Helping Unprepared Students: The Ironies and Challenges

  • Thread starter Thread starter jackmell
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers around the frustration with forum rules requiring students to show their work when seeking help, particularly when they express having "no idea" where to start. Participants argue that this requirement can be contradictory, as some students genuinely lack foundational knowledge or confidence, making it difficult for them to articulate their thoughts or relevant equations. There's a divide in opinions on whether this reflects laziness or a genuine struggle, with some advocating for a more lenient approach to encourage students who may be overwhelmed. Others emphasize the importance of students demonstrating at least some effort or understanding, suggesting that even a basic attempt or identification of relevant concepts is necessary for effective learning. The conversation highlights the balance between fostering independence in problem-solving and providing necessary support to students who may be struggling academically or emotionally.
  • #101
Borek said:
... you would have to be extremely unlucky and meet a Mentor with a headache/toothache/wifeache/whatever to get smashed for your post.

Happy wife, happy life, Borek. Do the Poles have a similar saying?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #102
SteamKing said:
Happy wife, happy life, Borek. Do the Poles have a similar saying?

We don't need a saying, we just know it.
 
  • #103
Borek said:
We don't need a saying, we just know it.
I think I know why. :biggrin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmSzAeO76es
 
  • #104
I have read a few posts out here and would like to give my opinion. If you teach someone about RLC circuits, he or she must at least know the notations ( "at least" here means the least possible knowledge without understanding) in calculus.

He or she should know that dy/dx is the rate of change of y with respect to variable x. The person should also know that if dy/dx=k, then he should be able to express y in terms of k. If a person says that it is not known to him, it is really frustrating given the fact that second order differential equation is solved.
 
  • #105
sharan swarup said:
I have read a few posts out here and would like to give my opinion. If you teach someone about RLC circuits, he or she must at least know the notations ( "at least" here means the least possible knowledge without understanding) in calculus.

He or she should know that dy/dx is the rate of change of y with respect to variable x. The person should also know that if dy/dx=k, then he should be able to express y in terms of k. If a person says that it is not known to him, it is really frustrating given the fact that second order differential equation is solved.

Yes, students who are totally unprepared for the classes they are in are a problem. It should be the school's problem, but it winds up in our laps when the student asks for help. It is hard to know what to tell them. "Drop this class and study h.s. algebra" does not seem appropriate, although it might be the most accurate.
 
  • #106
brmath said:
Yes, students who are totally unprepared for the classes they are in are a problem. It should be the school's problem, but it winds up in our laps when the student asks for help. It is hard to know what to tell them. "Drop this class and study h.s. algebra" does not seem appropriate, although it might be the most accurate.
During the 18 years that I taught math in a community college (a two-year college), I had a handful of students who were so woefully unprepared for the class they were in that I advised them to drop the class and take one of the prereq classes. When I have come across similarly unprepared students here at PF, I didn't advise them to drop the class, but I did recommend that they allot some time reviewing the parts of algebra or whatever where they were having problems.
 
  • #107
Mark44 said:
During the 18 years that I taught math in a community college (a two-year college), I had a handful of students who were so woefully unprepared for the class they were in that I advised them to drop the class and take one of the prereq classes. When I have come across similarly unprepared students here at PF, I didn't advise them to drop the class, but I did recommend that they allot some time reviewing the parts of algebra or whatever where they were having problems.

A very sensible message. I wonder how many of them took your advice.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top