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Unfortunately, many of the students arrive with the solidified notion that they are “not good at math” and “can’t do that stuff”, which is tacitly acceptable in our society. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and they don’t make much progress in the remedial courses either. I taught this type of course (as one of those abysmal adjuncts) for many semesters, and found that most of the students came out about where they went in, regardless. </p>
<p>One semester I made the class do about 1000 problems on the theory that if they practiced it enough times they would come to realize they really could do it after all. To no avail. After that, I swore off remedial math, leaving the field to the other abysmal adjuncts. Trust me, this is the last course the regular faculty wants to teach.</p>
<p>I look forward with great anticipation to being an unemployed former abysmal adjunct very soon!!! Yea!!!</p>