14 yrs ago, the class was 42 minutes long, 5 days a week. That is 210
minutes/wk for 40 weeks. In reality, for 34 weeks (6 weeks prep for the
NYS Regents Exams), 25 minutes per week was spent in admin work, 75
minutes per week spent in homework discussion (rarely any "new"
learning), 25 minutes per week (minimum) maintaining control because
class was not entertaining enough, leaving about 85 minutes a week (if
lucky) for teaching. About 1 class out of 8 or 9 was used for testing,
preceeded by 1 class of review. In the 34 weeks of "instruction",
approx. 2890 minutes of teaching could occur.
Our school's beginning algebra course is 4 credit hours in length (200
min/wk) and in 14 weeks meets for 2800 minutes. The big difference is
that we expect college students to work outside of class more than
inside of class. Hopefully, the maturity level is better at the college
level, and the students are motivated.
Just my $.02.
Bev Broomell
Associate Professor
Mathematics Department
Suffolk County Community College
Ammerman Campus
Selden, NY
Al Roy wrote:
>
> Hi,
> It is extremely difficult to teach Algerbra I to college students in 45
> >
> hours when it takes 180 hours to do the same in a high school class. More
> >
> would get it if they had more time. We offer a 12 credit developmental
> >
> sequence. The first course does about two-thirds of Alg. I, the second
>
> course does the other third and enough Geometry, the third course does
> half of Alg. II , and the fourth course does the remaining half of Alg.
> >
> II. Students who want to succeed are generally able to do so in this
> sequence. The enemy is TIME. Good Luck Al Roy
> >
> > On Wed, 9 Apr 1997 RAYFan@AOL.COM 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
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