Teaching algebra has been a topic of debate for decades. It was often at the center of the “Math Wars” that were fueled by the release of the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics in 1989. There were hotly contested debates about what grade is too early to offer Algebra 1 in the 2000s and then more controversy was sparked with the release of the Common Core Standards in 2010. Algebra 1 has been described as a “gatekeeper to higher level mathematics” and was at the center of the late Bob Moses’ Algebra Project. When it comes to mathematics education, the teaching of algebra is still a hot topic and one that high schools and school districts across the nation deal with on a regular basis, but it does not end there. Algebra shows up again at the more than 1000 community colleges in the United States where millions of students are enrolled. Historically, algebra has been a prerequisite for the “College Math” course requirements at most community colleges; and it is often a problem for both the students and the community colleges.
Let’s start with why it can be a problem for the community colleges. Generally, community college students take some kind of math placement test when they enroll. A large percentage of students don’t do well on these tests and often get assigned to remedial coursework. The offering of and staffing of remedial courses requires significant resources for the college and research has shown that these remedial courses often “do not help students and disproportionately harm students of color.” For the student, they have to find the time and the funds to pay for these remedial courses that are intended to provide the algebra and other mathematical skills needed for “College Math.” If students want to perform better on their placement test in order to test out of remedial classes they can save time by enrolling in proven courses like CollegeReadyMath’s College Math Placement Test Program where about half of students improve their scores by more than 10 percentage points. Better performance on math placements test help save students both time and money, and can also help them to get their degrees sooner. Over the last few years there has been an “unambiguous” shift at the community college level “toward dismantling traditional remedial education” and tailoring the mathematics required for a degree to their mathematics students will need for their intended career. A recent report from the Brookings Institution has also found that the content of remedial classes is not well-aligned with college coursework and that they often do little to prepare students for future success..
One way the community colleges have been finding ways to make required mathematics courses more palatable is by connecting the content in the course to the mathematical knowledge required for a particular degree or major. Some teachers have also worked on establishing classrooms that foster the development of student mathematical agency and identity. Former NCTM President, Robert Berry III states “teachers have to create a common space for learning, so students can create that competency where all believe they can be smart and doers of mathematics.” Aaron Altose, a math professor at Cuyahoga Community College, has seen that many of his students have struggled with their competency in mathematics before and during college and speaks to the negative impacts it has had on their mathematical identity. He states that:
“That’s why I see it as the most important part of my job to lead students away from misconceptions surrounding their competency in mathematics and to help them realize that they can think quantitatively and apply what they learn to their everyday lives.”
Focusing on making mathematics applicable really helps students to stay motivated. I remember tutoring a veteran in her 30s for her remedial coursework for community college and she really struggled when there was no connection between the mathematics and her everyday life or intended career path. I have also observed this with my high school students, but it was even more present with this older student who had many years of career experience.
Algebra does not have to be a gatekeeper to success in “College Math.” Students, teachers and community colleges can takes steps to ensure that it is not. Making mathematics, and algebra, in particular, relevant to the lives of our students can really help motivate and sustain students in their learning of mathematics. It can also help them to establish a positive mathematical identity by helping them see themselves and their lives in the mathematics. By offering support (i.e. CollegeReadyMath) students can test out of remedial math classes and also learn the specific skills they need to be successful when taking “College Math.” This type of support can help students build agency around mathematics because are able to experience success in mathematics and have access to tools to help them continue to be successful. Supporting students and creating courses relevant to students can help them to use algebra as a tool that opens doors for them rather than it being a gatekeeper. All students can be successful learners of mathematics.
