Description:

Imagine this scene. It is about two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester and your students are thinking about everything but their class with you or what lies ahead for them in the new term. They go to their mailboxes and find letter with your college's return address and your name above that. What a surprise! As they look through the materials they find a welcoming letter, a writing assignment (their math autobiography-WAC exercise #2) due at the first class and a course syllabus. They find the letter is less intimidating than they anticipated and is actually pretty humorous and it helps to allay their fears about math. They are assured that there will be help available from many sources including themselves and that this will be an interactive class which will encourage their participation in the learning process. To end the letter there are two phone numbers, one for your office and one for your home. The students are encouraged to call if they have any questions or concerns.

Most, but not all, students react very positively to this outreach effort. Those who are concerned will call to clarify exactly what is expected of them and what their roles will be in the class. Some students call just because they have been encouraged to do so and like the idea of talking to a teacher before the semester starts.

The letter sets a tone of high expectations by giving the students an assignment prior to the first class, suggesting that they get the text and read the first chapter, and by outlining how much time will be needed for success in the course. By its very nature the letter signifies that this class will not be a typical math class where the students simply come and listen to a lecture and then go off to fend for themselves. It establishes the collaborative nature of the learning process as the paradigm which will be followed in the course. For those students who feel this approach may be inappropriate for them it gives them an opportunity to discuss their concerns prior to class directly with the professor and to make course changes if their concerns are not ameliorated.

When I first started using this technique I was very concerned that students would misunderstand the intent or overreact to the pre-class assignment. Discussions with students in the first class have shown me that their reactions are quite positive and the letter raises the students expectations about the positive nature of the class. Students are impressed that I would take the time to communicate with them and encourage them even before we met for the first time.

Purposes and benefits-

1. To grab student's attention prior to the beginning of the course in order to emphasize the serious but user friendly nature of the class.

2. To set high expectations for both the students and the teacher to make the class interesting and enjoyable.

3. To ease student's math anxiety through humor and a description of the help available throughout the institution.

4. To demonstrate my interest in writing across the curriculum. If I am going to ask them to write in a math class then it is important for me to demonstrate my writing style and effort.

5. To communicate the time requirements needed for success in the course.

6. To introduce students to the professor prior to class: encourage communication between them.

7. To alert students to the interactive nature of the class, through the use of collaborative learning techniques, and the many other interactive approaches which will be used throughout the semester. This letter initiates the process.

1. Convey your expectations for the course and course prerequisites or other requirements.

2. Ask students to reflect on their goals for the course, their career objectives, or reasons for attending your institution.

3. Request students be prepared for first class activities such as pairs interviewing / reporting or other warm up activities which may require preparation.

4. Send students materials to be used in the first class.

5. Send students materials to introduce the course such as newspaper articles, research papers etc.

1. The letter creates an interactive environment by inviting students to call the professor prior to class.

2. In asking the students to write their math autobiography they will be prepared for the first class warm-up/collaborative activity where students interview each other and report back to the whole class about their partner.

3. In the pair-interview-report exercise students are asked to determine how their partner feels about math and what their biggest concern is. This leads to a class discussion about math anxiety, a very common problem.

4. The letter highlights the positive nature of groups and benefits of helping each other to succeed in the course.

5. Other materials may be included which describe the class procedures thus preparing students for the interactive nature of the class.

Dear Elementary Algebra Student,

Welcome to the Fall of 1995 and Elementary Algebra. I can't think of a better way to spend a Spring semester, having fun with algebra. I would like to say hello and offer a few words of advice and encouragement before we meet on Sept. 6. I promise not to use more than 5 x 10 words in this letter. The prerequisite for this course is DE-051 Basic Math an identifiable pulse and a temperature of 98.6F and permission from your psychiatrist to subject yourself to this course over the next 15 weeks with this instructor, alias Attilla the teacher.

2. Get extra help immediately if you feel you need it. I am available for extra help 24 hours a day 7 days a week except Sundays from midnight to 6am. I need to sleep sometime. We will work in groups and I will try to arrange study groups outside of class. Tutors will be available also and the math lab is open many hours during the week on a walk in basis.

3. Back to number 1. The most important thing for you to do is try as many problems before class as possible. That is correct! I am not delirious. But you say "How can I do the problems before they are explained to me??". That is the very essence of this course; to help you gain your math independence. We will work together in class on the material of the day. By the time the class is over you will know what you are doing.