“The Journey” Through Developmental Mathematics
An Analysis of Decision-Making Regarding Attitude and Time Management, by Darrin Berkley. A short pamphlet giving developmental math students concrete, practical advice — and a way to understand their own decision-making along the way.
Learn how to succeed at math
Students enrolled in developmental mathematics get concrete advice on attitude and time management in this short pamphlet — and a chance to analyze their own decision-making around these non-academic factors.
The goal is simple: to give developmental math students honest advice about the “journey” that consists of the many decisions students make (or don’t make) in order to succeed.
Throughout that journey there will be both joy and frustration. The real challenge for most students is channeling that frustration — and that’s exactly what this pamphlet is built to help with.
Read it in order
The pamphlet is designed to be read sequentially — the most significant issue is discussed first. Students should be sure that issue has been addressed before moving on to the next. It’s a short, deliberately-ordered read, built to be worked through one step at a time rather than skimmed.
Book preview
This pamphlet reads as if you’re a student sitting in my office. After reading, it’s likely that you will do better in your mathematics courses. I’m not going to provide you with research studies in mathematics education or expect any complex tasks from you — I’m going to give simple advice, along with an honest read on how likely that advice is to be followed.
Generally, students can begin at different points in the journey, from the first course of developmental mathematics (Basic Mathematics) to the last (Intermediate Algebra). Throughout that journey there will be many occurrences of both joy and frustration — a real challenge for these students is how they channel that frustration.
In the math courses I teach, students are asked about their past and present mathematical experiences. That’s allowed me to carefully analyze the decisions that have had the greatest impact on their journey through developmental math. This pamphlet won’t address every issue a community college student faces, but it does cover the ones most common among developmental math students.
As with any real problem, working through it will take some of your time. As you go through the pamphlet, analyze the decisions you make and the consequences behind your own actions — and if you’re serious about succeeding, believe in yourself. Let’s get to work.
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