| Nontrads (non-traditional students) are those who do | | | | momentum. |
| not follow the traditional path of completing high | | | | During the Class |
| school and then immediately enrolling in college or | | | | 5. ATTITUDE IS ALMOST EVERYTHING. I used to |
| university. They are often over 25 years of age and | | | | have students ask, "How important is this class? The |
| may have been in the job market or been | | | | class was College Algebra so my initial answer was, |
| stay-at-home parents prior to making the decision to | | | | "How much do you want to graduate?" If you have |
| pursue a higher education degree or certificate. Some | | | | to pass a class in order to graduate, then that class |
| attended college for a semester or two and then | | | | is pretty important. But I point to the question above |
| dropped out, only to decide later that they want to | | | | because it indicates a bad attitude--what I call a |
| return and finish a degree. Some have been | | | | stopper attitude. Some attitudes can slow you down; |
| downsized and are looking for a change in vocation. | | | | others can stop you in your tracks. A bad attitude |
| Most of them share one common concern: getting | | | | toward math will stop you from learning and from |
| through the math general studies requirement. | | | | doing the things you must do in order to be |
| This is a valid concern. Math is developmental in that | | | | successful. If you detect a bad attitude toward |
| your knowledge and skills in math are added to in | | | | math, you must deal with it. How do you do that? |
| successive courses with each class being a critical | | | | It's just an emotion--change it. |
| stone in the foundation necessary for passing general | | | | I once worked with a nontrad who fought and railed |
| studies math (often College Algebra or Finite Math). If | | | | against math on a daily basis as I tried to tutor her in |
| you had a couple of bad years or if you have been | | | | the Beginning Algebra course. After she had come to |
| away from math for some time you really won't | | | | trust that I had her best interests at heart, I said to |
| know until you try if it is going to be like getting back | | | | her, "You're right. You should quit." Her mouth fell |
| on a bicycle or getting run over by a truck. | | | | open and she looked up at me in shock. "You're |
| But there are some things you can do before and | | | | right," I continued. "You should quit wasting your time |
| during your courageous venture into mathland as a | | | | here and get a job in fast food." She looked at me in |
| non-traditional student. Speaking from my years of | | | | horror for another minute and then broke out in |
| tutoring, helping, and teaching nontrads, here are | | | | laughter as she said, "That's what's at stake here, |
| some tips and suggestions: | | | | isn't it?" The next day she marched into the tutoring |
| Before You Start Class | | | | center with an expansive smile on her face and said, |
| 1. TURN TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL | | | | "I've made friends with math." From that point on, |
| MATH BOOKS TO PREPARE YOU. Problems with any | | | | she excelled in math and I had the pleasure of |
| math course are situated in prior courses. In other | | | | teaching her College Algebra (she earned an A) and |
| words, If you anticipate having problems in College | | | | helping her through her teacher education math |
| Algebra, the problem will not be with understanding | | | | courses. She truly had made friends with math and it |
| the new material as much as in not being able to pull | | | | reciprocated by being more friendly with her. |
| together the foundational knowledge and skills from | | | | 6. ABSORB HOW OTHERS THINK. Similar to number |
| High School Algebra II. If you had the stuff of | | | | two, join or create a study group that meets daily |
| Algebra II at the tips of your fingertips, you would | | | | during the week. Your goal, in addition to contributing |
| be able to draw from that to use in the slightly higher | | | | all you are able to help your friends, is to be affected |
| application level of College Algebra. Middle school and | | | | (or infected) by how they think about math. Many |
| early high school texts will help you return to the | | | | make the mistake of using group study time to |
| foundations you need and will do it in a way that is | | | | accumulate facts about solving problems and don't |
| simple, clear, and not as rushed as the one chapter | | | | focus on HABITS OF MIND. Listen closely to how |
| review that is often at the beginning of a College | | | | others think. You want to have your thinking change |
| Algebra text. In fact, it is the compressed first | | | | to be more like that of another student who is doing |
| chapter that often contributes to a loss of hope at a | | | | well in an area of math. Learn to ask questions like, |
| critical point in the new beginning for a non-traditional | | | | "What made you think that would work?" and "What |
| student. Let's get past that, shall we? | | | | did you see in the problem that got you started in |
| 2. GET YOUR OWN SUPPORT GROUP. Recruit a | | | | that direction?" Look for the categories in which their |
| buddy or two to go back to school with you. Vow | | | | successful ways of thinking fall. For example, does |
| from the beginning that you will encourage and | | | | this student always do well with a particular kind of |
| support each other through the challenges ahead. Pick | | | | problem because that kind lends itself well to drawing |
| carefully. Avoid negative personalities that will drag | | | | a diagram? The belief that there is always a pattern |
| you down instead of working alongside of you. Pick | | | | and if you look long and deep enough you will find it |
| someone you can communicate with, someone who | | | | is another habit of mind, a way of thinking |
| will listen and "speak the truth in love." You want | | | | mathematically. Absorbing how others think is a |
| someone who will be able to have give and take with | | | | strategy; the next tip should be your approach to all |
| you so you can help each other adjust how you | | | | of your learning. |
| each think and how you approach the challenges | | | | 7. PURSUE MASTERY, NOT JUST COMPLETING |
| both intellectually and emotionally. Hopefully, this | | | | ASSIGNMENTS. Here's the secret: the skills it takes |
| person will be as focused as you and will persevere | | | | to teach something are the identical skills necessary |
| to the completion of the degree. | | | | to master it. This is an alignment that is important if |
| 3. ASK ABOUT THE PROFESSORS. Before you | | | | you as a nontrad are going to milk this college |
| commit to a particular section and teacher, do what | | | | education for all it is worth. While the traditional |
| smart college students do: ask about the professors. | | | | students are "getting by" or even "getting good |
| Do this with a discerning ear. If you detect that the | | | | grades," you are going to master the material. You |
| person giving you the lowdown on Professor H is a | | | | can wind up with a degree or an education. If you |
| whiner, then take that information with a grain of | | | | pursue mastery, you will learn on a deeper layer and |
| salt. Ask several others about Professor H and put | | | | you will have the skills and insights necessary to apply |
| together an overall profile of that teachers style, | | | | what you have learned--you will have an education, |
| classroom practices, and personality. It could be that | | | | not merely a degree. So while others are completing |
| they are demanding but very clear and fair. That | | | | the assigned problems, you will work additional |
| would be good. As a nontrad, you really don't want | | | | problems and analyze what concepts are behind the |
| the easiest path because you know by now that | | | | problems, what categories the problems fall into, |
| learning is hard and you would rather REALLY learn | | | | what tools you use to solve problems in each of the |
| now so the job that you will be dependent upon is | | | | categories, etc. You will "teach" the math section to |
| easier later. The nontraditional support group or | | | | see if you understand it well enough to speak it out |
| center on campus may be able to help you. It's | | | | loud-even if you have to go into the rest room and |
| possible that center employees would not be | | | | lock the door to do so in private. When you teach |
| comfortable with naming names and steering you | | | | the material out loud, new and different connections |
| away from that professor who is a real jerk. But I | | | | are made in your mind and you will gain insights you |
| bet the students working and congregating there | | | | would never have merely from reading and working |
| would give you an earful! | | | | problems. Find a way to teach it on a white board or |
| 4. IF NECESSARY, DROP BACK A LEVEL. Most | | | | a big piece of paper so new associations will become |
| colleges and universities will give you a free diagnostic | | | | evident to you as you feel the motion of arrows and |
| test to tell you if you are ready to start with the | | | | lines that connect ideas together. To master it, you |
| general studies math course or if you should drop | | | | will teach it and gain the insights of a teacher. |
| back to a developmental math course that is at a | | | | That's more than enough for now. However, look for |
| lower level. If you have any doubts, take the test | | | | a Part II because there are many more things you |
| and find out. It's better to put in a semester firming | | | | can do to increase the likelihood of your mastering a |
| up the foundations and then sailing through College | | | | general studies math course. I'm not going to say |
| Algebra or Finite Math than it is to fail and lose the | | | | "Good luck," instead, "Good work! |
| semester and a whole lot of confidence and forward | | | | |