program of choice without have to take extra transition courses . The levels of scholarship money are listed in the screenshot above. Whatever level you fall into grants you a certain amount of money. Therefore, if you only were to complete the minimum course work for a high school diploma in Wyoming it would grant you the lowest level of the Hathaway scholarship, but you would be placed into the transition program at UW (which would mean more money out of the students pocket).

Is it worth it to push the students to the highest level?

Yes?

Of course it is worth it. You would be saving students $13,440 over the period of 4 years of college. Giving students the ability to leave college with less debt and more financial freedom to make decisions about their future based on interest and fulfillment and not just focusing on paying off more student loans. But, is this price tag worth pushing students through an experience that they find no value in? Well, yes. To an extent. Yes, mainly because we all know that most teenagers have no idea what they will want to do in five years or even one year from where they are at. I say “most” only because some teens actually do know what they want to do and what they want to be and go for it. We were all in high school at one point, and who we are adults today is much different than who we were as high schoolers. So much changes in our minds and our lives. We need to encourage our students to leave their options open for their future, so if students want to change careers, get more education and make more money they have the ability to do it without too much hassle. Second of all, passing and understanding Algebra 2 prepares students for college math classes. Finally and most importantly, if they do not take Algebra 2 they will not be admitted into the University of Wyoming right away. They will need to take and pay for transition courses.

Student A:

For a person who has drive, and is able to understand that the preparation for college and scholarship money is worth it, they will, no matter how difficult or hard it is, work hard to pass Algebra 2 and receive the Jackson Hole High School Diploma. They recognize the income differences of having a high school diploma versus not, and know that it may open up future opportunities and choices they do not see or know of right now.

But this is one person. If we walked into any high school it is not just duplicates of the same person walking around, with the same mindsets, and same experiences. They are unique individuals, who have created perspective on their world and their environment based on their experiences. So there are many different unique situations.

No?

When the students who are failing or barely passing and/or have never found success at math, no matter how much “real world application”, individual support, growth mindset, and unconditional support the teacher has provided the student still finds math, pointless and not at all applicable to their life. The school attempts to educate the student on the importance of this track, the options it will leave open for their future and the money it may save them when trying to improve their career through education, the student at 17 or 18 still shows up with no work ethic, excitement, or enthusiasm to learn.

Any well rounded human or teacher will say, there is obviously more going on with this student. They have developed negative coping mechanisms that are now habits that include work avoidance, disruption, or emotional problems like depression, anxiety, or defiance.

In this situation, we are not doing this student any favors to push them through Algebra 2 and give them another reason to think that they are not smart enough, mainly because they do nothing in class.

We all know that minds are moldable. We have the ability to change our minds, our habits and learn new things no matter how old we are. I have seen many of my motivated early 30 year old friends decide to go back to school after an eight year break. Many have not taken math for 12 years, meaning they forgot most of it anyways. These students go back to school with a desire to learn and grow. They have a new perspective on life, where they realize the importance of education and success. They understand the importance of work ethic and pursuing a career they enjoy. They have to work hard, get a tutor to relearn the basic mathematical concepts they need to achieve a degree in nursing, engineering, accounting, business, ect.

It is not doomsday if by the students senior year they decide they do not want a Jackson Hole High School Diploma. Learning comes in many forms, and it does not always fit into the box we are putting it in. But the school is afraid of students not being able to be admitted and successful at the University of Wyoming. There are so many variables that you need to consider. But as a school district we are here to help the kids. What is best for them? What will inspire them? And what is the best plan for them as a unique individual? We all know that “we all don’t fit into one box”.

Other variables to consider when we are looking at this student are what if they never get the opportunity to go back to school due to life circumstances, such as having a kid and not being able to support them, or not being able to get the time to work and go to school because they are barely making ends meet to live a basic life. In the end there is only so much other people can do to try to improve another’s life. The majority of life is up to the person.

I congratulate our efforts to try to instill the importance of this diploma. It is not an easy feat by any means. But if a student doesn’t have the GPA to get the hathaway, or the ACT score, and continues to fail in the system we have. Why are we even pushing them into this experience that will only increase their negative coping mechanisms?

Let’s listen to the students at this point. I understand that as a public school we must conform to the box that the country and state puts us in. But we have flexibility to support, and help our students. Not put them through a year of solidifying and practicing all their negative coping mechanisms that are only hurting them in their future.

Let’s look at student B:

Student B is in my Algebra 2 class. He is a senior, latino, plays soccer, and failed the first semester of Algebra 2 his senior year, and was on his way to failing the second semester. The apathy towards mathematics and the motivation surrounding academics for this student is huge. Many days this student makes statements like “I am not going to go to college” or “why does this matter in the first place” or “I work hard at work just not at school”. Most days I would attempt to greet this student and give him positive reinforcement about the small amount of work he did. Even went to the extent of helping him work through all of his homework one problem at a time. Without my effort he would do nothing. I wonder how he even made it this far. He was sent over to the alternative school to complete credit recovery on Algebra 2 just so he could get the credit, as in my class he was on the path to fail out of my class and end up not having enough credits to get his Jackson Hole High School diploma.

These credit recovery classes are a joke at the high school. I hate to say this as I know I will receive or could receive a lot of lash back for that statement. But the students go over to this school, sit in front of the computer, click through quizzes, videos and assignments and finish a full year of math in about two to three weeks. I can safely say not learning anything.

I take on the responsibility for not finding more ways to engage this student and maybe connect Algebra 2 to life. I think that I could have done more. But I know I tried my best every day to help this student. For him, I think the experience was miserable. Maybe some days he left my class feeling important or successful, but I will never really know.

This Student B is the student who I am talking about with this design problem. What can we do to support this student? Or do we need to rethink the amount of effort we put into pushing Algebra 2 on a student?

Solutions:

1. Create a new course that includes choice.

What does this student want to learn about? What do they want to learn to be successful in their career after highschool if they are not going to college?

The school needs to give him an option to get certified or gain experience doing something that he see’s useful for after high school. What career or technical education can this student take to replace the Algebra 2 class?

2. Create an accessible Algebra 2 course for all students.

I know that there is a push to make math about problem solving, collaboration and discovering. This is all fine when it comes to students who enjoy problem solving and figuring out problems and algorithms. Although, as soon as you encounter a student who lacks skills in math because they stopped paying attention in 6th grade, and now suffers from math anxiety, these pedagogies sometimes do not work. Especially, when these students are in a class with a mix of students who are motivated and have skills to problem solve. The struggling students stop problem solving and shut down because they don’t want to be labeled as stupid by their peers.

So, personalize the content. The teacher has to put in the work to discover what each of these students need in order to be successful in Algebra 2 and design content based off of that.

Questions like:

1. What is the basic information this student needs to know to pass Algebra 2?

2. Do they really need to practice problems they know how to do?

3. What content can I get rid of to make it seem less overwhelming?

3. Can we as teachers get more creative?

Sometimes it is the teacher that draws the student in. These teachers are the rare teachers that change a students academic career because they get them to enjoy the topic. They are the teachers that the student will never forget. What does this take to train more teachers to be this teacher? What distinguishes these teachers from the others? Sometimes those are the teachers that other teachers question, because they have an alternative way of teaching that no one can really wrap their head around. These teachers' classes from my experience are more about the experience of the class and less about the content.

Are the students having fun?

Are they enjoying being in the classroom and the time they spend there?

Are they learning something?

What are they learning about and is it important?

4. Let the student decide.

Let the student decide if they want to take Algebra 2 and educate them on their decision. In the end it might be better for the student, teacher and school if the student is in a class that they may enjoy more. Maybe the other class will inspire them, or push them to be better or work harder. Because up until this point this student has been struggling, and doing something different could support change.

5. College Requirements need to change.

Right now, students applying to the University of Wyoming must have 4 years of Math, including Algebra 2. Therefore, in order for any instate student to get the cheapest College Bachelors, students must complete Algebra 2. Link to requirements here for admissions to undergrad programs at UW

What if instead of pushing a high schooler to take Algebra 2. They get to take a course that interests them. Then other options for college are given to these students. For example, they could get into any Wyoming Community College, and take the College Algebra course at the community college, which would then qualify them to take their last two years for a bachelors at University of Wyoming.

Main point is there are options, and cheap options in their future if they do not take Algebra 2.

6. Personalized Learning

Use technology, games, and interactive learning tools to create an Algebra 2 course geared towards each individual and their needs. Yes this takes leg work on the teachers end and could be difficult with large classes. Although, I do believe that enough planning and support, a teacher could figure this out. I am currently working on trying to do this with the different levels of skills in my Algebra 1B class. I am trying to catch the gaps, and give them the confidence to move forward in Math.

My prototype:

What I have been trying to do with my students who are sophomores that are struggling learners in math, currently in a class called Algebra 1B (the second semester of Algebra 1 taught over one year).

#6 Personalized Learning

A combination of Flipped Math (https://www.flippedmath.com/#/ ), group work, problem solving, quizlet live, and Delta Math (https://www.deltamath.com/app/teacher) have helped me, just barely, touch the tip of the iceberg. Using a variety of computer applications and texts lets me experiment with the creation of personalized learning. I am so far from being there, but that is what prototyping is all about right?

Student B is out and going to get a credit for a full year of Algebra 2 in a month. So there you have it that solution is in process. So I am attempting to create personalized courses for students whose parents moved to a new place when their child had one month left of the school year.

#5 College Requirements need to change.

Educate the older student on how their choices are impacting their future. What does not taking Algebra 2 mean in the near future? What does it mean in the far future when they may decide they want to switch careers, make more money, and or get a degree? Show them the tracks. Give them real life examples of people who have done alternative routes to life and how they learned and advance their careers. What they wish they had done differently.