The Examiner U-46 News FeedU-46 Board to vote on new course proposals By Seth Hancock
The Board of Education in School District U-46 will be voting on three proposals to bring new programs and courses to the district for the 2018-19 school year on Monday, Nov. 20. The proposals were presented on Nov. 6.
One of the courses being proposed is a geometry bridge course designed for high school freshmen who scored in the 30th percentile or below on the MAP tests.
Although geometry is a sophomore year math course, this class is designed to help ease students into Algebra 1-2 who are identified as struggling with algebra skills according to the proposal. Embedded in the course are pre-algebra skills such as fraction operations, proportional relationships, slope and solving linear equations.
“Too few of our students are ready for Algebra 1-2 when they’re entering high school. About 15 to 20 percent of students fail one of the semesters of algebra,” said Trisha Shrode, director of curriculum and instruction.
There were no estimated costs or planned resources in the presentation as Amy Ingente, math coordinator, said the staff is currently looking at new resources for all geometry courses. In response to a question from board member Melissa Owens, Shrode said the district is looking for supplemental resources for the bridge course as the regular geometry textbook will likely be the main textbook for the course.
Board member Traci Ellis asked “if I’m in danger of failing algebra I’m trying to understand why I’m not taking an algebra course” to which Ingente said “we’re going to give them those skills” to prepare students for success in Algebra 1-2 come the sophomore year.
Shrode said data shows that students who score better in geometry tend to do worse in algebra, and vice versa, and students “learn differently” with some being more visual learners in the case of geometry. She said using the visual elements to teach some of the algebra skills can “make it clear to them.”
In response to questions from Owens and board member Veronica Noland, Ingente said the “geometry content doesn’t change” and nothing will be lost taking the bridge course as opposed to the sophomore year geometry course.
Board member Sue Kerr said she feels like the bridge course may be too late for some students and she wanted to “encourage the district to look at how we can improve the scores” earlier so this course would eventually not be needed.
Board member Jeanette Ward asked if this course may be offered to middle school students in the gifted program who may struggle with algebra skills. Ingente said “not at this point” but there’s a call to committee for the gifted program and that could be suggested.
Another proposal was for two advanced placement (AP) courses within computer sciences including AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A. The total cost for resources is estimated at $584,875, which includes a notebook computer for each student, with an ongoing cost of $15,393.
For the AP Computer Science Principles the focus is on “creativity” and the “importance of communicating solutions appropriately and in ways that are relevant to current societal needs,” and for AP Computer Science A is to teach the Java programming language.
One of the current AP computer science courses teaches with the C++ programming language which Ingente said was no longer used by the College Board.
Ward asked if the course will include teaching application programming which Ingente said the AP Computer Science Principles “course would do apps.”
In response to questions from Kerr and Noland, Ingente said there is no prerequisite to take either course and “it is an elective.”
Ellis asked about offerings for students who are not in AP courses currently which Ingente said “we have an introductory” computer science course and Shrode said these courses “would open up more opportunity for students to participate in AP” as there is no prerequisite to take them.
“There are lots of reasons kids don’t go into AP classes,” said Ellis who asked: “Why are our programming classes that are going to teach the latest and greatest only AP?”
Shrode said “while these are two AP classes, there are other computer applications classes in our high schools.”
The final curriculum proposal is for an AP Physics 1 course, two sections at all five high schools, which has a total estimated cost of $266,090 for resources and $1,575 for professional development. Currently the district only offers AP Physics C which is only offered at Bartlett (two sections, 61 students) and South Elgin (three sections, 70 students) high schools.
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