On purpose, I'm not reading the other replies before writing this. Rest
assured you are not alone. I'm sure you'll get some sage advice and wisdom.
I'll just add this, and since you are a "freeway flyer" it seems especially
appropriate:
As you travel down life's highway, whatever be your goal,
Keep your eye upon the doughnut, and not upon the hole!
Bret
At 01:15 PM 4/9/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi all -
>
>I'm new around here. My name is Karen and I'm currently a freeway flyer -
>i.e. I teach part-time at one university and two community colleges. (Whew!)
>
>I've been reading your posts for a couple of days. Considering how you all
>treat potato salad, I'm not sure I'd want to picnic with you....... But I do
>need some advice!
>
>We (my community colleges) are having a serious problem with retention in our
>Beginning and Intermediate Algebra classes! The capabilities (and efforts)
>of these students is dropping rapidly and we want to somehow fix the problem
>- i.e. we need to keep the students in these classes and get them to pass!
>
>I find that the exams I'm giving in Intermediate are the same that I was
>giving a mere three years ago in Beginning........ and the students still
>aren't passing (ok, some of them are -- but half of them are not!)
>
>I definitely don't feel that we should be making these classes easier just to
>accommodate lazy or ill-prepared students........... so I need some ideas!!
>
>1) I teach in Southern California...... Is everyone out there having this
>problem?
>
>2) Does anyone have any suggestions for me? (My department is having a big
>
> meeting on this in a couple of weeks and I'd like to take some ideas in
>with me.)
>
>Thanks!
>Karen
>Orange Coast College
>Golden West College
>****************************************************************************
>* To post to the list: email mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu *
>* To unsubscribe, send mail to: majordomo@archives.math.utk.edu *
>* In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe mathedcc *
>* Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! *
>* Archives at http://archives.math.utk.edu/hypermail/mathedcc/ *
>****************
Bret Taylor Lake-Sumter Community College Leesburg FL
"It matters not the subject taught, nor all the books on all the shelves.
What matters more, yes most of all, is what the teachers are themselves."
John Wooden
John 3: 3^3 + 3
****************************************************************************
* To post to the list: email mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu *
* To unsubscribe, send mail to: majordomo@archives.math.utk.edu *
* In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe mathedcc *
* Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! *
* Archives at http://archives.math.utk.edu/hypermail/mathedcc/ *
****************************************************************************