Matryoshka Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 So I seem to remember your saying that this was what to do to schedule BCM: 1 lesson over 2 days, odds only Reviews all problems, over 2 days What about the Summay Exercises in the middle of some chapters - odds, all, none? As needed? 1 or 2 days? And then the Tests - all problems, 1 day each? There's a diagnostic test at the beginning of the book - should I give that to her to see areas we could possibly skim over? A lot of this will be review for her, but she needs it - today in LOF I caught her trying to divide one mixed number by another without converting them to improper fractions first... :svengo: Do I remember your saying to skip the "Relating Concepts" sections of the homework? Do you recommend having her do the "Real-Data Applications" sections? Thanks!! I figured I'd post this to the board because I might not be the only one interested - I could swear I've seen you spell this out in detail before, but I just did a board search and could only find bits of it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Skip the diagnostic text--Pre-Algebra students NEED to practice ALL of the concepts---the test was designed to speed up ADULT remediation. Skip the relating concepts and the 'real data applications' (not as good as they seem--also you would need TE for answers...). I use the mid-chapter summaries as needed (at least the odds). Tests should take 1 day--no biggie if they occasionally take 2 (If you think they might then just divide it before assigning it). Also remember that the homework lessons will teach ABOVE the level of the test... there WILL be occasional word problems that the student is not expected to get on his own... (when in doubt just check to see if that type of question is on the test)... I usually work through these few problems with the student... or skip... (I don't count it against the student. I also do not take a grade on homework... I expect ALL problems to be worked out correctly... if they miss one they simply re-do it. This method helps teach accuracy as most students HATE having to re-do problems! I also insist that any problem missed on a test is re-worked. -- You mentioned 'improper fractions'... while that IS the correct term...elementary texts and teachers (and parents) tend to do our students a disservice when they insist that an improper fraction must always be converted to a mixed number or the answer is wrong. As an Algebra teacher I have spent COUNTLESS hours trying to convince/reteach students that improper fractions ARE proper form! Mixed numbers are only used for the answers to word problems if it makes more 'sense' in that form! 'Improper fractions' can be used to add, subtract, multiply and divide... while Mixed numbers can only be added or subtracted... Improper fractions are so much more useful!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted July 28, 2010 Author Share Posted July 28, 2010 Skip the diagnostic text--Pre-Algebra students NEED to practice ALL of the concepts---the test was designed to speed up ADULT remediation. Skip the relating concepts and the 'real data applications' (not as good as they seem--also you would need TE for answers...). I use the mid-chapter summaries as needed (at least the odds). Tests should take 1 day--no biggie if they occasionally take 2 (If you think they might then just divide it before assigning it). Also remember that the homework lessons will teach ABOVE the level of the test... there WILL be occasional word problems that the student is not expected to get on his own... (when in doubt just check to see if that type of question is on the test)... I usually work through these few problems with the student... or skip... (I don't count it against the student. I also do not take a grade on homework... I expect ALL problems to be worked out correctly... if they miss one they simply re-do it. This method helps teach accuracy as most students HATE having to re-do problems! I also insist that any problem missed on a test is re-worked. Thanks so much, Jann! This is all very helpful. I've always made them do every problem over... this will be the first year I'm going to try using things like the tests to give them an actual grade. (I'll have two 7th graders, but just one's doing BCM). 'Improper fractions' can be used to add, subtract, multiply and divide... while Mixed numbers can only be added or subtracted... Improper fractions are so much more useful!!! Well, exactly. :) The problem given was something like 8 and four-fifths divided by 6 and three-quarters. The girl tried to divide them by flipping just the three-quarters (making it 6 4/3??) and attempting to multiply the resulting oddly mixed numbers without ever properly coverting them to improper fractions. That just won't work! I'm not even sure how she thought she came up with the answer she did... :confused: :blink: I think she even tried to cross-cancel just the fractional parts of the mixed numbers... oy. And this is why we never stop doing math in the summer... I shudder to think what would happen with a couple of months off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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