Human Helpers

My intent is to give students as many opportunities to seek help as I can.  I will often stay for a little while after school, and would love for students to take the opportunity to resolve uncertainties and improve quiz or test scores.  Please check first, though. before making hard plans to stop by.  Sometimes there are meetings or events I cannot miss.

Never feel like you are hurting my feelings if you ask another teacher for help.  Sometimes the best fix is simply to hear the same explanation in a new voice or tone.  Also, if another teacher consistently does something differently which makes things click better for you, PLEASE LET ME KNOW so I can improve my own methods.

If I send something home, it is perfectly acceptable for the student to seek help with it from family, peers, and other mentors.  I firmly believe that the learning which occurs between a student and their family is greatly enhanced by AND greatly enhances learning in the classroom.  There are many commonsense practices passed down to children by habit which have roots in mathematical principles.  For example, a parent may know from the experience of framing a shed foundation for concrete to be poured, that the easiest way to check and see if the frame is "square" is to measure the diagonals and see if they are the same lengths.  A student may never have "experienced the joy of backyard shed construction," but may see the sense of it as explained by a parent, and later in the classroom I can reinforce why it is a sound mathematical practice.

The differences between collaborating and copying can be subtle.  The intent of collaboration is for students to work together solving problems, EACH contributing thought and effort.  When students learn from each other it is often more effective and lasting than learning from adults.  It enhances social interactive abilities, develops leadership potential, and increases the likelihood students will evaluate problems from varying perspectives.  I will do everything I can to provide collaborative opportunities in my classes and I highly recommend your students form their own study groups and habits outside of class, but I will always need to weigh those opportunities and habits against the tendencies of some students to take from group efforts without giving a fair return.