Re: [MATHEDCC] failure rates

Alynn Rifkin (arifkin@CYBERCOMM.NET)
Wed, 12 Mar 1997 20:06:53 -0500

DCOOK@DMAIL.DARTNET.PEACHNET.EDU wrote:
>Dear List
>
>Our Vice President is concerned about the failure and withdrawl rate in
>developement studies and algebra. Ours is aprocahing 50 %. He has
>directed us to investigate. We would really like to know if we are that
>much out of line with other schools. Could you do a quick runthrough and
>let us know about wherer you stand.
>
>By the way, the VP had to teach a class for a week. He's in English and
>assigned a poem for homework. The next day, one person had read it, so
>some of the pressure is off us. Perhaps you can take some more off.

I'm afraid this is becoming a major problem. I'm a high school math
teacher and our failure rate, especially in Algebra I, is also very high.
Students do not do homework, they talk while the teacher is talking and
they do not take notes. There was a meeting of Algebra I teachers Monday
(that I missed due to another appointment) where the Principal is being
asked to help "encourage" kids to do homework and pay some attention.
Without this one cannot learn anything. We haven't perfected the injection
of learning yet :)
______________________________________

Alynn Rifkin (arifkin@cybercomm.net)
______________________________________

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