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February 05, 2007
Help with Algebra
At a workshop the other day, a mom asked me about how to help with algebra. It was not a trick question, but getting to the question was tricky. Mom is a Spanish speaker and, although I speak some Spanish, my conversation needs to be at about a second grade level and the speed of a slow turtle for me to get it all.
Mom explained to the interpreter and I got a few words, then the interpreter explained to me. “Her son’s in third grade, and he’s getting some algebra problems. She doesn’t know how to help at all. She doesn’t know algebra. What should she do??
I told her there was a trick with Algebra, and you didn’t have to be an expert to use it.
“What,? I asked, “is the missing number in this problem??
2 + ______= 4
“Dos,? said Mom.
“Okay, what is X in this problem?? I said.
2 + X=4 solve for X
“Dos,? said Mom.
Then we tried another problem, more of a third grade one.
2 X ______= 6 What’s the missing number.
“Tres,? said Mom.
“Okay, so solve for n,? I said.
2 X n=6
“I get it.? Well, I know she said “I get it? because I could see it in her face. She just lit up. “I can help. I understand how. I can help him,? the interpreter told me she’d said.
I appreciated the translation, but I knew she got it. She was so excited. She could do algebra. She could help her son.
Sometimes all people need is a little bit of help to know something they already know. Isn’t that nice.
Posted by Dr Joni at February 5, 2007 05:53 PM