Week 2 Teaching Algebra

In my second week of teaching quadratics we focuses on finding the product and sum from an equation. In week 1 the book gave us a box filled out and the students had to find the greatest common factor to determine the product and sum. Students were taught to take the x squared component and the single digit and plug it into the box. From their they took the multiple of the two numbers and used that as their product in the diamond problem. The sum in the diamond problem came from the x component in the equation. From here the students seemed to get the diamond problems because they had seen them before. When they found the factors in the diamond problem they plug it into the original box which allowed them to find the greatest common factor like they did last week. Some of the biggest issues I saw with my students were once them plugged in the x squared and the single digit into the box they got lost. Some started adding the 2 numbers. Others multiple and put it in the diamond problem but could not figure out were the sum of the diamond problem was. I came to the conclusion that this was a 7 step process of which had no meaning to my students. How I over came this was designing a way to set up the problem on their paper. They had to write it like I did on the board. This with set up with arrows showed where each part of the diamond and box came from. I also used different colored markers on the white board so they could see where each piece was related. From there when I asked questions to my students I had them explain where each piece came from and why. This helped to reinforce the concept. Giving my students a chance coordinate the colors with the equation allowed them to see where things came from and allowed them and me to explain the reason for each.