Barb: As a parent of three children enrolled in Iron Mountain Public School, occasionally I assist with the evening routine of homework. The good news is that my third-grader is learning algebra’s associative and commutative properties and loving it using the Savvas math curriculum. The bad news is that the Savvas algebra curriculum does not include the associative and commutative properties of algebra in my eighth-grader’s Algebra program. Iron Mountain’s high school students did not study the associative and commutative properties of algebra when they were in third grade, so many will struggle with understanding algebra. This puts their future success at risk.

The Savvas algebra program introduces new concept after new concept without allowing students an opportunity to first master each step in the process. There are also not enough practice problems to assist students in mastery of algebra.

So parents, if your child comes home with an F in algebra, look at his mathwork and ask yourself this question, “Would I pass this class if math was taught this way?”

Parents of algebra students, I feel your pain and know that you are not alone.