Let Go and They Will Fly

Are you one of those control-freak teachers who obsess over minute details, which in the end are really irrelevant to the contribution of the success of students? That’s me – guilty as charged!

When I was first setting up Cognitive Tutor for my classes last year, I was told about an option where students would be able to use a prearranged shortcut on a computer’s desktop to access Cognitive Tutor. This would eliminate the need to go directly online, which requires a school ID password. Sign me up, I said.

If you are asking yourself, “So what?”, let me explain. If students don’t know how to access Cognitive Tutor online, then they won’t do Cognitive Tutor outside of class. Lord forbid that they would do math outside of class! In hindsight, what was I thinking?

Well, actually, this is what was going through my head at the time.

I want to make sure that the scores and data on Cognitive Tutor accurately reflect each student’s ability. The only way to guarantee this is to limit student access to Cognitive Tutor during class time when I can keep my eyes on the students work. Don’t want parents, siblings, or friends to be working out the problems for them! Plus, I’ve got to make sure that they don’t try to sneak in using calculators. I’ll make sure that the students get 40% of class time to work on CT. Perfect. Got it all planned out. Let’s get started.

This is what actually happened:
Our laptops didn’t come in until late October or early November last autumn. My school of 650 students has only one open computer lab. Melissa and I were “hogging” lab time, both us trying to get our classes on the computer 1-2 times per week. The 40% soon dwindled down to 20%, then 10%, and before we knew what was happening, our students didn’t get to work on CT but maybe one day every two to three weeks!

There are going to be system beaters out there, no matter what policy I put into place. It wasn’t worth punishing most of my students for the few who won’t do the work and get someone else to do it for them. Luckily I had 7th graders last year taking algebra who are 8th graders this year. They are enthusiastic about CT and sing its praises to my current students. I couldn’t ask for a better cheering section. I didn’t even bribe them to do this! Honestly!

As for allowing students to use calculators, it is an internal struggle I haven’t fully worked through yet. Our state standardized assessment does not allow 8th graders to use calculators, therefore, our math department’s policy has always been to not allow students to use calculators on assignments and tests. How realistic is that? I am OK with students this year using calculators with CT, esp. since some of the numbers would be daunting to calculate long hand.

My algebra students this year are on CT at least 40% of the time every week, a majority of it done either at home and/or during tutorial times. As it is reinforcing the lessons we are doing in class, this has to be benefiting the students. I only have these kiddos for nine months. I need to make most of the little time we have and not worry about the power struggle.

There are twin girls in my algebra classes. Just this past week, one told me about how they like to each get on a computer at home, crank up the music, and see who can get the furthest on CT in one to two hours. “Mrs. Park, it was SO much fun! We couldn’t stop laughing all night!” Yes, this is an exception to most of the cases, but it’s nice to hear these stories from my students.