Pioneer story

College Math and a high percent of failures
By Benjamin Ricetto


According to a recent study, Students in Ontario high schools are not achieving the levels they should in math when preparing for post-secondary education.

That leaves many college students without basic skills to build on to be successful.
The study, conducted at the community colleges in the Toronto area, shows that 34 per cent of 10,000 students are failing math in their first year.

Loyalist College President Maureen Piercy says, “Ensuring students have the math skills they need for science, technology and communications programs has been a issue over the years. It’s hard to be sure exactly how many students at the college are having difficulties.”

Loyalist offers programs that may help such students with their problems. Peer tutoring helps, as does the college prep program, which offers a high school equivalency and guarantees admission to Loyalist students who successfully complete it. Subjects include mathematics, communications, computers and science, but may also be tailored to a specific student’s needs.

The college prep program offered by the college is available to anyone who needs to pick up a course, credit or get a high school equivalency.

Brian Gibb, of the College Access lab, told The Pioneer anyone can join this program and it’s especially valuable for anyone looking to go back to school after working for awhile. Gibb also said, “ It can be used a refresher, but also for people who need the education from Grades 9 to 12. The best part is the cost is fully funded by the government of Ontario. So this allows many students to come and take part in getting a post-secondary education.”

The peer tutoring program at Loyalist may be an option for some students when they are already in school and struggling with a certain program.

This program is open to everyone, from their drop-in English and math help to peer mentoring, in which the department sets a student up with a upper-year student who has maintained a GPA of at least 70 per cent. The peer tutoring program allows a student 10 hours of free tutoring a month, which works out to two and half hours a week.

Deiana Gonyea, an administrator of the peer tutoring department says coming to this program is a great way to get extra help when needed.
“We have known students who have succeeded in maintaining one grade level higher after this peer tutoring program,” she said.

Gonyea also stressed, however, that this program doesn’t guarantee success and doesn’t cancel out the fact students still need to go to class.

“ Most of my peer tutorees become tutors the next year, so that is a great achievement for these students,” Gonyea says.

The purpose of the program is to supplement education and promote learner independence. Peer tutors are available for all college programs at Loyalist.