The current methods of teaching algebra:

A recent investigation with middle school students has provided a glimpse into the education of algebra. It revealed that they didn't grasp the principles of algebra. Thus, solving an equation such as -30X - 5 - 17 = - 8X is still a daunting task after 7,8 or 9 years of math education. However, if we closely look at the equation, it is complex and required the knowledge of combining elements, computing positive and negative numbers, understanding multiplication and division, mastering the equality principle, and developing procedural knowledge. As algebra is not a forgiving subject, any shortfalls of the above topics lead to the wrong solution.

What went wrong? The comprehensive assessment indicates that besides recognizing some bits and pieces of algebraic materials, everything went wrong in all topics described above. Could it be the abstractness of algebra or the teaching methods?

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The abstractness of algebra:

Indeed algebra is an abstract subject that is difficult to teach and learn. We are fortunate to inherit mathematical knowledge passed on to us by our predecessors, but at the same time have to endure the lackluster of its contents that have been solidified for centuries. Opening an algebra book and one can see the same intimidating contents and structure describing the enigmatic world of algebra, its domain, and functionalities where only experts or fervent students could confidently grasp them.

To be successful in teaching and learning algebra, one must be daring to re-structure and organize this knowledge in a comprehensible format and scale it to serve the majority instead of the minority. But there are good news, Countonme.us develops a new approach of teaching/ learning math and curriculum that timely and gradually introduce math/ algebra concepts to students. Countonme.us reduces a typical 400 pages book into fewer relevant and teaching pages where young students can discern and appreciate the meaning of algebra. 

 

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Why young students are not learning? Could the culprits be the teaching methods?

At this point in time, there are still no effective math/ algebra teaching and learning methods that can remove the abstractness of algebra. In spite of the advancement of computing devices, smart tablets, and new interactive teaching approaches, there is no noticeable improvement.

Young students may have seen and understood that algebra is some sort of numbers mixed with a letter such as X + 1 = 5. By seeing it many years in school, most of them have learned to recognize it and able to guess that the answer is 4. However, they never understood the principles of algebra, and when the equation becomes more complex such as - 451 + 3X = 73, they are unable to rely on their memory and thus struggle to determine X. Then, the practice of multiple-choice completely obstructs their ability to reason as it only encourages them to guess the answer.

A thorough investigation into the difficulties in learning algebra indicates that communication is one of the many major issues. Instead of communicating effectively with meaningful algebraic information, the existing methods deliver excessive and confusing materials creating only noises, intimidations, and distractions to the learning process.

Lastly, the lack of emphasis on the purpose of algebra makes it irrelevant to students. For instance, a 3rd-grade student understands the functionality of a hammer as an impacting tool or a saw as a cutting tool or a drill as a drilling tool. When a teacher demonstrates to students the cutting process using a saw as the tool, any students in the world can repeat and accomplish the task that is visual and practical. This practicality allows students to understand and explore the functionality of each tool. Suddenly they realize that they can pick and choose any tools alternatively to build a project such as a table. In algebra, there are no such practical tools for students to refer to and use them to accomplish algebraic tasks. When students are given an equation  -451 -3X +5X = 73 to solve, they can't recall any tangible tools.

To present days, students rely on intuition, memorization and vague instructions to solve algebra problems. The causes that hinder learning are precisely the lack of understanding of the principles of algebra, the inability to decipher algebraic information, the mastering of basic computations, and the absence of practical tools set, procedural guides and scaffolding strategies. 

In sum, the current methods simply leave young students in the dark making algebra a meaningless or obscure subject to them.

 

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The misconception of algebra:

Unable to learn algebra, students withdraw themselves from math/ algebra across the nation, and there is no surprise that math/ algebra has become one of the most hate subjects in school. Students capitulate and blame themselves for not being born with the math genetic ability to comprehend it, and now school officials, teachers, thinkers, and policymakers also surrender to accept mediocrity stirring speculative and endless academic debates and above all spending billions of dollars yearly on ineffective and obsolete methods of teaching. The negativity surrounding the algebra subject is overwhelmed. But it doesn't have to be this way, countonme.us is at the forefront to reverse this misconception by re-introducing Algebra Reborn as a cost-effective, practical and child-friendly subject that gives young students new horizon to learn and discover more career opportunities that were previously unavailable.