Math department offers online alternative to the class schedule
BSM often adapts with innovative solutions to make students’ days and learning easier, and now the math department reflects this flexibility with the class Blended Online Math.
Students have the opportunity to work on their own time and plan their own schedule.
November 2, 2016
One of the many amazing opportunities provided for a better learning environment is a different take on a math class, called “Blended Online Math.” The math class, taught by Ms. Joanie Sauer, is more of a student driven class, first offered in 2013 for Advanced Algebra and Precalculus students.“It did stem from Fred Hennen’s class in the Junior High. The administration asked that the senior high math department try to find a way to give students a similar opportunity in a class or two,” Sauer said.
Sauer and the math department have seen a need for students with busy schedules to have more flexibility with due dates and homework assignments. “Students today are so busy with so many different activities. I wanted to be part of a class that allows you, the students, to take control of your learning,” Sauer said.
The blended classes vary from a typical math class. The lessons are video notes that students can access whenever they please on Powerschool Learning, and instead of getting a homework assignment each night, students receive assignment sheets with “date goals” to finish assignments, quizzes, and tests. If a student falls behind on the goal dates, the quiz or test goes in the grade book as a missing assignment. However, when a student is ready, they can take the quiz for full credit.
Not only do students learn math in these classes, but they learn different skill sets that prepare them further for life outside of BSM. “Students in Blended learn to prioritize, and to find their internal motivation on days when they feel like doing nothing. Students learn the power of study groups. All of these skills are critical for students to have before college,” Sauer said.
Many students struggle with due dates and deadlines on top of extracurriculars, volunteering and jobs outside of school. The Blended Online Math class gives those who need it that flexibility to catch up when they have time and gives students more than just an average math class. “Teaching this class has taught me patience and mercy. It has taught me to stop and listen to what challenges a student is having whether it be trouble understanding a concept, difficulty getting motivated, or a student just having a time in life where they are overloaded,” Sauer said.
