In Their Own Words

The follow article was written by a Long Creek Student in Mr. Cimato’s math class for the May issue of DocTalk. Read the whole issue here.

By Z.G.

Through the years math class has been very difficult, not only for me but for many math students everywhere. However, things are starting to seem a lot easier thanks to the new math program in Mr. Cimato’s class— Khan Academy’s self-paced math lessons. When I asked several students at Long Creek Youth Development Center (LCYDC) how they felt about the program, many responded in a positive way. “I like the math program because it helps me move through my work faster,” said D.C. a Long Creek resident. Not only does it help students move through work quicker, but also helps them understand the work better than any text book could. It gives tutorials and shows videos on the work that is being given. This is very beneficial to students. For my personal opinion it has helped me move through math work that I’ve never seen before. Now I’ll be taking Trigonometry—never in my life did I picture myself taking such an advanced math class. This is all due to Mr. Cimato, and this new program! But like most math classes and programs, it does get frustrating and “I hate losing all my points when I get a question wrong,” said C.S., another resident. The math program is based on a point system. 

When you get a certain amount of points your bar will turn green. This is when you can advance into different math, but if you get question wrong and the bar is not green it takes all your points. This is because the program wants you to master the math problems you are working on. Some say it drives them crazy but I feel it helps because the program is helping me get better without realizing it. All I want to do is get points, and all the program wants me to do is get better with my math work.

When asked if it is harder to work with the program Mr. Cimato said, “It is more difficult because the problems are more challenging, and there are more skills involved.” This is a very different response than students had given. When asked the same question kids said it was much easier because you have to be more precise with answers and this helps to learn the work better. Mr. Cimato also said, “Using the program students get a better understanding because they spend more time on each problem. If they get it wrong they want to know why so they don’t repeat the mistake. Prior to this students would just go through the problems and not care what they did wrong.”

The math program is a computer program we use on the MacBook, and does not have a textbook. This helps because many students get upset and don’t like sitting at a desk with a book in front of them, but using the MacBook they tend to come into class sit down and get right to work. It is done at the students pace and they are not rushed. The program is not timed and gives students something more effective to work with in math class.