By Cory Ryckman, Math Department Manager As the old joke goes: “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.” The Saxon series and D’Evelyn Math Department philosophy is based on the belief that students can master the concepts of math through daily practice. “Students” does not merely apply to those who were “born good at math.” As the D’Evelyn founding document states: “We believe that all students can succeed in mathematics, if taught carefully from effective texts.” All. Saxon is unique in that each lesson contains only a few problems illustrating the concept introduced in that lesson. The remaining problems, which become increasingly more difficult as the year progresses, are a review of all previously presented concepts. Each lesson is thus a cumulative review, and the problems require that the students develop fluency in problem solving to successfully complete the lessons. Lower levels focus on development of skills. As students get older, they start to encounter more open-ended problems that require higher level thinking. The amount of homework is directly related to what the Department and Saxon publishers feel is necessary for the average student to succeed in understanding the material. The philosophy is that the one who does the work does the learning. Teachers strive to communicate the idea of the day clearly but succinctly, so students have as much time to practice as possible. Some lessons take longer than others. As a student progresses, they will see the lessons transition from taking fifteen minutes to nearly the full fifty minutes of a period. Students are expected to authentically do the homework that they might master the material. Homework is 20% of the student’s grade in all math classes. Tests, quizzes, and the final comprise the other 80% of the grade. The higher weight given to the tests, in addition to their cumulative nature, is meant to ensure the students can demonstrate they know all the year’s material. Students need a C or better to have any chance of success in the next level. The department adheres to the policy that students who do not meet this standard need to repeat the course in order to shore up their foundation. Students above grade level in math should only continue on their accelerated path if they are earning an A or a B. Going forward, as a department we will continue to look for ways to improve instruction and assessment with an ever-changing world and student population while we try and maintain what is tried and true. We appreciate the hard work our students put into our classes and the parents’ efforts in holding the students accountable. Comments are closed.
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April 2023
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