Volume XXXIII, No. 26 | November 4, 2011

The 75-Percent Rule

I have been in the education profession for 20 years as a middle school math teacher, high school football coach, junior high basketball coach, math team coach, assistant principal at a middle school and elementary school, and adjunct instructor. For the past 10 years, I have been a full-time math instructor and education advisor at a community college. These experiences have given me wonderful insights into techniques for helping students succeed. I have learned that effective teaching requires instruction that is engaging and has students feeling as though they are involved in the class discussion at all times. This is very difficult to effect and requires an instructor who truly cares that each student is engaged and on task.

Not all students come to class loving math. When they leave, they still may not (even though it breaks my heart). From the beginning, I tell students what is expected of them and that my class is going to help them achieve their goal of passing with as high an average as their ability to do the work allows. Students making a grade below their goal or below a 75 on a test are to come see me before their next test. This is known, from the first day, as the 75-percent rule.

I have noticed through the years that students with an 80 average or better are likely to pass the final exam and be successful in the next math class they take. It makes sense that if a student makes below a 75 on a test and does not start doing something different, things will not change for the better. Students are asked to stay after class or contact me, and we set up a day and time that they can meet with me one-on-one and learn about the Grade Improvement Check Off Sheet (GICOS).

The GICOS outlines 12 actions that past students have said helped them improve their grades. I have modified the list throughout the years (and will probably make changes in the future). As we discuss each action item, students tell me how they will implement it.

Read chapter. I ask students to read the assigned chapter before coming to class. This gives them a feel for what we will be covering and makes them more comfortable during the discussion.

Copy the slides we will be covering in class. I put each slide that we will cover during the entire semester on our college website so students do not have to copy the problems in class. This relieves stress. They can concentrate on how to work the problems, not spend time copying them.

Copy notes and rules on slides in class. Writing the rules and notes on the slides helps students with their review and homework (kinesthetic learning).

Go home and review slides. Students go home and look over the slides until they feel confident.

Copy extra slideshow. Students are to complete an extra copy of the slideshow we covered in class without looking back at notes. They do this until they get all slides correct without looking back at their notes. (The more you practice, the better you get.)

Do homework. Problems I assign for homework are considered practice tests. Students are not to do homework until they master slideshow problems.

Prepare for tests. Students study old tests, slideshows, and homework from the current chapter.

Go online, check answers to the test, and make corrections. Students take a copy of their answers home after they complete a test. I work each problem on their test step-by-step and provide answers to them on the college website by the end of the test day. Students love the instant feedback. I want them to see mistakes they made while the test is fresh on their minds. Problems they miss are to be corrected when I give them back their graded tests the next class, and they are to put them into the back pocket of their notebooks to study for future tests.

Use tape recorder. I encourage students to tape each class so they can go home and listen to discussion of the day again as they review the slideshows.

Prepare for final exam. Study old tests and the final exam study guide. I work each problem on the final guide as we go through the slideshows.

Organize notebook. I have students keep a notebook, divided into sections—schedule, syllabus, slideshows, extra paper and Cartesian planes, homework, calculator page, formula sheet, grade sheet, tests, and final exam study guide (in the back pocket).

Bring a calculator to class. If students have trouble putting a problem into their calculators, I write the step-by-step process in the notebook calculator section.

There is no better feeling than when students succeed and reach their goals. These proven, successful techniques should help your students reach their goals, as well.

Lance Boyd, Educational Advisor, Mathematics Department

For further information, contact the author at Wallace State Community College, PO Box 2000, Hanceville, AL 35077. Email Author.