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Students said they want:
- More “examples”
- “Explanations,” line by line, of how to do each skill
- Helpful “resources” within the textbook structure, such as the meanings of words, “answers,” “glossary,” directory, lists of mathematical procedures, explanations of mathematical symbols
- Clearer and simpler language, “easier to read and understand”
- Classical math – the math schools used to teach, the math that will get them to college without remediation – with “equations, algorithms, formulas, theorems”
- Useful “visuals”
- Uncomplicated word problems; (or) No more word problems
- Content that’s germane to them, to their life, to college and to their future
- More time and opportunity to “practice” skills
- Small, portable machines that will calculate for them
- The paid adult in the classroom to actually show them how to do things
- To be allowed to progress when they understand something
- Help from a “Website”
- To learn a skill before they’re told to use it
- A textbook that isn’t so big and heavy
- A book they can work in at home
Rogers, L. (December, 2009). "School district excludes feedback from committee, students." Retrieved (date) from the Betrayed Web site
I'm especially partial to "learn a skill before they're told to use it," thanks to C.'s experience in middle school math, where the first application was always on the test. The kids went from seeing a procedure done a couple of times in class to one or two ungraded homework assignments practicing the procedure to multiple-step word problems applying that procedure on a graded test.
Two years of misery.
