What can my student do to be successful in this course?

What can my student do to be successful in this course?

Learning how to learn in a problem-based classroom can be a challenge for students at first. Over time, students gain independence as learners when they share their rough drafts of ideas, compare their existing ideas to new things they are learning, and revise their thinking. Many students and families tell us that while this was challenging at first, becoming more active learners in math helped them build skills to take responsibility for their learning in other settings. Here are some ideas for encouraging your student:

• If you’re not sure how to get started on a problem, that’s okay! What can you try? Could you make a guess? Describe an answer that’s definitely wrong? Draw a diagram or representation?

• If you’re feeling stuck, write down what you notice and what you wonder, or a question you have, and then share that when it’s time to work with others or discuss.

• Your job when working on problems in this class is to come up with rough-draft ideas and share them. You don’t have to be right or confident at first, but sharing your thinking will help everyone learn. If that feels hard or scary, it’s okay to say, “This is just a rough draft . . .” or  “I’m not really sure but I think . . .”

• Whether you’re feeling stuck or feeling confident with the material, listen to your classmates and ask them about their ideas. One way that learning happens is by comparing your ideas to other people’s ideas, just like you learn about history by reading about the same events from different perspectives.

• At the end of class, or when you are studying, take time to write some notes for yourself. Ask yourself, “Do I understand the lesson summary? Do the learning targets describe me?” If not, write down a sentence like, “I understand up to . . . but I don’t understand why . . .” Share it with a classmate, teacher, or other resource who can help you better understand.

We are excited to be able to support your student in their journey toward knowing, using, and enjoying  mathematics.