Daniel Bach, a math professor at Diablo Valley College for over 20 years, has recently returned from a year-long sabbatical during which he researched and wrote a new textbook manuscript on beginning algebra. What makes this news particularly noteworthy is that, unlike most textbooks, Bach’s text incorporates a user-friendly instructional design and an often-humorous writing style to help students master the subject.

Bach challenged himself to create a more student-oriented text as a result of the frustration he was hearing in the classroom. “My students would tell me in class, ‘What you say makes sense! Why didn’t the book explain it so clearly?’ So I decided to write my own beginning algebra text -- one that would help students to feel confident and overcome any math fears.”

His completed, eleven-chapter text successfully calms the student with a fun, non-threatening and readable explanation of the topics while maintaining the pedagogy and real-world data, examples, and problem sets that instructors seek. Its comprehensive table of contents covers all areas from arithmetic review and linear equations to the quadratic formula and graphing parabolas.

“We instructors are pledged to making a positive connection with our students,” says Bach. “I am constantly rewarded with ‘ah-has’ and admissions from many formerly math-phobic students that mine is the first math class they’ve ever attempted since high school, or passed, or received an ‘A’. I hope to continue imparting my excitement of discovering math to those that I may never see personally, but will have used my book.”

Already a published author, Bach has tapped into his years of extensive writing experience, including a previous textbook (pre-algebra), a set of multi-media lessons (Dan’s Math Clinic: Pre-algebra and Beginning Algebra), an active website (www.dansmath.com), and a podcast, or internet radio show, (dansmathcast).

The completion of this latest work involved four stages. Bach first researched current and recent books and other subject materials, including algebra learning modules on CD-ROM and internet websites for interactive and alternative presentations of topics. Then he set out to better understand today’s students by actively collecting their opinions on math topics, presentation methods, and study habit trends, incorporating their feedback into his writings. Afterward, he fine tuned the book’s table of contents, and then wrote the actual text.

“Writing a math text is a serious undertaking, but this project has been quite rewarding,” continues Bach. “It was refreshing to write as I saw fit, according to my years of being on the other side of the equation: reviewing others’ texts, voting on textbook adoptions in department meetings, and receiving input from students in my classes. I think I put this knowledge to good use.”

The result, Bach notes, is a text that the entire DVC community can be proud of, with its direct approach to challenging topics, its explanatory style, and the incorporation of the expressed needs and comments of students.

At Diablo Valley College, after a full-time professor has been with the District for at least six years, he or she may be eligible to apply for a sabbatical leave.

A sabbatical leave may be taken for either a full year, or a full semester, and is for the purpose of academic study, a professional study project, or for travel. The result of the leave must be to increase the professor’s knowledge in academic subject areas, teaching techniques, educational psychology or the understanding of the cultural, political, and social history of human learning. The professor’s proposal for leave includes the value to be gained by students, the college, and the District.

Helen Benjamin, Ph.D., the Contra Costa Community College District Chancellor, in consultation with the United Faculty, determines the number of sabbatical leaves that will be granted each year, and a committee selects from the proposals that are submitted.