This isn’t a surprise, is it? They have been bombarded with information that they are expected to regurgitate on high-stakes tests their entire mathematical career. They are used to being told what to do. They are used to mathematics being little more than exercises that they learn to mimic and forget. Challenging and changing this is a major goal of the use of inquiry-based learning. Have patience.
There are activities that help set a positive tone and create a supportive learning environment, some are included in our audience blog and out first class blog .
