I teach special education math classes, where students with learning disabilities struggle to grasp math concepts on a daily basis. This process is further complicated because students do not have calculators to help solve equations.
I teach two classes of special education math; an everyday Algebra I class, where the general education Algebra I curriculum is broken down and covered over two class periods instead of one, and a class specifically for seniors that focuses on using math applications in real-life situations (doing taxes, calculating pay checks, creating budgets, etc).
The students I work with struggle with learning disabilities, language impairments, and behavioral disorders, making learning more of a challenge than the typical high school student. My focus in these classes is geared more towards helping the students learn the process of solving the equations taught in the class, rather than the calculation. Lacking a calculator puts more stress on a group of students who already struggle to keep up with their same age peers. Having a calculator to use while in their math class would help accelerate the learning process.
My Project
During instruction, a class set of calculators would speed up the process and allow additional time for guided practice and repetition. When we are currently working through practice problems, it takes additional time for students to calculate addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems within an equation, which takes time away from instruction and independent practice. Besides making class time more productive, a classroom set of calculators would also give students an opportunity to use calculators while working on their assignments, which will allow them to focus more on following the process of the equation, rather than calculating pieces of the equation.
Many of my students have spent their entire lives struggling with math.
They see their general education peers answering questions faster than they can, and that struggle makes many of them fear and hate their math class. If I can show my students how valuable a calculator can be towards helping them work quicker, they will be able to keep up with their peers and have a more enjoyable memory of their math class.
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