Fourteen Factors of a Successful Algebra Program – by Brad Fulton

NOTE: This post is written by Brad Fulton, Mr. L’s coauthor and partner from Teacher to Teacher Press.

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Many factors go into creating a successful program for preparing students for 8th grade algebra. Here are ones we feel have contributed to the success of our program. While you may decide that some of these strategies may not work at your site, the more of them you implement, the more results you should see. You may be able to put into practice your own ideas which are not on this list.
1. Expose as many of your 8th graders as possible to an algebra program in the 8th grade. Include ELD and resource students. When in doubt as to whether a student is ready to take algebra, let them try the course.
2. For students who require more support, avoid pull-out programs. All remediation should be in addition to not in place of regular instruction. Dovetail intervention classes to support the instruction of the regular algebra program.
3. Use collaborative time to develop continuity along grade levels for algebraic instruction. Use common vocabulary, strategies, and teaching techniques to avoid students having to memorize extraneous information. For example, how do you teach students to approach solving equations?
4. Begin early with preteaching of concepts. Encourage teachers to look at the standards their students will face in subsequent years. How can we lay the foundation for these future skills?
5. Teach algebra concepts to all 8th graders. Teach the rigor of Algebra 1 to the students who are ready for the traditional course. For many struggling students, it is not the algebra itself that creates problems, it’s the mathematical rigor of negative numbers and fractions.
6. For this reason, teach initial concepts with positive whole numbers. As students gain fluency and familiarity with concepts, introduce negative numbers, decimals, and fractions.
7. Many errors are not the result of problems with algebra, but with negative numbers. For this reason, students should have ongoing instruction and practice with integers.
8. Research, not routine, should guide instruction. Read what valid research has said about mathematics instruction. Experiment. Keep what works. Don’t be afraid to toss a long-standing or accepted instructional practice if you find a better way.
9. For all concepts, try to teach multiple strategies for problem solving. Demonstrate algebraic approaches, graphical models, and any other tactics that are appropriate. For example, when teaching students to solve systems of equations, show them how to solve them by graphing, elimination, and substitution.
10. Teach algebra as a natural extension of arithmetic. For example, teach multiplication of binomials as an extension of two-digit by two-digit multiplication. This will not only provide critical opportunities for students to improve their number skills, it will provide a seamless transition from the familiar world of numbers into the more abstract world of algebra.
11. It is critical to make math enjoyable. Math can be beautiful and engaging or it can be dull and coma-inducing. We hold the keys for this. Engage students in math projects that allow students to experience the beauty of math as they delve extensively into the skills they have studied. This is the opposite of the “mile wide and inch deep” approach as it lets students dig deeply into specific skills and concepts. See examples of this on the “Student Work Site” section of our website: www.tttpress.com.
12. Don’t be afraid to step outside the textbook. Texts are a valid and powerful tool, but they are not a cure-all or a golden bullet. They are reference works just as dictionaries are. They are also the most difficult reading material in schools. Students learn from teachers, not from textbooks.
13. This brings us to a very important point. Probably the most critical factor in helping students learn algebra has nothing to do with numbers and everything to do with the teacher. A personable teacher who communicates a caring attitude working in the supporting environment of a nurturing school will have much greater success in teaching students than an expert mathematician who fails to connect with students. I used to teach math; now I teach students.
14. Above all else, set high standards for all students. Expect everyone to achieve them. No one ever jumped high by aiming low, and even if we miss, we jump higher than before.

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Related posts:

1. Algebra Problem Solving with the new Common Core Standards