This one-year project seeks to address the high failure rate of high school students, especially minority students, in algebra. Twenty-five teachers of middle school mathematics in the Baton Rouge area will participate in a six-week summer workshop that includes instruction in the subject matter of algebra and its applications, as well as an examination of the role of algebra in the curriculum and of appropriate methods of teaching algebra in the middle school. During the academic year, project staff will visit the participants' classrooms and join them in offering workshops for other teachers. The evaluation will assess changes in the participants' knowledge of algebra and pedagogy in the failure rate of their students. The University and the school districts are contributing as cost-sharing an amount equal to 13% of the NSF award.
