My 14 year old freshman daughter has a D- in Algebra

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now a days poor math skills will be a major issue at securing a job. Ironically poor english skills is fine.

Ummmm yep.

Nowadays......when trying to secure a job. Ironically poor english skills ARE fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know how good these kids would do on testing and grade if EVERY SINGLE parent stopped teaching at home or paying for tutors. Seriously, I don't think the schools have any idea what a crappy job they are doing!

I don't teach math or have a tutor for my DC. If DC has a question, I will answer but I don't sit with DC and go over the HW. DC is in compacted math and seems to be doing fine on Dc's own.

Yes I know your DC will run circles around mine because I have to work with her. Yours is perfect. Congratulations!

Sarcasm wasn't necessary PP. I was addressing the other Pp's comment that EVERY SINGLE parent was tutoring their kid. I'm pretty sure there are plenty of other parents that don't tutor or supplement much at home.

PP again- I have two high performing kids and I am very upfront when people ask me about my "secret". I tell them that I WORK very hard with them. Maybe your child is very smart naturally. Your comment though is like nails on chalkboard to me because sometimes when I meet parents of other high performing kids they make similar comments and I later find out what they initially told me isn't true. I love it when I meet the mom who is honest and says- yup I worked really hard with my kid to get him/her in the HGC program or whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know how good these kids would do on testing and grade if EVERY SINGLE parent stopped teaching at home or paying for tutors. Seriously, I don't think the schools have any idea what a crappy job they are doing!

+1000. Our kids attend private school and the school loves to take credit for high test scores but it's really the parents hiring tutors/doing extra work.

Argghhh... Which one? I don't want to go there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know how good these kids would do on testing and grade if EVERY SINGLE parent stopped teaching at home or paying for tutors. Seriously, I don't think the schools have any idea what a crappy job they are doing!

I don't teach math or have a tutor for my DC. If DC has a question, I will answer but I don't sit with DC and go over the HW. DC is in compacted math and seems to be doing fine on Dc's own.

Yes I know your DC will run circles around mine because I have to work with her. Yours is perfect. Congratulations!

Sarcasm wasn't necessary PP. I was addressing the other Pp's comment that EVERY SINGLE parent was tutoring their kid. I'm pretty sure there are plenty of other parents that don't tutor or supplement much at home.

PP again- I have two high performing kids and I am very upfront when people ask me about my "secret". I tell them that I WORK very hard with them. Maybe your child is very smart naturally. Your comment though is like nails on chalkboard to me because sometimes when I meet parents of other high performing kids they make similar comments and I later find out what they initially told me isn't true. I love it when I meet the mom who is honest and says- yup I worked really hard with my kid to get him/her in the HGC program or whatever.

PP - I agree there are probably parents out there that are not honest about their kids' abilities. But, there are those kids out there that are able to do well pretty much on their own. Maybe it's a very small % around here. IDK. And maybe in the future, my kids will need some help, too, and I will be in the same boat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:C or lower is basically an F by previous year standards. You need to act now, tutor, boot camps, quit all activities, ground her etc... she is destroying her future.

You would ground a child who is trying very hard and struggling, as OP says?

What exactly are you punishing? That's no different to me than grounding a child who can't hit a certain time in a foot race or can't master a difficult piano piece despite trying. I'm not saying do nothing, but punishment? She's not DOING anything wrong.

pretty sure pp was being facetious.

[Anonymous]

Wait, freshmen in high school do Algebra 1? Because at my child's school, everyone has done Algebra 1 in 7th or 8th grade. And we aren't zoned to the best middle school in the DC area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know how good these kids would do on testing and grade if EVERY SINGLE parent stopped teaching at home or paying for tutors. Seriously, I don't think the schools have any idea what a crappy job they are doing!

I don't teach math or have a tutor for my DC. If DC has a question, I will answer but I don't sit with DC and go over the HW. DC is in compacted math and seems to be doing fine on Dc's own.

Yes I know your DC will run circles around mine because I have to work with her. Yours is perfect. Congratulations!

Sarcasm wasn't necessary PP. I was addressing the other Pp's comment that EVERY SINGLE parent was tutoring their kid. I'm pretty sure there are plenty of other parents that don't tutor or supplement much at home.

PP again- I have two high performing kids and I am very upfront when people ask me about my "secret". I tell them that I WORK very hard with them. Maybe your child is very smart naturally. Your comment though is like nails on chalkboard to me because sometimes when I meet parents of other high performing kids they make similar comments and I later find out what they initially told me isn't true. I love it when I meet the mom who is honest and says- yup I worked really hard with my kid to get him/her in the HGC program or whatever.

OK but some of us really don't. Seriously -- kids in magnet all the way through and they did it on their own, no practicing for tests, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait, freshmen in high school do Algebra 1? Because at my child's school, everyone has done Algebra 1 in 7th or 8th grade. And we aren't zoned to the best middle school in the DC area.

Kids who take algebra in high school are behind that's known.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD also had a very hard time with algebra, but did much better in geometry. We used a tutor once a week, but it was kind of hit or miss if she'd do well on tests or not.

My DD is not interested in a STEM field, so I think it's not that big a deal if she's not getting very good grades in math. She limped through algebra II with a C and attempted precalc the first two weeks this year, but was just miserable.

She's taking a class called quantitative literacy instead and is thrilled with finally learning real world math. She'd always say that numbers and letters should mix and that she knew the quadratic equation but not how to do her taxes. Right now in math she's doing a project pricing out a dream vacation (Italy in her case), including calculating the exchange rate. It's so much more engaging for her.

I have to disagree with this based upon recent experiences of trying to get kids into college. Today's colleges (not the one I went to) expect to see calculus finished by the time your kid applies - preferably finished by the end of jr. year, so the calculus grade is on the transcript when your kid applies EA or ED. That means having taken Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, pre-cal, and calculus finished by end of junior year. One of our kids made it only through the first three but he cannot continue in his major if he doesn't finish calculus at the college level soon. Having learned that the hard way, I am making sure that kid no. 2 is taking calculus now in junior year of high school. I'm not saying that was easy - and he had to take summer math courses, but he will finish calculus by end of junior year - and that is what colleges want to see on the transcript (they don't care what your major is going to be, unless you applying to the rare school, like VT, which require applications to your college of choice at the entry level. In most cases, the only serious review your kids' application will get is a cursory check of SAT or ACT scores, GPA (with notations about breadth and depth of coursework), which are put on front of the file, along with any notes having to do with URM, legacy, athletics. Only if you make it through that cut, will they ever get to your child's essay and rarely will they care about what your kid wants to major in. SO my advice to OP is to hangin in there with the tutor and keep at it - switch tutors if this one isn't working - and work closely with the high school. But if you seriously want her to do well in the college sweepstakes, she will have to have far more than just a D- in Algebra I. And this applies to all colleges for the simple reason: Colleges and Universities don't want to be teaching geometry, pre-calc or calculus. They want the high schools to do it. Often the first question in my first kid's interviews was "Have you finished calculus?". I'm not saying this is the correct way to run our universities but it is the truth: they don't want to have to hire adjuncts to teacher "lower-level" math courses so you really need to be strong on math in the application process and, of course, reflect that skill in the SAT and ACT. So tutor on! BTW, NOVA and your community colleges have math courses, as well. Once our son finishes calculus this junior year, he will take an advanced math college-level course this summer, so that entry will be on his resume, too, next fall.

[Anonymous]

OP, please don't worry. Your DD will do much better with the help of a tutor. And if she doesn't, you will assess the situation at the end of the school year and act accordingly. This is not a crisis. The goal here is mastering the concepts, and she will get it eventually.

A "D" in algebra freshman year will NOT keep her out of college. I promise!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD also had a very hard time with algebra, but did much better in geometry. We used a tutor once a week, but it was kind of hit or miss if she'd do well on tests or not.

My DD is not interested in a STEM field, so I think it's not that big a deal if she's not getting very good grades in math. She limped through algebra II with a C and attempted precalc the first two weeks this year, but was just miserable.

She's taking a class called quantitative literacy instead and is thrilled with finally learning real world math. She'd always say that numbers and letters should mix and that she knew the quadratic equation but not how to do her taxes. Right now in math she's doing a project pricing out a dream vacation (Italy in her case), including calculating the exchange rate. It's so much more engaging for her.

I have to disagree with this based upon recent experiences of trying to get kids into college. Today's colleges (not the one I went to) expect to see calculus finished by the time your kid applies - preferably finished by the end of jr. year, so the calculus grade is on the transcript when your kid applies EA or ED. That means having taken Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, pre-cal, and calculus finished by end of junior year. One of our kids made it only through the first three but he cannot continue in his major if he doesn't finish calculus at the college level soon. Having learned that the hard way, I am making sure that kid no. 2 is taking calculus now in junior year of high school. I'm not saying that was easy - and he had to take summer math courses, but he will finish calculus by end of junior year - and that is what colleges want to see on the transcript (they don't care what your major is going to be, unless you applying to the rare school, like VT, which require applications to your college of choice at the entry level. In most cases, the only serious review your kids' application will get is a cursory check of SAT or ACT scores, GPA (with notations about breadth and depth of coursework), which are put on front of the file, along with any notes having to do with URM, legacy, athletics. Only if you make it through that cut, will they ever get to your child's essay and rarely will they care about what your kid wants to major in. SO my advice to OP is to hangin in there with the tutor and keep at it - switch tutors if this one isn't working - and work closely with the high school. But if you seriously want her to do well in the college sweepstakes, she will have to have far more than just a D- in Algebra I. And this applies to all colleges for the simple reason: Colleges and Universities don't want to be teaching geometry, pre-calc or calculus. They want the high schools to do it. Often the first question in my first kid's interviews was "Have you finished calculus?". I'm not saying this is the correct way to run our universities but it is the truth: they don't want to have to hire adjuncts to teacher "lower-level" math courses so you really need to be strong on math in the application process and, of course, reflect that skill in the SAT and ACT. So tutor on! BTW, NOVA and your community colleges have math courses, as well. Once our son finishes calculus this junior year, he will take an advanced math college-level course this summer, so that entry will be on his resume, too, next fall.

This is just wrong, wrong, wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I have to disagree with this based upon recent experiences of trying to get kids into college. Today's colleges (not the one I went to) expect to see calculus finished by the time your kid applies - preferably finished by the end of jr. year, so the calculus grade is on the transcript when your kid applies EA or ED. That means having taken Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, pre-cal, and calculus finished by end of junior year. One of our kids made it only through the first three but he cannot continue in his major if he doesn't finish calculus at the college level soon. Having learned that the hard way, I am making sure that kid no. 2 is taking calculus now in junior year of high school. I'm not saying that was easy - and he had to take summer math courses, but he will finish calculus by end of junior year - and that is what colleges want to see on the transcript (they don't care what your major is going to be, unless you applying to the rare school, like VT, which require applications to your college of choice at the entry level. In most cases, the only serious review your kids' application will get is a cursory check of SAT or ACT scores, GPA (with notations about breadth and depth of coursework), which are put on front of the file, along with any notes having to do with URM, legacy, athletics. Only if you make it through that cut, will they ever get to your child's essay and rarely will they care about what your kid wants to major in. SO my advice to OP is to hangin in there with the tutor and keep at it - switch tutors if this one isn't working - and work closely with the high school. But if you seriously want her to do well in the college sweepstakes, she will have to have far more than just a D- in Algebra I. And this applies to all colleges for the simple reason: Colleges and Universities don't want to be teaching geometry, pre-calc or calculus. They want the high schools to do it. Often the first question in my first kid's interviews was "Have you finished calculus?". I'm not saying this is the correct way to run our universities but it is the truth: they don't want to have to hire adjuncts to teacher "lower-level" math courses so you really need to be strong on math in the application process and, of course, reflect that skill in the SAT and ACT. So tutor on! BTW, NOVA and your community colleges have math courses, as well. Once our son finishes calculus this junior year, he will take an advanced math college-level course this summer, so that entry will be on his resume, too, next fall.

This is just wrong, wrong, wrong.

[Anonymous]

According to the College Board, 267,000 high school students took the Calculus AB test in 2012. That same year, 19.7 MILLION students were enrolled in college. I don't think you need calculus to figure out that a very small number of college students have taken calculus in high school.

[Anonymous]

....and even fewer are actually showing mastery of calculus:

http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind12/c8/c8s1o14.htm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to know how good these kids would do on testing and grade if EVERY SINGLE parent stopped teaching at home or paying for tutors. Seriously, I don't think the schools have any idea what a crappy job they are doing!

I don't teach math or have a tutor for my DC. If DC has a question, I will answer but I don't sit with DC and go over the HW. DC is in compacted math and seems to be doing fine on Dc's own.

Yes I know your DC will run circles around mine because I have to work with her. Yours is perfect. Congratulations!

Sarcasm wasn't necessary PP. I was addressing the other Pp's comment that EVERY SINGLE parent was tutoring their kid. I'm pretty sure there are plenty of other parents that don't tutor or supplement much at home.

PP again- I have two high performing kids and I am very upfront when people ask me about my "secret". I tell them that I WORK very hard with them. Maybe your child is very smart naturally. Your comment though is like nails on chalkboard to me because sometimes when I meet parents of other high performing kids they make similar comments and I later find out what they initially told me isn't true. I love it when I meet the mom who is honest and says- yup I worked really hard with my kid to get him/her in the HGC program or whatever.

PP - I agree there are probably parents out there that are not honest about their kids' abilities. But, there are those kids out there that are able to do well pretty much on their own. Maybe it's a very small % around here. IDK. And maybe in the future, my kids will need some help, too, and I will be in the same boat.

NP here. My parents never helped me, and I won my school's AJHSME (now the AMC 8) and got a 5 on my AP calc test, so I agree that not every high-achieving student necessarily has involved parents or a tutor helping them. Caveat: I was in the G&T program so I guess my parents knew they could slack off...