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on the Math Questionnaire February, 2015 Big thanks to the 44 of you who responded. Almost all responses were positive, so thanks for that too and for the useful suggestions. Your thoughts are always welcome. I'm trying to make this work for you all. Problem sets A big majority of responders said your student usually does at least one problem. It's great that you're making math a regular part of what you and your student share at site. My goal is for everyone to be able and happy to do that. One of you said the calendar problems were fun! In response, #15 used another calendar and #14 featured a "mathemagical" trick that I hope was fun too. I'm delighted to learn that some students attempt two problems or even all three. That's terrific, but I don't want an 8th grader to feel obliged to attempt problems that are out of reach. The #1s are there to keep 8th graders in the game, so a junior or senior may find them too easy, though sometimes they may also set the stage for a whole set. Some of you said your senior gives priority to applications for colleges and scholarships. That's crucial! I understand. Solutions Your answers here were almost uniformly supportive. I'm impressed by your interest and a bit overwhelmed by the many kind statements. A couple of you asked for more or clearer explanations. I will continue to strive for clarity without rattling on. Feel free to send me (at henry@collegebound.org) questions or suggestions, or ask for needed clarification. A couple of you liked the practical applications and asked for more of them or for more in the solution sheet about their significance. That too I will try to provide, again keeping it brief. My self-imposed limit is a single page. MathLab It's great to hear that so many of you are encouraging your student to turn up. Math-challenged students really should get help early, not wait until they feel lost. Stronger math students should be coming to stay strong and get SAT/ACT scores that will get them into a college worthy of their abilities. Help at school is fine too, but please be aware that our MathLab has long sessions, will back-fill on basics, makes math make sense and coordinates with parents. For full information on MathLab go to cbmath.org and click on "MathLab: Free Tutoring." Website for Mentors Designed specifically for you, this website contains the problem and solution sets and every idea I can think of to help you do a good job of helping your student to become (even) better at math. I obtained the domain name cbmath.org to make it easy for you to remember - any time, anywhere: |