From Paul Heller
Secondary Division writing instructor
Q: Why would it be useful for me to read the comments teachers write on my child’s papers? I’m not a teacher, so how could I help?
A: It is not necessary to be a teacher to help your children think critically about their own work. What is helpful is the conversation your children have with you about their own thoughts and the ways in which they think about their thinking. Your children’s written work is a great place to begin such conversations. Your children’s thoughts are visible in their work and are always worth discussing. Additionally, the teacher shouldn’t be the only person who gets to be delighted with students’ ideas, thinking, analysis, and sheer delight in learning–all of which are to be seen in your children’s written work
Using comments written on working drafts of assignments is one way to begin useful (and gratifying) conversations at home. Of course (and please double underline the “of course”) the questions you ask must be both authentic and non-judgmental questions. Remarks that provoke arguments instead of spurring on a terrific discussion are to be off limits.
So, if the teacher has indicated that more information on a point would be useful, why not say: “I hadn’t thought about it before and now I’m very curious about it. What else can you tell me and others who don’t know what lizards eat in various parts of the world?”
Or begin a conversation with a statement like, “I hadn’t thought about this idea from your perspective before. That’s interesting view. How did you arrive at that conclusion?” Or, just plain: “That would never have occurred to me. How did the idea occur to you?”
Conversations with parents and family members can help children gage the various ways they might consider and respond to the teacher’s remarks and corrections. Such conversations help students plan how to accomplish their goals and to communicate their thoughts and ideas accurately and effectively.
From Julie McNamara
Elementary Division mathematics instructor
Q: Why does my child’s math homework look so different than mine did?
A: The math that most of us were taught in school is often referred to as “shop-keeper” math. It had actually changed very little since the 1800s [we know this because Nina has shared with us some of her own early schooling experiences]. Our children are living in a completely different era and the way they learn math needs to respond to the ways that math is actually used in a high-tech world.
That means that even in elementary school it is important for students to learn to problem solve, interpret data, justify and communicate their answers, and work with others to come up with solutions. Of course being able to quickly and accurately solve computations is a necessary skill, but in today’s world it’s simply not enough.
From Nina Gabelko and Beverly Vandiver
ATDP Director and Head Counselor
Q: My child and I consider memorizing things to be a complete waste of our time. The lovely and charming Nina states that she doesn’t care that I don’t like the idea of memorization and that my child needs to memorize the vocabulary for her language class. Why would Nina say such a thing?
A: Of course, I do care, and deeply. Let’s take a closer look at what needs to be memorized and determine what is so important about it. We need to memorize the building blocks, the tools, that we use to do the real work of the world. Why ever would we tackle big problems without the necessary tools? Let’s look at some of these tools in context and discover how they permit us to learn efficiently and deeply.
Let’s start with language learning and those long lists of things that your sensei hands you. Here she is, Honsoi-sensei, more fun than just about anyone in the world and yet she insists that “The two major components of this course are: (1) acquisition of basic communication skills of elementary Japanese and (2) learning hiragana and katakana syllabaries as well as some kanji characters.”
Gosh, that means you memorize an alphabet by heart that’s not even in roman letters and not an alphabet the way you learned it before you started school. Why do that? If you do not memorize the characters, sounds, and words you will not be able to approach the primary goal of your class—the acquisition of communication skills. It is only after you acquire these “building blocks” that you can get on with the business of building concepts and communicating ideas—first concrete ones, then abstract. This is very exciting and rewarding, but only if you have the tools.
The same goes for mathematics. As Dr. McNamara mentioned above, today the study of mathematics ( like the study of all other disciplines) is aimed at the demands of problem solving within a highly technical society. In our society, decisions are made within situations that are often ambiguous or offer too much conflicting information. Consequently, students must stand on the firmest footing possible—they need to be confident that they have at hand the concrete, reliable, information they need to do their work. Only then can they move forward to solving complex conceptual problems.
For example, this means that students must have at their fingertips and at the tip of their tongue the vocabulary of math, and immediate access to basic facts and rules. Across the board, this means memorizing arithmetic facts, knowing frequently-used formulas by heart, and the developing the ability to figure out and access new, unique, and complex algorithms. The same holds true for all other disciplines, of course.
From Adena Young
ATDP Mathematics Coordinator
Q: What are the differences between accelerated and enrichment mathematics courses at ATDP? How do I decide which type of math course is right for me?
A: Accelerated mathematics courses cover an entire school year’s worth of instruction and material in six weeks. They are designed for students who are sufficiently prepared to learn mathematics at a very fast pace. In accelerated courses, students participate in mathematics lectures and are frequently given assessments to determine their mastery of course material. In contrast, enrichment courses are designed for students who wish to develop a deeper conceptual understanding of mathematics through an exploration of topics that are normally taught in Algebra I or Geometry.
In enrichment courses, students engage in group activities and investigations that help them to develop a thorough understanding of mathematics concepts. When choosing between an accelerated and enrichment course, students and their families should consider the type of learning experience the student would most benefit from and enjoy. Final placement depends on a placement test score of 80% or higher.
Q: I am taking a math course at ATDP, and the instructor keeps giving me writing assignments. I thought math was about numbers Ð why am I doing so much writing in a math class?
A: Writing is an integral part in ATDP mathematics classes. It is a learning tool that helps students to process their thinking and to assess their understanding of mathematics material. It also promotes students’ development of metacognition*, which involves the knowledge and regulation of how they learn and do math. Writing is also a teaching tool for instructors. It allows instructors to better understand students’ thinking processes so that they can know how best to teach their students.
Q: Why can’t I take an accelerated mathematics course if I want to? I don’t care about the grade!
A: ATDP’s accelerated mathematics courses are designed for students who are prepared for and willing to commit to learning and mastering the course material in a short amount of time. Students who are not sufficiently prepared for an accelerated mathematics course quickly become frustrated in these courses and cannot keep up with the pace of learning and instruction. Additionally, when students are not sufficiently prepared, it has a negative impact on the class.
Q: Sometimes when I think I know something in math, when I take the test, it turns out that I don’t know. What can I do? How do you know when you know?
A: It is important for students to regularly be asking themselves what they know and what they don’t know. This kind of monitoring, which is an important part of metacognition*, helps you identify when you need to ask questions and study more, and when you can be confident about your understanding of a concept. Anytime you are learning something new, you can check your understanding of a concept in a number of ways. Can you solve problems easily? Can you explain what you did on a problem and why? Can you teach someone else how to do the problem?
Learning is an active process. Listening to the teacher and doing the homework is usually not enough to fully understand the concept. It is important to check your understanding so that you can determine what you know and what you don’t know. If you are having difficulty doing this, ask for help so that you can learn how to monitor your understanding.
* development of metacognition: learning to think about your own thinking, developing knowledge that permits you to identify and analyze factors that influence your thinking.
From Heidi K. Hata
Elementary Division counselor
Q: I really like to do group projects. But what I don’t like is when I’m stuck in a group where I end up doing all of the work and everyone gets a good grade, even if they did not do their own share of the work. But on the other hand, I would never hand in an incomplete project. What should I do?
A: This is a common problem for hard workers!!! Completing your work is important but so is learning to work with a group. This includes laying out job assignments and holding yourself, and others, responsible for those jobs. Working in groups is hard! It usually helps to plan ahead. When you get a group assignment, it helps to discuss it with everyone, decide who will do what, and write down exactly what everyone will do.
This helps make things clear and holds everyone responsible for their job. It also helps to meet with your group frequently (not just the night before your project is due) to check in and see what progress everyone has made. This will give you all an opportunity to check in, give reminders, and of course to work together and improve your project! Group projects offer an opportunity to learn more than you possibly could by yourself and to work on important communication, planning, and collaborative skills. These skills will help you long after the project is over!
Q: Why does my teacher always ask us to discuss things with each other and to explain things to each other? If I know it, why do I need to talk about it?
A: Discussing information and ideas with others helps us understand them in greater depth. You must have a very good understanding of something to be able to explain it to someone else clearly. Sometimes, when we explain things to others we realize that there are parts of our explanation that we don’t understand as well as we could. Saying things out loud or writing them down to explain to others also helps us remember what we learn. Sometimes when we just listen to things, we understand them (or think we do) only to forget them later!
Explaining to others is an important way to think in greater complexity and helps you remember information later. Also, listening to your classmates is important. Sometimes they see things in a different way than you and can help you think about new or different ways to solvethe problem. Lucky for you, your ATDP classmates have interesting things to share! And they can’t wait to hear your ideas.
General Tips for Elementary Division classes…
- Ask and answer questions in class. This helps you test your own knowledge and to understand things more completely.
- Get to know your classmates. Being away from your regular school and friends can be hard. But there are so many great people to meet at ATDP. Remember, you are not the only one in a new place; everyone is (or was)!! It can be hard at first, but ask a classmate to play outside, to go wait for ice cream with you, to work on a class assignment, or just introduce yourself! Odds are, the other person will be glad to have someone to talk to too! ATDP friends can be lifetime friends, so make sure you take the time to get to know your classmates—they are wonderful!
- Have fun!! Enjoy all your wonderful teachers, new friends, and interesting classes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Make the most of your ATDP days;the summer will fly by and before you know it you will be missing all that challenging, interesting work!