Page 144 - 1996.Milard.North

- A Texas Instruments calculator comes in handy for solving
senior Ryan Kucera's calculus problems. However, these small
computers could be used for anything from writing notes to graphing
parabolas to playing games. photo by Jonathan U/anday -
...., Receiving aid
on difficult
concepts was
beneficial for
most students,
such as
sophomore
B.J. Gehrki.
Teacher Alice
Foster helps
Gehrki
understand his
errors in
preparation for
a big algebra
test. photo by
Beau McBryde

elevant=Fun

It wasn't just open boxes of various sizes "Creative, hands-on ap- cause you discover what
with incredible res ults .
Forty-some cut-
they really mean," junior
and shapes, all strung with proaches to teaching math Jessica Gagne said.
equations any- multicolored yarn and hap- can see not only what hap- creative hands-on ap-
"I liked the more
work because the students
hazard holes punched in in-
correct spots, spilled over pens but why it happens. proaches to math such as
more! Math the center table. They form their own educa- bui lding models of concepts
and writing papers because
Freshmen tion and learn to think for
crowded around, comparing themselves," Biga said. it was unique. We didn't
was learned notes and strategies while Students, too, just do problems straight
out of the book and go by a
trying to figure out which liked this method of teach-
boxes belonged to them. ing and learning since "it set schedule," sophomore
For these students makes math more interest-
through innova- in Emil Biga's Algebra 3-4 ing and fun, and intrigues Pat Blair said.
Group work was
class, the culmination of you more than just doing also a valuable factor in
their matrices unit would vi- problem 32. You start to some classes. Junior
tive, hands-on sually demonstrate the inter- really use your brain; to Aud ra Riley learned from
section of three planes while think about the fouth di- her group because "if you
teaching them much more mension and all that stuff. don't know the answer or
methods to make about teamwork, innova- Not only that, but all the can't figure out how to
tion, and frustration. "normal" math concepts be- work a problem, someone
Although much of come more relevant be- else can show you and help
class more inter- math centered around plug- "Students can you out. Working in a
ging numbers and memoriz-
group also teaches you
ing equations, creative new see not only teamwork, which you
esting. approaches to the subject what happens won't learn from a book,"
she said . •
were also being used, often
but whv it hap-
pens."

Academics by Michelle Lee