4 Questions To Help Your Students Prepare For The Journey

THE SUBJECT IN THIS CLASS IS NOT MATH, IT IS YOU

I teach a course that is primarily populated with students who are new to our school.  They are mostly Freshman with a few Sophomores, both new and returning.  They also have typically struggled in mathematics prior to this course.  You can see it in their body language as they enter the room:  sitting as far away from the teacher or dry-erase board or as close to the escape hatch...I mean...door as possible.  As the class begins, they inhale deeply either with a straight spine and eyes wide open to see where the first blow will come from or possibly hunched over and avoiding eye contact in hopes of not being noticed.  These behaviors betray a truth that I fundamentally believe about all students:

EVERY STUDENTS WANTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL

How do we as teachers help students come out from behind their defenses and overcome their negative learned behaviors that we've had no part in building?  Can we take down every brick, remove every obstacle, and heal every scar?  No.  We're going to need help.  Who can help?  The student.  What we can do, however, is help the student discern between the path they may have been travelling and the path they would prefer to travel.  Here are four questions I ask every student at the beginning of the year which help to that end:

1) What emotional associations do you make with mathematics and math class?

Frankly, the hardest part of this question for students is discerning what is emotion from what is not.  "Scared" or "anxious" are emotions.  "Helpless" is a condition which may require a follow up question:  "How do you feel when you perceive helplessness?  Does that make you angry?  Sad? etc....  If you want to avoid semantics, a perfectly fine alternative question could be:  "When you think about mathematics and math class, how do you feel?"

The point of this question is to get students to acknowledge the feelings that they are experiencing as they walk down the hall towards your classroom for the first time.  Of course, not all students are going to express negativity.  For these students, however, it may be a soul opener (not just an "eye opener") towards building empathy, compassion, and ultimately generosity towards their peers if there is any component of sharing these responses (I recommend anonymously) within the class.

2) What emotional associations do you WANT to have with mathematics and math class?

It goes without saying that I've never seen a negative word in response to this prompt, supporting the fundamental belief mentioned above.  It should also be clear that the goal of this question is, for most students, to draw stark contrast between where they are and where they wish to be as soon as possible.  The student should acknowledge that he or she wants change.

3) What factors have contributed to your struggles or poor results in math in the past?

You will see the gamut of responses here ranging from the pedagogical decisions or behaviors of past teachers, to choices of the student.  While it may be tempting to redirect students towards their own behaviors, it is critical at this point to simply listen.  If students focus on what the teacher has done, that tells you where their focus is right now in terms of negativity.  It's hard to address the state of your soul when you are in the presence of a bear.  If the student is telling you what will be perceived as a threat or a "here we go again" trigger, it's important for you to acknowledge and be sensitive to what is going to spark "fight or flight" within that student.  The growth you and they are seeking is dependent on you creating a safe environment which requires no defenses.  

4) What factors have contributed to growth, learning, and overall positive experiences for you in math?

The same gamut of responses will follow.  Here, however, it is ok to follow up with a question about behaviors the student, specifically, has engaged in as an agent of promoting success.  You are going to need their help in tearing down their defenses.  It is vital that they recognize their own power in taking steps towards the experience they wish to have and the person (not just "student") they wish to become.

What's been accomplished?  The student recognizes that there is a journey to be taken.  The student has told you where they are on the path and what obstacles are on their path that you can remove or prevent from appearing.  The student has told you how they have successfully navigated paths before and perhaps how teachers have helped them along the path before.  Both of you are now equipped for the journey!

"It's dangerous business....going out your door..." --JRR Tolkien