Hello, my name is Kristin Kawecki and I am a junior at Olmsted Falls High School. I am currently enrolled in an Algebra II class and am extremely concerned by the new learning curriculum. Within this new program, the students have been split into “teams” of three or four people and are expected to learn the material through the textbook and their peers, referencing to their teacher only by last resort.

Throughout my entire math career, I have maintained a 96.3% average while also acquiring, “Geometry Student of the Year” in my sophomore class. So why, might you ask, am I struggling in this course? I would not say it is the material, considering my earlier successes in the algebraic field but in fact, is the lack of teacher leadership. So far this school year, I have been assigned forty homework problems; all of which have yet to be taught to me by my teacher. In previous years, students were required to take notes, complete the homework, and then ask questions the next day. What established a teacher as “good” was whether he or she could bring the class to a level of understanding. This has yet to happen. In fact, I was told on the very first day that I am required to teach those around me. If this is true then where is my paycheck? I do not have a degree in mathematics and within my independent studies, my only obligation as a student is to prepare myself in the best way possible, not those around me. I’m not opposed to helping others, but I can’t tutor someone else before being taught.

 Another major concern I have within this new learning environment is the lack of accountability.  It is very easy to hide amongst a group and in previous math classes the laziness of my peers affected their grades, not my own. Now, as a team member, my grade is determined by the work habits of everyone, not just myself. Of course, this is great news for the less than average student expecting to “skate by”, however, for the students who pride themselves in their work and come to class to learn, it only makes it that much more of burden. My grade should be a personal reflection of my work ethic and the time that I have dedicated to my studies. And if that means that the student that isn’t working, and isn’t making their schoolwork a priority doesn’t receive a good grade, then that is their responsibility, not my own.

 Lastly, this new course is extremely degrading to high school students. Paging through my textbook on the first day of school, I was appalled at the condescending lesson plans and basic wording. The entire first chapter explained to its audience, raging from 15 to 17 years of age, how to communicate to their neighbor. We spent our first week of class, making shapes out of yarn. I have learned more about how to be a “team member” than how to find the value of x. An important lesson, I admit, but hardly a mathematical skill. How can you expect us to conduct ourselves as adults if we are being taught like elementary school children? If a student is unable to learn in a lecture type environment, that student should be addressed personally. It is very unfortunate that our “School of Academic Excellence” seeks to hold back the academically advanced in order to raise the test scores of a small group of students. A student will only be as responsible as an authority figure will allow them and I hope for the sake of your students, you begin to treat us like the adults we are about to become.

Sincerely,

Kristin Kawecki