| Ahhh.....it's summertime and the living is | | | | have happened that his grade is so low. After |
| easy. You have no rigid schedules to follow, | | | | all, he did make 80% on that one test! Do I |
| no school bells to live by, and no report | | | | sound as if I've been there? Actually, I'm |
| card hassles with your teenager. But before | | | | speaking more as a parent now than as a |
| you know it those "Back to School" | | | | teacher! I definitely have been on both |
| sale ads will appear in the newspapers and | | | | sides. So how can you avoid this scenario? |
| you will have to gear up for another school | | | | Let me share a little tactic that a few |
| year and all that it entails. You need all | | | | parents of my students sometimes used.Every |
| the help you can get.I am a recently retired | | | | three or four weeks, sometimes as often as |
| high school mathematics teacher and over the | | | | every two weeks, I would find in my school |
| years I observed, time and time again, | | | | mailbox a nice note from a parent asking for |
| parents wanting to help their children be | | | | a quick report on their student's grades, |
| good math students but feeling completely | | | | work habits, behavior, etc., and usually |
| helpless as to how or what they could do. | | | | leaving a space right there on the note for |
| Parents usually feel that because it's been | | | | me to respond. Included would be a |
| so long since they have had upper level math | | | | self-addressed, stamped envelope so that all |
| courses themselves, there's nothing they can | | | | I had to do was jot down a few notes about |
| really do to help. Such is not the case at | | | | any work not turned in, a recent poor grade, |
| all. Any parent, regardless of his education | | | | perhaps an alert about an upcoming test, |
| level, can follow some simple but effective | | | | whatever was relevant at the time. Then I |
| steps that can help their student succeed in | | | | could just seal the envelope and drop it in |
| any high school math course. Let's see | | | | the outgoing mail. Teachers are extremely |
| how.Get your student to "talk" math | | | | busy people and anything you do to make |
| with you. You don't have to understand the | | | | things just a little easier for them is very |
| subject matter; just gauge the responses you | | | | much appreciated. And don't forget about |
| get. When you ask what is being studied, a | | | | email. That can be a quick and easy way for |
| reply such as "quadratic equations" | | | | you to correspond with the teacher and check |
| or "polynomials" shouldn't suffice. | | | | on progress, provided the teacher makes his |
| Even though that might indeed be the topic of | | | | email address available. Remember, the |
| the week, it demonstrates no understanding of | | | | teacher also wants your child to succeed and |
| the concepts at all. Instead, strive for | | | | will welcome the help from you in trying to |
| something along the lines of "We are | | | | accomplish that goal.Speaking of teachers, |
| studying quadratic equations and the | | | | let's talk about your attitude toward them. |
| different ways to solve them such as | | | | If your student isn't doing well in a |
| factoring, using the quadratic formula, and | | | | particular class, try your very best to be |
| completing the square." See the | | | | supportive of the teacher. If your child |
| difference? Usually if a student can verbally | | | | observes even a hint of your placing blame on |
| express some concepts of the topic being | | | | the teacher, the student will latch onto that |
| presented, that indicates a fairly good | | | | as the excuse for his less that acceptable |
| understanding of what is being studied.But | | | | performance in the class. I've seen it happen |
| how do you know if your student, even though | | | | over and over again. On the other hand, I |
| he understands what he is supposed to be | | | | have seen a student's work habits and |
| doing, can actually solve those quadratic | | | | performance drastically improve once the |
| equations? Well, in all honesty, you might | | | | student sees his parent and the teacher |
| not be able to tell for sure but you can at | | | | communicating and working together as a team |
| least instill some good habits toward that | | | | to ensure the student's success in the |
| end. Ask to see examples in his book and in | | | | course. The student must be held accountable, |
| his class notes (he definitely should be | | | | and all too often that isn't the case.I'll |
| taking notes in math class) and by all means | | | | add one last note that should be obvious but |
| ask to see where he has practiced in his | | | | very often is disregarded by teenagers. |
| homework. True, you may not know if those | | | | Encourage organization, neatness, and showing |
| problems are done correctly, but you will | | | | all work on paper. In most high school math |
| know whether or not he is actually doing | | | | courses, the process is just as important as |
| homework and taking notes in class. And if | | | | the answer and the teacher needs to be able |
| junior knows that someone with more leverage | | | | to look at the student's work and see the |
| than his teacher is monitoring his work on a | | | | logical, progressive thought process. I often |
| regular basis, he will be more likely to work | | | | told my students that I needed to |
| on keeping it up to date.So by now you're | | | | "see" their thinking as I looked at |
| having "math" conversations with | | | | their work.I think I hear the bell |
| your student on a regular basis and you're | | | | ringing....don't be tardy and have a |
| diligently monitoring his work. The school | | | | successful school year!Linda Hinkle is a |
| year is moving right along. He swears that | | | | recently retired high school mathematics |
| he's doing just fine, understands everything | | | | teacher who has a desire to help empower |
| perfectly, and is getting good grades. | | | | parents of students struggling with |
| Really, mom, he is. Then the report card | | | | mathematics. Her twenty-nine years of |
| comes and lo and behold, everything isn't | | | | teaching experience has given her much |
| fine and he just doesn't know how it could | | | | insight as to what works and what doesn't. |