Reply to Why are MoCo kids failing math exams?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]How about no available textbooks that correspond to the curriculum being taught, so kids can't really review?![/quote]

[b]Good teachers don't use textbooks, because they realize that the vast majority of today's kids do not learn from copying problems over from a book the way we did 20+ years ago.[/b]

I go to training after training trying to get old school teachers to wean away from using textbooks.  They are a crutch for people who do not know how to follow a pacing guide and come up with activities and lessons that really demonstrate understanding.

Parents need textbooks.  Kids don't.[/quote]

That's because they are not using them.  :roll:  [b]Are you saying kids' brains are different today?[/b] Then put all the exercises online or make it downloadable. From what I can see, they don't memorize or do many exercises. Yes parents need textbooks so they can help their kids -- this matters too. I am lost. How does that help my kids?[/quote]

Yes, that's exactly what the research says.  Kids brains are starting to be wired differently.

I have not used a textbook in years.  Students have a binder for my class that we keep organized with notes, activities, foldables, study guides, games, etc.  In my low level remediation classes, we use an interactive notebook (a composition book) so that nothing gets lost or ripped out.  Every homework I create myself, with problems that match those we went over in the notes during class.

On the class website, I have links for every unit to additional practice (with immediate feedback), review videos (like khan academy or youtubes of teachers solving problems), games where kids can practice the skills, etc.

At the beginning of the year, I send home a "textbook correlation" packet.  It says "Unit 1 is basically chapter 4 in the textbook, if you need to review the material as a parent, here is your guide.  If you want the textbook, have your student check it out from the library at school, I'm not sending them home."  Every year I have about 1 parent ask for it out of 120-150 on my roster.

Parents have heart attacks over a lack of a textbook.  The kids really don't care.[/quote]

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