Rod, a high school freshman, asks:
“Are teachers out to get me? Why do all my teachers assign assignments at once?”
Mr. Sterling answers:
They aren’t out to get you; teachers just don’t take the time to plan assignments together in high school.
One of the things that struck me when I moved from teaching 7th grade to high school was the fact that high school teachers simply don’t talk to each other. We have monthly meetings, but those are with our subject-area…
Read MoreWhen to use this technique: When there is a variable in both the question and the answer.
How often can it be used: About twice per math section or six times per test. Which makes this technique worth about 60 points.
Why it helps: It reduces problems from Algebra to Arithmetic (which after hours of testing is a big help)
How to do it: In a question where the variable is in both the question and the answer, choose a number for the…
Few people have neutral feelings about math.
For some, it is a favorite class. Equations, functions, variables, exponents – it all just makes sense. And some love the simplicity of having a right answer and a wrong answer; they take comfort in the black-and-white, you-got-it-right-or-you-didn’t outcome that is reflected in teaching and grading.
For others, it’s a favorite class to avoid. Right and Wrong answers ignite a certain anxiety. They cringe at the thought of those worksheets filled with…
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