Curriculum & Standards - What is the mission? What is the right decision?

Had a good moment today!  Had a parent pull me aside in a public place (not school) and thank me for helping their student with math.  The student had just completed their math course required at college (college algebra).  It was a student that struggled in all my math courses, a student who I demanded non-negotiable skills from.

The student struggled with grades - usually in the below average range, but I did not make the courses about a grade.  We made it about the skills, the concepts, what the student would have to do at college.  We quizzed, requizzed - worked at skills, would become frustrated and repeat.  I spoke at length with the student prior to graduation that math at college was something that the student could do -- just find the proper math help -- tutors, help centers, etc.  In the end the student got a C+ -- that is awesome!

It is times like this where I feel I have the curriculum balanced properly between how fast and how much mastery - because curriculum speed and mastery are not independent of one another.  My Algebra 2 course - which is college prep - does not go as far as many other school's Algebra 2 courses.  But the material we cover we know; we work hard at having a conceptual understanding of the items we do, and a mastery of the basics.

It means things like delaying the quadratic formula in favor of completing the square first.  Doing Geometry proofs as a few weeks of enrichment versus a semester of memorization.  About making each course a progression of the previous - including the course's grade.  A Geometry grade at my school is about 50% Algebra 1 skills, an Algebra 2 grade is 50% Algebra 1 and Geometry skills.  And so forth - except AP Calculus.

When I think about the trilogy of college prep courses - Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2 -  I am mostly concerned that they learn how to problem solve, have a true mastery of basics skills, and have a tenacity to stick with things - to look for the how and why.  I simply don't care if all the "standards" have been met, I don't care about a grade -- I want the team (student & I) to care about the big picture. 

And the big picture is that we do the things to make students successful.  Because I work for the student, not the 16 year old in my class, but the "future student" - the 23 year old student.  The student who wants the skills, knowledge and tenacity to be successful in their life - that is my math mission, that is how I set up my math curriculum. 

AP Calculus - Crunch Time

So prepping seniors for AP Calculus is no easy feat.  The second semester is here, all of them know their grades are no longer that important, and most therefore don't care so long as they pass (which is all true).  They also start losing focus on the goal of passing the AP test, nothing really matters (I can hear Queen playing), but the AP does matter - it is college credit!

So every year I try to finish the Calculus AB curriculum by early March, leaving nearly 2 months of review.  I continue with homework, but senior-irus keeps a large chuck from doing any real quality work, so we use the class time to hammer home the prep.  But this year due to a variety of factors we did not get thru the curriculum until April 1, and that is leading to unprepared students for the first Wednesday in May.

I take pride in the fact that a student that has received a D or better in my AP Calc course has gotten a passing score on the AP the last 3 years. The way we do that is the prep time from March 1st, it is what solidifies the concepts and understanding.  This year we simply have run out of time for the lazy stricken seniors, I find myself pushing down the path and not sure they will all make it this year.

AP problems are a beast of their own.  Even though I include the free response type questions as soon as I can on my tests (usually around early December because of the base knowledge required), they simply need practice applying all their knowledge onto one problem.  They also see a ton of multiple choice AP questions through-out the year - so the students are set on those.  They cannot pass my course if they cannot do the AP multiple choice, and understand it.  Yet if you get a D why would you think you should pass the AP?

But in previous years we were able to make it, so the lesson is to double up, do extra sessions, simply do whatever it takes to be done by March 1.  Crunch time needs to be 8 weeks!