Project Math Access DVD 03 - Algebra - Part 13 Transcript Start Audio Description: Part thirteen; student interview; Algebra. STICKEN: So Brandon, you are now a sophomore in high school. Is that correct? BRANDON: Yes. STICKEN: And you are in... Algebra? BRANDON: The class is called "Algebra 1AB" STICKEN: And what does that mean? BRANDON: That means I have it on both "A" days and "B" days. STICKEN: Okay, and you are just in a regular, mainstream algebra class? BRANDON: Right. l took algebra 1 last year, which I only had on 1 day. Either an "A" day or a "B" day. I don't remember... l believe it was "A" day. And I failed it at the end of the year. STICKEN: So you're taking it over, but taking a more intensive form of it. BRANDON: Right, and it's easier this year than last year. STICKEN: Why is it easier this year? BRANDON: Well, probably because I still remember some of the stuff I learned last year. So, I need to build onto it. STICKEN: Okay, that's fair enough. Do you have the same teacher as last year? BRANDON: No, a different teacher. Last year, l had Miss Marshall, this year I have Miss McCIuky. STICKEN: When you're actually in class, is there any difference in their teaching styles and how they present material, and how they relate to you, or other students in the class? Or are they about the same? BRANDON: Well, I think they're about the same, but... I think... I think, Miss McCIuky is... I think she... helps out more than Miss Marshall did. STICKEN: Okay, okay. Now we're getting there. How does she help. How is it that she is a better teacher for you? BRANDON: Well, she explains things in ways I can understand. Like, we'll be checking homework, and say I get an answer wrong, and I want it explained... how is it you come up with this? And she'll take it step-by-step until I feel I'm okay. STICKEN: Math in general, math for you as an individual in general is it a subject you enjoy, or is it a subject that's a challenge for you that you'd rather not have to have? BRANDON: It depends on the subject matter, kind of thing. Some parts are easy, some parts are hard. The hard parts, as Miss Seleb always says in math seems to frustrate me. STICKEN: Okay. What parts are hard? BRANDON: WeII... hmmm... I remember the factor boxes were hard for a while, especially last year ...in algebra. STICKEN: What made them difficult? BRANDON: Well, it was factoring 3 terms... factoring trinomials. and... Iike, it was just hard for me to get the concept of it. STICKEN: Okay. How did you finally catch on? I assume you understand it now? BRANDON: Yeah, I got help from Dad, and Miss Seleb explained it in better terms. She told it to me. Like, she would verbalize it. STICKEN: Okay. Does your math teacher verbalize what she's saying while writing on the board or on an overhead projector? BRANDON: Like with notes, yeah. Yeah, usually with notes she will. STICKEN: Okay. Other things, she doesn't? BRANDON: Hmmm STICKEN: Does that present a challenge for you? BRANDON: Yeah, sometimes she doesn't, and Miss Seleb has to tell me. Some of the easier material would be, say, doing the difference between two squares. The difficult might be Iike... oooo like this graphing sometimes goes more difficult. STICKEN: Graphing you find to be challenging? BRANDON: WeII... it was challenging at first, but not as challenging now. STICKEN: Now you've got it figured out. BRANDON: Right.