It is becoming more and more apparent to me that students are not making the connection between classroom work, examples, discussion, and their homework.

In our system of education the student MUST be active in order to TRULY learn!  They need to stay focused in class, be neat, deliberate, and exact in taking notes.

In math, in particular, example problems in class are the \"road map\" for students to successfully solve homework problems.  If they properly copy the example in class, that is step by step, the way to solve problems that are like that example.

I have also found that a lot of our children, a generation of computers, cell phones, texting, etc  DO NOT ask each other for help when they should be!  The technology at their disposal is NOT used in a way that could help them do better in their academics. 

They MUST learn to use their tools appropriately.

* Take good notes

* Ask questions

* USE THE NOTES THEY TAKE to guide them through their homework.

* Call, text, communicate with each other....HELP AND ASK FOR HELP!

* If possible use internet resources such as http://www.khanacademy.org/

Even Youtube is an excellent resource for examples of every type of math problem we do (just search for what you need...i.e: \"two step equations,\"  \"adding integers,\"  etc.)

All of these things are interconnected into the web of learning....

....and all must be used for growth to take place.