Using Flowcharts to Guide Student Processes

My Factoring Flowchart Success Story

Factoring polynomials is an extremely important component of the Algebra 2 curriculum, and while it involves mostly pattern identification, there are six main types of patterns with which students must work. When we study each type individually, students are successful in factoring the polynomials. However, at the end of the unit, students are expected to factor various and combined types of patterns, and every year without a doubt, I hear their frustration as they voice the question, "How do you know what type of factoring to do on each problem? I just don't get it!" This year, I decided to try a new flowchart technique in mapping out the key questions and characteristics to identify--and I was astounded by the students' reaction and their increased performance results on the factoring test.

I introduced the flowchart when I assigned the cumulative problems near the end of the factoring unit, and I was truly surprised by the student comments--they thought this was the neatest thing they'd seen in a long while! The students couldn't seem to believe that I had created the flowchart just to help them, and when I told them that it took me almost a week of mapping the process out and tweaking the details, plus an additional three hours to create it in Microsoft Word, they realized the importance of the concept we were studying! They adopted the attitude that if I was willing to put that much effort into helping them understand it, they were willing to put a lot of effort into learning it because it must be that important.

I used Microsoft Word to create the flowchart using the flowchart symbols and lines that come packaged with the program. I added color to the finished diagram to highlight the key questions that the students had to ask along the way, and the visual color association really served as a useful mnemonic device--as proven with test results that were between 10-15% higher than the previous several years!

Even though this initial effort at creating my own flowchart took quite an investment of time, it was definitely worthwhile. The enthusiasm it generated in students and the relief it provided in having a visual guide to clarify their thinking process in addition to the positive performance results is justification for further use of flowcharts in the classroom. As I have made more of them, the creation process has shortened enormously. I am now able to use the toolbars and right mouse button efficiently to create a typical flowchart in under an hour. It has turned out that the process is very repetitive and by using copy-and-paste techniques, flowcharts can be made in a reasonable amount of time. I highly recommend fellow teachers try using this aid when teaching or training students to perform any curriculum or classroom management process.