New math class/teaching opportunity!

Pre-College Topics High School Cafe
1

<p>Hello guys! I’m super excited about this! So, before I actually go to the actual question, lemme give you some background.</p>

<p>Last Monday the math department of my school asked me to join one of their meetings/conferences because they thought it would be good for me. So, all of the math teachers AND the principal, along with the superintendent of my school district, were at the meeting. I was sitting there and they started talking about the need for a new math class for people who would like to advance with their sequence. So they were asking me what classes we should have, and my algebraic self said that we needed another algebra class because some people weren’t getting it. They agreed, but they said that it needed to be something else, so I suggested that we should combine geometry and algebra into one class. Although there is geometry in basically every single class after algebra, this class would focus mainly on shapes, with trigonometry, and everything about that…but…with a lot of algebra. I know it sounds kind of stupid and repetitive, it’s only really for remedial kids and for kids who need an extra math class to complete the requirements. </p>

<p>We talked to the colleges around our area and they said that they would accept this class, and we decided to call it, “Geogebra.” It’s not original because there is an app named that, but it makes sense. Anyways, onto my favorite part. They wanted me to help them plan the curriculum AND they want me to teach the class in my senior year. I have until Christmas to tell them if I want to accept the role as a teacher. The only setback of this is that I wouldn’t be able to take an AP Calculus BC, but I think that it’s worth it. </p>

<p>Would this look good to colleges, especially if I wanted to major in Secondary Education? I plan on going to Appalachian State University because they have an above average teaching program. I’d rather go to a better university, but it’s my home state and I wouldn’t want to move far from my family. Should I do this? I really REALLY want to, but I don’t know. If I say yes then I would have to spend my weekends, after Christmas, to have to help plan the curriculum. </p>

<p>P.S I wouldn’t have to grade the papers, I would only get up to the board and teach lessons. I would have to give the papers to another teacher for them to grade, UNLESS I wanted to grade them and do all the teacher stuff. I would REALLY love to do this, and I think that it would give me extra experience for my future. I’m not shy, so this doesn’t bother me. </p>

2

<p>It seems like a good idea, but it would be very tough. The kids in a remedial class are very different from those in an AP class. I had a teacher who taught both these classes and she told us about it constantly because she couldn’t believe the difference. Most of the class will not want to learn the material at all, these are students who are used to failure and most likely don’t have college aspirations (if you’re school is anything like mine was). You will have kids who sleep through the class and people who turn tests in completely blank. Then, the even bigger problem is having the respect of these students. That could lead to disaster. Most kids I tutored didn’t have any problems because they were there actively seeking knowledge and it was one on one, neither of these stipulations would be true in your case.</p>

<p>P.S. I also don’t understand how the course allows others to advance in the sequence and be a remedial class. Is it like they don’t want to go on to the next step so they opt to take this class?</p>

3

<p>@jimmyboy23, Geogebra is for kids who either failed algebra, or geometry, or both. It’s also for kids who don’t want to take pre-calculus and it’s basically more in-depth of algebra geometry. I don’t know if I’ll be having the remedial class or the regular class because there will be another teacher (an adult) that will teach as well.</p>

4

<p>I know that it wouldn’t be easy, but I would really love this and nothing can stop me. Of course, we’ll have to go over algebraic concepts, as well as geometric concepts, but I think that the extra help could potentially cause the students to understand a bit more. It may not, but I have hopes, and they would probably understand more with someone who isn’t 50 years old. </p>

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<p>All of your questions regarding “should I do this?” are useless, since you’ve decided the answer and said you wont change your mind. Regarding if it would look ‘good’, why wouldn’t it? </p>

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<p>I just made my decision, as you’ve looked in the comments.</p>

7

<p>I have a feeling that you made your decision before that, due to your multiple use of “REALLY”'s.</p>

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<p>You’re not taking in consideration that it doesn’t mean that I can. Future family issues, transferring schools, etc, could prevent me from doing this. It’s not 100%. Although I would, it doesn’t mean that I can.</p>

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<p>I’m contradicting myself, aren’t I? Oops, well I guess something COULD stop me. </p>

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<p>Yes, the mentality of many kids who fail their classes is well…depressing to put it simply. I’d try seeing if you could host some after-school math sessions for kids that are currently failing alg/geo and see what teaching tricks/strategies works and don’t work before hand.</p>

<p>As for AP Calc BC, is there maybe a way you could take it(or even just AB) in the summer or online? It seems like a waste for you to halt your progress in mathematics. </p>

<p>Otherwise, kudos bro. It seems that you have a passion for teaching and lord knows we need some more passionate high school teachers. </p>

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<p>@QuadMaster, I’m currently in AP Calculus AB, and BC is one semester at my school, so I think I could manage it.</p>

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<p>Seems like an interesting opportunity, although it will take a lot of work, in-class and out-of-class. Some kids who failed or weren’t motivated during algebra or geo might also not be motivated in a class that goes more in-depth. With a smaller class size than a regular class, it seems manageable.</p>

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<p>@MITer94, thanks! I forgot to mention that there is a remedial class that goes over geometry and algebraic concepts from the past and a regular class that goes further into that stuff.</p>

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<p>@tacoperson123 Ah okay. For me at least, it’s much easier teaching a class of interested students on much more advanced topics than a class with unmotivated students - classroom management and all.</p>

<p>Just curious, what algebra/geo topics would the regular class go over that aren’t really covered in pre-calculus? </p>

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<p>I don’t know the curriculum or anything, as of right now. I guess it would touch a little into pre-calculus, but wouldn’t that be good? I don’t really know. Haha…maybe real world applications could help.</p>

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<p>Maybe steer away from pre-calc but definitely have it so at the end of the year they’re solving higher level math problems using geometry/algebra(maybe look to the AMC for some questions to use). </p>

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<p>That’s what I was thinking as well…and then for geo you could include some other topics such as incircle/circumcircle/excircle, cyclic quadrilaterals and their properties, Ceva’s theorem, etc.</p>