Meanwhile, the Carnegie Mellon researchers tweaked the software. Along the way, they discovered that they needed a fresh approach to help high school students struggling to learn algebra. These students didn't need bells and whistles, but they did need the occasional onscreen help window and the addition of a feature that gave them continuous assessment and feedback on their progress. My students were learning by doing with the computers, and I needed to step back and let them make their own connections, solidifying new knowledge in their minds through the process of putting that knowledge into practice. The transition from sage to guide can be very difficult for a teacher who has mastered a powerful style that works well with certain students.
Teachers better serve more of the students in each classroom by acting as a guide.
Our curriculum also requires teachers to allow students to work at different levels. I was pleased to find that many of my students begged to work ahead. Their enthusiasm, however, put certain demands on me to adapt to each individual student's needs, based on his or her progress in the curriculum. Although it was somewhat demanding to switch gears from student to student, I believe it allowed all of our students a better chance at achievement-and was therefore worth that extra effort. Of course, one reason the teachers at Langley were open to change is that we were not simply being trained to use a new program.