When the going got tough, some NIU students got going…out the door.

The MATH 101 students who walked out of Noca Ervin’s class lecture and later scrawled chalk protests on sidewalks outside the lecture hall chose the wrong answer to their problems.

Students complain the class size is too large, the textbook is difficult to understand and the teacher allegedly is ineffective.

The course is specifically geared toward students who have previously taken two years of college preparatory high school mathematics and is designed for students not planning on taking any further math classes. The text, written by NIU mathematics Professor Linda Sons, presents exercises “in the fashion that they might be encountered in life situations” and is filled with numerous examples and explanations.

If the material presented is unclear, there are several options college students should pursue before reacting in such a child-like manner.

Instructors are available to offer suggestions to help students. Study sessions are provided to clarify material students might be confused about. And at very least, students should find a tutor or even a friend to help them work through their assignments.

Mathematics is a subject which might not come easily to all students, but college math courses are not designed to be like high school classes which spoon-feed answers into students.

Before giving up and walking out, students are expected to first take out their text, paper and pencil, roll up their sleeves and attempt to work their problems out.

The solutions are there. It’s up to the students to find them.