Online Math
Almost everyone has a computer and access to the internet. Online Math makes sense. So, why are all the students sitting in desks at some building across town?
The Problem
So, here’s the thing. I am not a fan of the way mathematics is being taught. There are a lot of great teachers out there, but a lot of research tells us that things have to change and things aren’t really changing. Our children are bored with math, like we were bored with math. The language of the universe, and we’re bored with it. Something has gone horribly wrong! So, let’s look at it.
1) Our kids go to school every day, by bus or by car, regardless of what went on the night before, our kids go to school every day at a specific time that has nothing to do with them and everything to do with when the teachers are being told to show up. Yes, business runs that way – but, well, I’m also for changing that. Different website.
2) They sit in a desk and listen to a teacher lecture. If they understand – great, if they don’t understand, well there’s 25 other kids in the class and the teacher will try to work with them but – if not – they’ll fall behind. In mathematics, if you fall behind, you’re more or less doomed. The next chapter will assume you understood the last chapter.
3) Now, there’s smart boards, videos, class projects, foldables, manipulatives, games, and a world of other things the teacher will probably come up with to help keep the student involved. So, some days are better than others.
4) If a student gets bored enough, they will cause trouble. If they cause trouble, the teacher will have to take class time to handle it. But, you can always learn that stuff tomorrow – right?
So, What is the Downside to Online Mathematics?
What about sports? Students don’t just attend school to learn, they attend school to socialize!
Think about that for a bit. Students should attend school to learn. They should also do things to socialize. Ever notice how sports are not played while school is in session? I do not advocate giving up anything – but why not schedule it as what it is. Why not have sports be sports, socializing be socializing, and math class be math class?
We aren’t quite there yet. So, it may make sense to keep attending school. If it does, and I’m not saying it does, then it won’t hurt to also enroll in an online mathenatics class.
Just What am I Proposing?
This whole website started with me thinking about building an online mathematics school. A school that taught online mathematics without a timetable. Students move on to the next subject when they understand the current subject. It’s that simple. No one is held back, because there are no expectations to be held back from. Some students will understand some concepts as soon as they here about them – great. Some will need a lot more explanation and time – great. Who really cares as long as you end up being good at math! This kind of thing wasn’t possible before we had the internet. Too many students, not enough teachers. But now, I can show a filmed lecture on a topic that the student can watch when they have time and can concentrate on it. If the furnace blows up, or the cat needs to go out – no problem, you hit pause and get on with your life. You can watch it later. There’s enough stress in the world without this kind of silliness.
Here's the Thinking
The courses will begin with Algebra 1 – it seems to be where we start losing a lot of students. We want to teach the common core so our students do better than others on state assessments.
1) We are working on a series of lectures that will be available to subscribers. You will be able to preview some of these on you tube and on this site.
2) We are working on an assessment tool that determines the students’ weak areas. This tool does not just ask questions. If the student incorrectly answers a question, the tool re-explains the concept and has them try again. The assessments are always comprehensive.
3) The student will have an e-mail address they can use to ask questions and get rapid responses.
4) There are multiple worksheets for each section of study.
The student is not earning a grade; the student is learning math. If they are going to a traditional school, the student will have the option of studying the topics in the same order as the school’s curriculum. If the student is homeschooled, we will provide the curriculum and order of study.
My guess, at this point, is that we might also incorporate some of the good services that already exist as an adjunct to our offering. Khan Academy is a probable, I recommend it highly.
How Much Will All This Cost?
There are other Online Mathematics sites. We wouldn't be attempting this if we didn't think we could do it better and (in most cases) cheaper.
We are working on different ways to keep the quality up and the cost down. Subscribe to our newsletter or let us know you’re interested in a comment card, and we’ll keep you informed as to the launch date and cost of the service. I'm not trying to be evasive, but until we have everything ready - it's hard to determine how much we will charge.