TRAINING GUIDE

FOR MATH BOOT CAMP

(NEW) FACULTY

Purpose:

This purpose of this training guide is to serve as a template for training a new instructor to the Math Boot Camp. It includes items to consider in advance as well as a week by week breakdown of activities and tasks to be accomplished. Each instructor is encouraged to incorporate his/her own methodologies and philosophies while managing the Math Boot Camp.

Overview of Math Boot Camp objectives:

The idea behind the Math Boot Camp stems from the perspective that when a student struggles to learn a math concept is it generally a result of not having grasped a more basic math skill that was taught at one or two levels below. The Math Boot Camp design allows all students to begin filling in math knowledge “gaps” at the arithmetic level while providing support within a safe and productive environment. The format and structure provide flexibility to benefit students at any level of mathematics up through calculus (including geometry and statistics). The web-based math program (Accelerated Math) is a component of Renaissance Learning, which allows for highly customizable worksheets, accommodating the various speeds at which students work and learn math.

The summer Math Boot Camp immerses the student through a 4-week intensive course, Monday through Thursday, 3 hours each day. Students work on individualized worksheets, submit their answers via scantron, receive immediate feedback, and then are given individualized worksheets based on their results. Student tutors are available to assist students on an individual basis. As the class progress is monitored, the instructor delivers intermittent short lectures on mathematical topics throughout the course. Additionally, small group instruction and individual instruction are organized as needed.

To the Instructor:

There a few items that you will want to decide on in advance:

  • What will be your class maximum?
  • Based on your answer to the question above, how many tutors will you need?
  • Do you have any current students that you feel would make good tutors for your Math Boot Camp class?
  • There is training available for Accelerated Math, either from another Math Boot Camp instructor and/or from the Renaissance Learning website. Which is best for you?

The first day:

The first day of Math Boot Camp, as in any standard math class, it is important that information be clear and standards be established for the class. However, since the Math Boot Camp is very different from other standard math courses, it is important students understand that their commitment to this course will determine how much they will benefit from it. In the Supporting Documents section of this guide is a 1st Day Overview to follow while reviewing the syllabus and other information.

As students arrive the first day of class, many students that initially enrolled do not show up. However, there are just as many students who are not enrolled that will show up. Since the number of access codes (for online usage) are limited, it is recommended that the instructor determine, as accurately as possible, names of those students that will be in the class before entering names in Accelerated Math. The tutors can be entering student names in Accelerated Math while the instructor goes over the syllabus and course information. After entering names, initial assignments can be printed for students to begin working on.

Weekly Overview:

Week 1: The first couple of days, “wrinkles” are worked out as far as enrollment, what students should be doing during the boot camp, managing tutors, and general classroom format. It is recommended that no new students be added the class after the 2nd day of class. Beginning with the second day, the instructor should begin doing “mini” lectures (at least one per day, depending on the class progression). In the Supporting Documents section of the guide, you will findInitial Topics for Lecture that lists topics for short lectures early on. It is recommended that all students take notes and engage in the lectures, even if they have not reached this topic. At the beginning of each day, notes from the topics that have already been lectured on may be summarized on the board for students to reference. By the end of the first week, the students get into a “routine” in terms of being prepared to work, they can focus for a longer period of time, and they have seen their own progression and mastery of topics.

Week 2: By the end of this week, it is recommended that the instructor provide progress reports (example provided in Supporting Documents) to each student displaying the objectives they have mastered. This weekmost students are progressing through the objectives, they are becoming more comfortable with the tutors, the instructor continues to present brief lectures based on class progress, and individual student progress is monitored in real-time.The instructor and tutors work with students that need more focused intervention on specific topics. There are opportunities for small groups to go aside and work with the instructor or a tutor on specific objectives.

Week 3: At the beginning of this week, the instructor begins talking to each student and gathering information (assessment results, recent math course taken and grade, academic goals as they pertain to math courses needed, current enrollment in a math class, etc.). This information will give the instructor a sense of approximately how many students will be taking the assessment at the end of the boot camp, and how many students will need to enroll in a math course for the fall semester.This weekmost students are progressing through the objectives, they are becoming more comfortable with the tutors, the instructor continues to present brief lectures based on class progress, and individual student progress is monitored in real-time.The instructor and tutors work with students that need more focused intervention on specific topics. There are opportunities for small groups to go aside and work with the instructor or a tutor on specific objectives.

It is recommended that the instructor contact the assessment coordinator and schedule a day and time for eligible students to take the assessment. Past practices have been to reserve the assessment center during the next to last day of the boot camp.

Week 4: The instructor may provide another progress report this week. To ensure that students get the maximum benefit of the Math Boot Camp, all students are strongly encouraged to enroll in a math course for the Fall semester. Eligible students take the assessment this week, then return immediately afterwards to meet with the instructor regarding placement into a Fall math class. Some students not taking the assessment will also need to be placed into a Fall math course. Given that the Math Boot Camp can benefit students regardless of where they are in their math course sequence, tracking students for Fall math course placement is complicated. In the Supporting Documents section of this guide, there is a Tracking/Enrollment Information form to help with this process.