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Math Success Begins with Algebra

In today’s society, everyone, not just those who are mathematically inclined, must understand algebraic concepts and be able to work with technology. Changes in society and new expectations of colleges and employers have revolutionized math curriculums. Success in algebra often correlates to success in college, so it is very important for today’s students to do their best with this critical subject.

Parents can sometimes feel intimidated because they lack experience with updated math teaching and technology. What practical steps can be taken to ease parental concerns and help families build confidence in this new approach to middle and high school mathematics?

What Parents Need to Know

“Students who take advanced mathematics courses during high school, and begin to study algebra during middle school, are at an advantage,” says Judy A. Brown, manager of math education at the Sylvan Learning. “Traditionally, students cannot take a higher-level mathematics class in high school until they have successfully completed Algebra 1.”

What Parents Can Do

Fortunately, parents can nurture and build comprehension by blending common sense and state-of-the-art technology to ensure a positive learning experience. Sylvan Learning, the nation’s leader in K-12 supplemental education, believes, in order to make competent decisions, children must learn to analyze facts and understand complex situations.

Encourage children to take algebra early in their educational careers, if they are academically ready. Students who do not take courses covering algebraic concepts early in their schooling risk missing important opportunities for growth. Some high schools require children to complete specific math requirements in order to graduate. By the end of junior and senior years, students who have not planned ahead, have fewer options in what classes they can take and may not be able to complete prerequisite courses. This can restrict a student’s college options and limit their career aspirations.

Persuade children to take additional math classes. Many students indicate that they do not plan to take math classes beyond their school requirements. Math classes offer critical learning skills that are needed throughout life. Brown states, “Success in algebra correlates with success in higher education and learning reasoning skills. Taking additional math classes helps children to become logical, independent thinkers.” Good problem-solving skills even improve a child’s ability to create a coherent essay, since essays require students to shift between abstract concepts and supporting facts.

Incorporate technology. Technology should support math instruction and students should be encouraged to use all of the modern tools at their disposal to gain an understanding of the underlying reasoning and computations used in problem-solving. Educators believe that infusing learning aids and technology during in-school math instruction and homework completion provides an advantage at test time because it allows students to easily absorb and retain crucial math concepts.
According to research from Ohio State University's Center for Cognitive Science, math technology and how-to instructional videos allow students to “come to the understanding themselves using their critical thinking skills instead of relying on memorization.”

For step-by-step help with algebra homework, visit www.SylvanMathPrep.com. For additional help, call us at 1-888-EDUCATE or visit the Parent Resources area of the site.