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You are here: Family Magazine >
Education > THE FEAR
FORMULA
The Fear Formula
National survey finds high anxiety among 8th and 9th graders taking algebra,
tops list of worries for parents who struggle to help.
More than 70% of parents believe that helping their kids with algebra is harder
than teaching them to drive a car.
As the school year is underway, a just-released survey finds that most eighth
and ninth graders consider algebra to be their toughest subject — and the same
goes for parents who say advanced math, like algebra, tops the subjects they
struggle with when helping their children with homework.
The findings of the national survey are significant because algebra is regarded
by many educators, including the U.S. Department of Education, to be a “well
documented gateway course.” The designation comes from its importance as the
foundation for high school level math and a critical stepping stone to college
and future careers—from electrician to architect.
The challenge facing our students is underscored by the most recent results of
the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which show that only 34
percent of eighth graders scored at or above the proficient level in math.
The nationwide survey of eighth and ninth graders and their parents was
conducted between August 1 and August 8, 2011 by Kelton Research and
commissioned by Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring and
supplemental education services to students of all ages and skill levels.
Among the key findings:
• One in three students would be quick to sacrifice video game (36%) or Facebook
(33%) privileges for a month to avoid taking algebra again.
• As students drown in anxiety over algebra, parents feel just as lost. Parents
feel far more prepared to discuss delicate topics like drugs and alcohol (97%)
and even sex (88%) with their child than to help with algebra homework (54%).
• Doing algebra is harder than completing tax returns. More than four out of
five (82%) parents admit that they are likely to make more mistakes on their
children’s algebra homework than on their tax returns.
• Six in ten (60%) parents are so unsure of their own algebra skills that they
gave themselves a hypothetical grade of C or lower in their child’s algebra
class.
These statistics add up to a “fear formula” in which the gap is widening between
students’ needs and their parents’ ability to assist or provide the help
required for success in algebra. Dr. Francis “Skip” Fennell, Professor of
Mathematics Education at McDaniel College and past president of the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics, believes these numbers could be altered
through simple preparation. “One of the most important considerations to student
success in algebra is their readiness,” he says. “If we can identify student
misconceptions, challenges, and struggles earlier, parents and teachers can
provide students with the support they need to succeed.”
Sylvan Learning seeks to accomplish this with the launch of “Fit 4 Algebra: Take
the Algebra Fitness Challenge,” a free interactive online “screener” that
parents can use to assess their children’s algebra readiness. It consists of a
21-question algebra readiness check-up, which tests the key skills identified by
the National Mathematics Advisory Panel as providing the basic foundation for
algebra. After their child completes the screener, parents will receive
diagnostic results that highlight areas of strength as well as areas that are in
need of further skill development. Additionally, parents will have immediate
access to valuable free resources, including video-based math tutorials aligned
to the skill areas where students need additional development.
Sylvan’s free screener is available on www.Fit4Algebra.org. Parents of children
entering middle school are encouraged to have their child take the screener to
assess algebra readiness at the start of a new school year.
About Sylvan Learning:
Sylvan Learning is the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages,
grades and skill levels with over 30 years of experience and more than
850 centers located throughout North America. Sylvan's trained and
Sylvan-certified personal instructors provide individualized instruction in
reading, writing, mathematics, study skills and test-prep for college entrance
and state exams. For more information, call 1-800-31-SUCCESS or visit
www.SylvanLearning.com.
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