Algebra 2 struggle

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Third algebra 2 teacher, confirming everything stated above.

I usually spend 2.5 days reviewing factoring (algebra 1 spends weeks on it), give a short quiz, and then move on to the actual factoring applications that are in our curriculum. This year I’ve spent 5 days on it so far this year and kids are still struggling. So many of them didn’t get anything out of virtual (thanks, photomath) and those choices are coming back to haunt them this year.

I added extra days here because this skill is so critical to the rest of the year, but I can’t do it for every unit. Kids are going to have to get help outside class, whether from me, khan academy, or an outside tutor.

The vitrual math classesare really going to hit the class of 2026 hard on their SATs and PSAT.

Algebra is the most crucial subject for those tests.

I pulled my kid from fcps and put her in Catholoc for 8th. They had been going in person since August 2020 and had not switched to computer math. Everything was pencil to paper.in Algebra I. Best decision ever.

My kid was so behind for the entire first semester, in spite of testing in the mid 90s on the Iowa the Catholic school used for placement. It seems that she learned almost nothing from virtual pre Algebra in 2020/21 at her fcps middle school. The Catholic school kids were miles ahead of her. It took all year to catch up, but she only had a middle grade in Algebra.

She retook Algebra I online over the summer to raise the grade. Based on what she learned in Catholic school, she did very well in the condensed summer class and felt much more confident in her math knowledge and skills.

My suggestion would be to drop them down to non honors if theh are struggling, and maybe consider some sort of in person (not online) Algebra supplemental class like at Kumon, that starts from the very basic.

Fundamental algebra skills and knowledge are way too important to miss.

Distance learning sucked. We are going to reap the consequences for years down the road for most of the kids, but especially those who learned to read and write 2020-2022, those who were middle schoolers learning algebra, and the teens who are dealing with the emotional scars of those 2 wasted years.

Honestly, my blood is boiling reading all the messages from teachers saying that kids just have to work harder because they didn't learn the material. The kids did not learn the material because virtual teaching -- which teachers overwhelmingly wanted for the 20-21 school year -- was terrible for many kids.

Distance learning wasn't ideal for learning but not that bad if kids were actually motivated to learn. Worst case they could go to Khan Academy and teach themselves if they had a bad teacher, since KA is quite good. The real problem as others above have stated, is that many kids blatantly used DL to cheat their way through classes whenever they could. Now it's biting them back hard, esp. in math class. Rest assured, there are students who learned a lot during DL (sadly not a big %), because DL helped them cut through through all the other physical in person school BS, so they could learn a lot more at home on their own during 7 hours of DL. Those were likely the kids whose parents were either engaged or taught them values.

What a sanctimonious post.

Teaching your kids values has zero to do with how ineffective distance learning was for the vast majority of kids.

Aah, but we disagree! Teaching your kid values has everything to do with how they will deal with an unforeseen situation! After seeing a sampling of math teaching in FCPS high schools, I find that Khan Academy is actually very high quality. So take that idea to its logical conclusion... a high schooler has NO excuse to not attempt to learn, even if they happen to have gotten the worst DL instruction. They can go to KA, in 2022 they can google for numerous other sites that do a fairly decent job explaining the basics. On top of that, YouTube math channels are yet another world. Or goodness forbid... they can go crack open a math book at their local library to try to learn the subject! But of course not, your kids in this generation are so special that they cannot do any of these things and MUST be spoon fed, that is the parent demand!

Seriously, in my time the teachers were also not very effective, they were ok at best. Guess what? When I didn't understand, I went home and read a textbook and attempted to figure it out. Or was very lucky if I found something on the internet (mid to late 90s). And forget about hiring a tutor, I'd be lucky if I got to eat fast food once every few weeks.

Fcps does not have math textbooks.

My kid was given a math textbook that first day of Alg 2. I don't think he's used it though.

Because we are told not to use them. The only courses with textbooks are AP classes because those are mandated by the college board. I have a stack of textbooks to send home with kids when parents ask for them, but I do not/cannot use them for the masses. They are purely a reference tool, not a teaching too.

How unfortunate.

Math classes should be required to use and follow textbooks.

I’ve bought my FCPS kids honors textbooks found online and highly recommended but the FCPS algebra thru algebra 2 curriculum was far deeper than these books, rendering them useless.

Going deeper into the math itself (like AoPS) or doing more cross-curricular applications involving technology and statistics/regressions?

Deeper. multiple times I would suggest one of my kids try it and they would state that the book’s examples and problems were way too easy compared to what they had to do. I checked myself and they were right. It was not helpful. I donated the books. (My friend teaches math at an FCPS and suggested this series but it wasn’t good at all).

Not all textbooks are created equal. Most K12 textbooks are boring and insipid. If you want a deep, high quality textbook, you have to do your research upfront. For example, you can rest assured that the AoPS Intermediate Algebra textbook has many, many problems which are more difficult and interesting than what is taught FCPS algebra 2 curriculum. They are also very well explained, showing multiple ways to think about the problem. It's a completely different ballgame from your average watered down textbook. You're still learning the same concepts and ideas, but far more effectively.

Do you have a link to the textbook you are praising?

You could just google 'aops intermediate algebra', but here ya go:

https://artofproblemsolving.com/store/book/intermediate-algebra

DP. AoPS is excellent but challenging. If your student has never done AoPS before, I'd also purchase the Introduction to Algebra textbook. They have great online courses too, but here again, you may want to enroll them in Intro to Algebra B first. AoPS posts their syllabi and pre-tests, post-tests for each course so you can get a better idea where your student is. AoPS is fantastic but a student could get discouraged if they are dropped into the desired course without the rigorous preparation AoPS assumes kids have when entering the course. That said, online AoPS is excellent. If your student does that, it won't really matter what is covered at school.
https://artofproblemsolving.com/store
https://artofproblemsolving.com/school/schedule

A lesser time investment would be to go on Amazon and look for old used Algebra 2 textbooks (pre-2000) that do a good job of laying out content and providing rigorous problem step-up.

I love AOPS, but if a student is struggling in Algebra 2 those books may not be the best choice. As PP mentioned, AOPS are best when used as a series in order.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Third algebra 2 teacher, confirming everything stated above.

I usually spend 2.5 days reviewing factoring (algebra 1 spends weeks on it), give a short quiz, and then move on to the actual factoring applications that are in our curriculum. This year I’ve spent 5 days on it so far this year and kids are still struggling. So many of them didn’t get anything out of virtual (thanks, photomath) and those choices are coming back to haunt them this year.

I added extra days here because this skill is so critical to the rest of the year, but I can’t do it for every unit. Kids are going to have to get help outside class, whether from me, khan academy, or an outside tutor.

The vitrual math classesare really going to hit the class of 2026 hard on their SATs and PSAT.

Algebra is the most crucial subject for those tests.

I pulled my kid from fcps and put her in Catholoc for 8th. They had been going in person since August 2020 and had not switched to computer math. Everything was pencil to paper.in Algebra I. Best decision ever.

My kid was so behind for the entire first semester, in spite of testing in the mid 90s on the Iowa the Catholic school used for placement. It seems that she learned almost nothing from virtual pre Algebra in 2020/21 at her fcps middle school. The Catholic school kids were miles ahead of her. It took all year to catch up, but she only had a middle grade in Algebra.

She retook Algebra I online over the summer to raise the grade. Based on what she learned in Catholic school, she did very well in the condensed summer class and felt much more confident in her math knowledge and skills.

My suggestion would be to drop them down to non honors if theh are struggling, and maybe consider some sort of in person (not online) Algebra supplemental class like at Kumon, that starts from the very basic.

Fundamental algebra skills and knowledge are way too important to miss.

Distance learning sucked. We are going to reap the consequences for years down the road for most of the kids, but especially those who learned to read and write 2020-2022, those who were middle schoolers learning algebra, and the teens who are dealing with the emotional scars of those 2 wasted years.

Honestly, my blood is boiling reading all the messages from teachers saying that kids just have to work harder because they didn't learn the material. The kids did not learn the material because virtual teaching -- which teachers overwhelmingly wanted for the 20-21 school year -- was terrible for many kids.

Distance learning wasn't ideal for learning but not that bad if kids were actually motivated to learn. Worst case they could go to Khan Academy and teach themselves if they had a bad teacher, since KA is quite good. The real problem as others above have stated, is that many kids blatantly used DL to cheat their way through classes whenever they could. Now it's biting them back hard, esp. in math class. Rest assured, there are students who learned a lot during DL (sadly not a big %), because DL helped them cut through through all the other physical in person school BS, so they could learn a lot more at home on their own during 7 hours of DL. Those were likely the kids whose parents were either engaged or taught them values.

What a sanctimonious post.

Teaching your kids values has zero to do with how ineffective distance learning was for the vast majority of kids.

Aah, but we disagree! Teaching your kid values has everything to do with how they will deal with an unforeseen situation! After seeing a sampling of math teaching in FCPS high schools, I find that Khan Academy is actually very high quality. So take that idea to its logical conclusion... a high schooler has NO excuse to not attempt to learn, even if they happen to have gotten the worst DL instruction. They can go to KA, in 2022 they can google for numerous other sites that do a fairly decent job explaining the basics. On top of that, YouTube math channels are yet another world. Or goodness forbid... they can go crack open a math book at their local library to try to learn the subject! But of course not, your kids in this generation are so special that they cannot do any of these things and MUST be spoon fed, that is the parent demand!

Seriously, in my time the teachers were also not very effective, they were ok at best. Guess what? When I didn't understand, I went home and read a textbook and attempted to figure it out. Or was very lucky if I found something on the internet (mid to late 90s). And forget about hiring a tutor, I'd be lucky if I got to eat fast food once every few weeks.

Fcps does not have math textbooks.

My kid was given a math textbook that first day of Alg 2. I don't think he's used it though.

Because we are told not to use them. The only courses with textbooks are AP classes because those are mandated by the college board. I have a stack of textbooks to send home with kids when parents ask for them, but I do not/cannot use them for the masses. They are purely a reference tool, not a teaching too.

How unfortunate.

Math classes should be required to use and follow textbooks.

I’ve bought my FCPS kids honors textbooks found online and highly recommended but the FCPS algebra thru algebra 2 curriculum was far deeper than these books, rendering them useless.

Going deeper into the math itself (like AoPS) or doing more cross-curricular applications involving technology and statistics/regressions?

Deeper. multiple times I would suggest one of my kids try it and they would state that the book’s examples and problems were way too easy compared to what they had to do. I checked myself and they were right. It was not helpful. I donated the books. (My friend teaches math at an FCPS and suggested this series but it wasn’t good at all).

Not all textbooks are created equal. Most K12 textbooks are boring and insipid. If you want a deep, high quality textbook, you have to do your research upfront. For example, you can rest assured that the AoPS Intermediate Algebra textbook has many, many problems which are more difficult and interesting than what is taught FCPS algebra 2 curriculum. They are also very well explained, showing multiple ways to think about the problem. It's a completely different ballgame from your average watered down textbook. You're still learning the same concepts and ideas, but far more effectively.

Do you have a link to the textbook you are praising?

You could just google 'aops intermediate algebra', but here ya go:

https://artofproblemsolving.com/store/book/intermediate-algebra

DP. AoPS is excellent but challenging. If your student has never done AoPS before, I'd also purchase the Introduction to Algebra textbook. They have great online courses too, but here again, you may want to enroll them in Intro to Algebra B first. AoPS posts their syllabi and pre-tests, post-tests for each course so you can get a better idea where your student is. AoPS is fantastic but a student could get discouraged if they are dropped into the desired course without the rigorous preparation AoPS assumes kids have when entering the course. That said, online AoPS is excellent. If your student does that, it won't really matter what is covered at school.
https://artofproblemsolving.com/store
https://artofproblemsolving.com/school/schedule

A lesser time investment would be to go on Amazon and look for old used Algebra 2 textbooks (pre-2000) that do a good job of laying out content and providing rigorous problem step-up.

I love AOPS, but if a student is struggling in Algebra 2 those books may not be the best choice. As PP mentioned, AOPS are best when used as a series in order.

The OP sounded like their kid had the opposite issue with books they looked at being too easy. In any case, if the AoPS Intermediate Algebra feels advanced, their other algebra book, Introdution to Algebra book definitely develops algebra from the ground up, so there is a lot to learn there too, especially in the later chapters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Third algebra 2 teacher, confirming everything stated above.

I usually spend 2.5 days reviewing factoring (algebra 1 spends weeks on it), give a short quiz, and then move on to the actual factoring applications that are in our curriculum. This year I’ve spent 5 days on it so far this year and kids are still struggling. So many of them didn’t get anything out of virtual (thanks, photomath) and those choices are coming back to haunt them this year.

I added extra days here because this skill is so critical to the rest of the year, but I can’t do it for every unit. Kids are going to have to get help outside class, whether from me, khan academy, or an outside tutor.

The vitrual math classesare really going to hit the class of 2026 hard on their SATs and PSAT.

Algebra is the most crucial subject for those tests.

I pulled my kid from fcps and put her in Catholoc for 8th. They had been going in person since August 2020 and had not switched to computer math. Everything was pencil to paper.in Algebra I. Best decision ever.

My kid was so behind for the entire first semester, in spite of testing in the mid 90s on the Iowa the Catholic school used for placement. It seems that she learned almost nothing from virtual pre Algebra in 2020/21 at her fcps middle school. The Catholic school kids were miles ahead of her. It took all year to catch up, but she only had a middle grade in Algebra.

She retook Algebra I online over the summer to raise the grade. Based on what she learned in Catholic school, she did very well in the condensed summer class and felt much more confident in her math knowledge and skills.

My suggestion would be to drop them down to non honors if theh are struggling, and maybe consider some sort of in person (not online) Algebra supplemental class like at Kumon, that starts from the very basic.

Fundamental algebra skills and knowledge are way too important to miss.

Distance learning sucked. We are going to reap the consequences for years down the road for most of the kids, but especially those who learned to read and write 2020-2022, those who were middle schoolers learning algebra, and the teens who are dealing with the emotional scars of those 2 wasted years.

Honestly, my blood is boiling reading all the messages from teachers saying that kids just have to work harder because they didn't learn the material. The kids did not learn the material because virtual teaching -- which teachers overwhelmingly wanted for the 20-21 school year -- was terrible for many kids.

Distance learning wasn't ideal for learning but not that bad if kids were actually motivated to learn. Worst case they could go to Khan Academy and teach themselves if they had a bad teacher, since KA is quite good. The real problem as others above have stated, is that many kids blatantly used DL to cheat their way through classes whenever they could. Now it's biting them back hard, esp. in math class. Rest assured, there are students who learned a lot during DL (sadly not a big %), because DL helped them cut through through all the other physical in person school BS, so they could learn a lot more at home on their own during 7 hours of DL. Those were likely the kids whose parents were either engaged or taught them values.

What a sanctimonious post.

Teaching your kids values has zero to do with how ineffective distance learning was for the vast majority of kids.

Aah, but we disagree! Teaching your kid values has everything to do with how they will deal with an unforeseen situation! After seeing a sampling of math teaching in FCPS high schools, I find that Khan Academy is actually very high quality. So take that idea to its logical conclusion... a high schooler has NO excuse to not attempt to learn, even if they happen to have gotten the worst DL instruction. They can go to KA, in 2022 they can google for numerous other sites that do a fairly decent job explaining the basics. On top of that, YouTube math channels are yet another world. Or goodness forbid... they can go crack open a math book at their local library to try to learn the subject! But of course not, your kids in this generation are so special that they cannot do any of these things and MUST be spoon fed, that is the parent demand!

Seriously, in my time the teachers were also not very effective, they were ok at best. Guess what? When I didn't understand, I went home and read a textbook and attempted to figure it out. Or was very lucky if I found something on the internet (mid to late 90s). And forget about hiring a tutor, I'd be lucky if I got to eat fast food once every few weeks.

Fcps does not have math textbooks.

My kid was given a math textbook that first day of Alg 2. I don't think he's used it though.

Because we are told not to use them. The only courses with textbooks are AP classes because those are mandated by the college board. I have a stack of textbooks to send home with kids when parents ask for them, but I do not/cannot use them for the masses. They are purely a reference tool, not a teaching too.

How unfortunate.

Math classes should be required to use and follow textbooks.

I’ve bought my FCPS kids honors textbooks found online and highly recommended but the FCPS algebra thru algebra 2 curriculum was far deeper than these books, rendering them useless.

Going deeper into the math itself (like AoPS) or doing more cross-curricular applications involving technology and statistics/regressions?

Deeper. multiple times I would suggest one of my kids try it and they would state that the book’s examples and problems were way too easy compared to what they had to do. I checked myself and they were right. It was not helpful. I donated the books. (My friend teaches math at an FCPS and suggested this series but it wasn’t good at all).

Not all textbooks are created equal. Most K12 textbooks are boring and insipid. If you want a deep, high quality textbook, you have to do your research upfront. For example, you can rest assured that the AoPS Intermediate Algebra textbook has many, many problems which are more difficult and interesting than what is taught FCPS algebra 2 curriculum. They are also very well explained, showing multiple ways to think about the problem. It's a completely different ballgame from your average watered down textbook. You're still learning the same concepts and ideas, but far more effectively.

Do you have a link to the textbook you are praising?

You could just google 'aops intermediate algebra', but here ya go:

https://artofproblemsolving.com/store/book/intermediate-algebra

DP. AoPS is excellent but challenging. If your student has never done AoPS before, I'd also purchase the Introduction to Algebra textbook. They have great online courses too, but here again, you may want to enroll them in Intro to Algebra B first. AoPS posts their syllabi and pre-tests, post-tests for each course so you can get a better idea where your student is. AoPS is fantastic but a student could get discouraged if they are dropped into the desired course without the rigorous preparation AoPS assumes kids have when entering the course. That said, online AoPS is excellent. If your student does that, it won't really matter what is covered at school.
https://artofproblemsolving.com/store
https://artofproblemsolving.com/school/schedule

A lesser time investment would be to go on Amazon and look for old used Algebra 2 textbooks (pre-2000) that do a good job of laying out content and providing rigorous problem step-up.

I love AOPS, but if a student is struggling in Algebra 2 those books may not be the best choice. As PP mentioned, AOPS are best when used as a series in order.

The OP sounded like their kid had the opposite issue with books they looked at being too easy. In any case, if the AoPS Intermediate Algebra feels advanced, their other algebra book, Introdution to Algebra book definitely develops algebra from the ground up, so there is a lot to learn there too, especially in the later chapters.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Third algebra 2 teacher, confirming everything stated above.

I usually spend 2.5 days reviewing factoring (algebra 1 spends weeks on it), give a short quiz, and then move on to the actual factoring applications that are in our curriculum. This year I’ve spent 5 days on it so far this year and kids are still struggling. So many of them didn’t get anything out of virtual (thanks, photomath) and those choices are coming back to haunt them this year.

I added extra days here because this skill is so critical to the rest of the year, but I can’t do it for every unit. Kids are going to have to get help outside class, whether from me, khan academy, or an outside tutor.

The vitrual math classesare really going to hit the class of 2026 hard on their SATs and PSAT.

Algebra is the most crucial subject for those tests.

I pulled my kid from fcps and put her in Catholoc for 8th. They had been going in person since August 2020 and had not switched to computer math. Everything was pencil to paper.in Algebra I. Best decision ever.

My kid was so behind for the entire first semester, in spite of testing in the mid 90s on the Iowa the Catholic school used for placement. It seems that she learned almost nothing from virtual pre Algebra in 2020/21 at her fcps middle school. The Catholic school kids were miles ahead of her. It took all year to catch up, but she only had a middle grade in Algebra.

She retook Algebra I online over the summer to raise the grade. Based on what she learned in Catholic school, she did very well in the condensed summer class and felt much more confident in her math knowledge and skills.

My suggestion would be to drop them down to non honors if theh are struggling, and maybe consider some sort of in person (not online) Algebra supplemental class like at Kumon, that starts from the very basic.

Fundamental algebra skills and knowledge are way too important to miss.

Distance learning sucked. We are going to reap the consequences for years down the road for most of the kids, but especially those who learned to read and write 2020-2022, those who were middle schoolers learning algebra, and the teens who are dealing with the emotional scars of those 2 wasted years.

Honestly, my blood is boiling reading all the messages from teachers saying that kids just have to work harder because they didn't learn the material. The kids did not learn the material because virtual teaching -- which teachers overwhelmingly wanted for the 20-21 school year -- was terrible for many kids.

Distance learning wasn't ideal for learning but not that bad if kids were actually motivated to learn. Worst case they could go to Khan Academy and teach themselves if they had a bad teacher, since KA is quite good. The real problem as others above have stated, is that many kids blatantly used DL to cheat their way through classes whenever they could. Now it's biting them back hard, esp. in math class. Rest assured, there are students who learned a lot during DL (sadly not a big %), because DL helped them cut through through all the other physical in person school BS, so they could learn a lot more at home on their own during 7 hours of DL. Those were likely the kids whose parents were either engaged or taught them values.

What a sanctimonious post.

Teaching your kids values has zero to do with how ineffective distance learning was for the vast majority of kids.

Aah, but we disagree! Teaching your kid values has everything to do with how they will deal with an unforeseen situation! After seeing a sampling of math teaching in FCPS high schools, I find that Khan Academy is actually very high quality. So take that idea to its logical conclusion... a high schooler has NO excuse to not attempt to learn, even if they happen to have gotten the worst DL instruction. They can go to KA, in 2022 they can google for numerous other sites that do a fairly decent job explaining the basics. On top of that, YouTube math channels are yet another world. Or goodness forbid... they can go crack open a math book at their local library to try to learn the subject! But of course not, your kids in this generation are so special that they cannot do any of these things and MUST be spoon fed, that is the parent demand!

Seriously, in my time the teachers were also not very effective, they were ok at best. Guess what? When I didn't understand, I went home and read a textbook and attempted to figure it out. Or was very lucky if I found something on the internet (mid to late 90s). And forget about hiring a tutor, I'd be lucky if I got to eat fast food once every few weeks.

Fcps does not have math textbooks.

My kid was given a math textbook that first day of Alg 2. I don't think he's used it though.

Because we are told not to use them. The only courses with textbooks are AP classes because those are mandated by the college board. I have a stack of textbooks to send home with kids when parents ask for them, but I do not/cannot use them for the masses. They are purely a reference tool, not a teaching too.

How unfortunate.

Math classes should be required to use and follow textbooks.

I’ve bought my FCPS kids honors textbooks found online and highly recommended but the FCPS algebra thru algebra 2 curriculum was far deeper than these books, rendering them useless.

Going deeper into the math itself (like AoPS) or doing more cross-curricular applications involving technology and statistics/regressions?

Deeper. multiple times I would suggest one of my kids try it and they would state that the book’s examples and problems were way too easy compared to what they had to do. I checked myself and they were right. It was not helpful. I donated the books. (My friend teaches math at an FCPS and suggested this series but it wasn’t good at all).

Not all textbooks are created equal. Most K12 textbooks are boring and insipid. If you want a deep, high quality textbook, you have to do your research upfront. For example, you can rest assured that the AoPS Intermediate Algebra textbook has many, many problems which are more difficult and interesting than what is taught FCPS algebra 2 curriculum. They are also very well explained, showing multiple ways to think about the problem. It's a completely different ballgame from your average watered down textbook. You're still learning the same concepts and ideas, but far more effectively.

Today's textbooks are a distracting mash-up of graphics, encouraging messages, and real-world applications. Older textbooks are better at laying out concepts and having tiered problems that steadily step up the level of rigor. AoPS is great for that too.

Some of the older textbooks are a visual mess of things crammed together. I bought one online second hand and it was painful to look at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Third algebra 2 teacher, confirming everything stated above.

I usually spend 2.5 days reviewing factoring (algebra 1 spends weeks on it), give a short quiz, and then move on to the actual factoring applications that are in our curriculum. This year I’ve spent 5 days on it so far this year and kids are still struggling. So many of them didn’t get anything out of virtual (thanks, photomath) and those choices are coming back to haunt them this year.

I added extra days here because this skill is so critical to the rest of the year, but I can’t do it for every unit. Kids are going to have to get help outside class, whether from me, khan academy, or an outside tutor.

The vitrual math classesare really going to hit the class of 2026 hard on their SATs and PSAT.

Algebra is the most crucial subject for those tests.

I pulled my kid from fcps and put her in Catholoc for 8th. They had been going in person since August 2020 and had not switched to computer math. Everything was pencil to paper.in Algebra I. Best decision ever.

My kid was so behind for the entire first semester, in spite of testing in the mid 90s on the Iowa the Catholic school used for placement. It seems that she learned almost nothing from virtual pre Algebra in 2020/21 at her fcps middle school. The Catholic school kids were miles ahead of her. It took all year to catch up, but she only had a middle grade in Algebra.

She retook Algebra I online over the summer to raise the grade. Based on what she learned in Catholic school, she did very well in the condensed summer class and felt much more confident in her math knowledge and skills.

My suggestion would be to drop them down to non honors if theh are struggling, and maybe consider some sort of in person (not online) Algebra supplemental class like at Kumon, that starts from the very basic.

Fundamental algebra skills and knowledge are way too important to miss.

Distance learning sucked. We are going to reap the consequences for years down the road for most of the kids, but especially those who learned to read and write 2020-2022, those who were middle schoolers learning algebra, and the teens who are dealing with the emotional scars of those 2 wasted years.

Honestly, my blood is boiling reading all the messages from teachers saying that kids just have to work harder because they didn't learn the material. The kids did not learn the material because virtual teaching -- which teachers overwhelmingly wanted for the 20-21 school year -- was terrible for many kids.

Distance learning wasn't ideal for learning but not that bad if kids were actually motivated to learn. Worst case they could go to Khan Academy and teach themselves if they had a bad teacher, since KA is quite good. The real problem as others above have stated, is that many kids blatantly used DL to cheat their way through classes whenever they could. Now it's biting them back hard, esp. in math class. Rest assured, there are students who learned a lot during DL (sadly not a big %), because DL helped them cut through through all the other physical in person school BS, so they could learn a lot more at home on their own during 7 hours of DL. Those were likely the kids whose parents were either engaged or taught them values.

What a sanctimonious post.

Teaching your kids values has zero to do with how ineffective distance learning was for the vast majority of kids.

Aah, but we disagree! Teaching your kid values has everything to do with how they will deal with an unforeseen situation! After seeing a sampling of math teaching in FCPS high schools, I find that Khan Academy is actually very high quality. So take that idea to its logical conclusion... a high schooler has NO excuse to not attempt to learn, even if they happen to have gotten the worst DL instruction. They can go to KA, in 2022 they can google for numerous other sites that do a fairly decent job explaining the basics. On top of that, YouTube math channels are yet another world. Or goodness forbid... they can go crack open a math book at their local library to try to learn the subject! But of course not, your kids in this generation are so special that they cannot do any of these things and MUST be spoon fed, that is the parent demand!

Seriously, in my time the teachers were also not very effective, they were ok at best. Guess what? When I didn't understand, I went home and read a textbook and attempted to figure it out. Or was very lucky if I found something on the internet (mid to late 90s). And forget about hiring a tutor, I'd be lucky if I got to eat fast food once every few weeks.

Fcps does not have math textbooks.

My kid was given a math textbook that first day of Alg 2. I don't think he's used it though.

Because we are told not to use them. The only courses with textbooks are AP classes because those are mandated by the college board. I have a stack of textbooks to send home with kids when parents ask for them, but I do not/cannot use them for the masses. They are purely a reference tool, not a teaching too.

How unfortunate.

Math classes should be required to use and follow textbooks.

I’ve bought my FCPS kids honors textbooks found online and highly recommended but the FCPS algebra thru algebra 2 curriculum was far deeper than these books, rendering them useless.

Going deeper into the math itself (like AoPS) or doing more cross-curricular applications involving technology and statistics/regressions?

Deeper. multiple times I would suggest one of my kids try it and they would state that the book’s examples and problems were way too easy compared to what they had to do. I checked myself and they were right. It was not helpful. I donated the books. (My friend teaches math at an FCPS and suggested this series but it wasn’t good at all).

Not all textbooks are created equal. Most K12 textbooks are boring and insipid. If you want a deep, high quality textbook, you have to do your research upfront. For example, you can rest assured that the AoPS Intermediate Algebra textbook has many, many problems which are more difficult and interesting than what is taught FCPS algebra 2 curriculum. They are also very well explained, showing multiple ways to think about the problem. It's a completely different ballgame from your average watered down textbook. You're still learning the same concepts and ideas, but far more effectively.

Today's textbooks are a distracting mash-up of graphics, encouraging messages, and real-world applications. Older textbooks are better at laying out concepts and having tiered problems that steadily step up the level of rigor. AoPS is great for that too.

Some of the older textbooks are a visual mess of things crammed together. I bought one online second hand and it was painful to look at.

I'm surprised to hear that. By old, was it from the 1960s-1990s? There are usually no graphics, just text. They are usually text and equation heavy but usually excel in presenting things in an organized fashion. Sounds like that wasn't the case with yours, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Third algebra 2 teacher, confirming everything stated above.

I usually spend 2.5 days reviewing factoring (algebra 1 spends weeks on it), give a short quiz, and then move on to the actual factoring applications that are in our curriculum. This year I’ve spent 5 days on it so far this year and kids are still struggling. So many of them didn’t get anything out of virtual (thanks, photomath) and those choices are coming back to haunt them this year.

I added extra days here because this skill is so critical to the rest of the year, but I can’t do it for every unit. Kids are going to have to get help outside class, whether from me, khan academy, or an outside tutor.

The vitrual math classesare really going to hit the class of 2026 hard on their SATs and PSAT.

Algebra is the most crucial subject for those tests.

I pulled my kid from fcps and put her in Catholoc for 8th. They had been going in person since August 2020 and had not switched to computer math. Everything was pencil to paper.in Algebra I. Best decision ever.

My kid was so behind for the entire first semester, in spite of testing in the mid 90s on the Iowa the Catholic school used for placement. It seems that she learned almost nothing from virtual pre Algebra in 2020/21 at her fcps middle school. The Catholic school kids were miles ahead of her. It took all year to catch up, but she only had a middle grade in Algebra.

She retook Algebra I online over the summer to raise the grade. Based on what she learned in Catholic school, she did very well in the condensed summer class and felt much more confident in her math knowledge and skills.

My suggestion would be to drop them down to non honors if theh are struggling, and maybe consider some sort of in person (not online) Algebra supplemental class like at Kumon, that starts from the very basic.

Fundamental algebra skills and knowledge are way too important to miss.

Distance learning sucked. We are going to reap the consequences for years down the road for most of the kids, but especially those who learned to read and write 2020-2022, those who were middle schoolers learning algebra, and the teens who are dealing with the emotional scars of those 2 wasted years.

Honestly, my blood is boiling reading all the messages from teachers saying that kids just have to work harder because they didn't learn the material. The kids did not learn the material because virtual teaching -- which teachers overwhelmingly wanted for the 20-21 school year -- was terrible for many kids.

Terrible because so many CHEATED. Sorry you cheated, kids!

Nice try. But, we had a supplemental tutor through COVID/Distance Learning. 30 years with FCPS teacher (retired) and very familiar with the curriculum pre and during COVID. All of the material usually taught in Alg. 1 was NOT TAUGHT by the teachers. My kid learned it b/c we PAID someone to teach DC. Not everyone had that.

So, no, it was not just cheating. You're not getting off that easy.

Same experience here, not in FFX. We paid for tutor and a lot of the material that was on the SOL was never covered in class.

[Anonymous]

How much factoring are they going to have to do in their adult life?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much factoring are they going to have to do in their adult life?

They'll be doing a lot of code refactoring if they are a programmer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you for all of the input, especially from the teachers early on. He actually is getting help from someone in the family who literally used to teach this class until 2 years ago and even he said some of the questions on the last test my kid got were pretty intense and hard for him to interpret what exactly the question was asking for. I think another problem with these tests is that they have bizarre numbers of problems (17 or 14), so it doesn't take much to tank the grade. I am definitely looking into getting a tutor and he's been going to after school help sessions. I think its odd how many people are very dismissive of the the students. "Oh well, too bad, you better catch up!" Certainly there were some kids who just cheated in middle school and don't care, but there are also many kids who are suffering from the instruction during online learning, and who really WANT to do well. They're kids, that were just working with what they were given, through no fault of their own. This also happened with language. Last year, my kid went into second year language and discovered that his 8th grade teacher had taught him practically nothing, so yes, he had to learn enough to catch up. He worked very hard and was able to do it, but that certainly shouldn't have been ON HIM to make up for was never taught to him.

This is exactly right. I posted earlier in the school year ANS over the summer that the MS math pacing at least was off, that is behind. And FCPS says, “oh well, hire a tutor, not our fault.” WTF? Fortunately my DCs have two parents with engineering degrees and I used to tutor at Key Elementary in Arlington. So many parent don’t even know that gap exists. And plenty can’t afford a tutor. It is a bad situation but the onus was on FCPS to come up with a bridge, and like spelling, parents don’t know that something wasn’t taught. Teachers take their marching orders from
FCPS, so I don’t entirely blame them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Third algebra 2 teacher, confirming everything stated above.

I usually spend 2.5 days reviewing factoring (algebra 1 spends weeks on it), give a short quiz, and then move on to the actual factoring applications that are in our curriculum. This year I’ve spent 5 days on it so far this year and kids are still struggling. So many of them didn’t get anything out of virtual (thanks, photomath) and those choices are coming back to haunt them this year.

I added extra days here because this skill is so critical to the rest of the year, but I can’t do it for every unit. Kids are going to have to get help outside class, whether from me, khan academy, or an outside tutor.

The vitrual math classesare really going to hit the class of 2026 hard on their SATs and PSAT.

Algebra is the most crucial subject for those tests.

I pulled my kid from fcps and put her in Catholoc for 8th. They had been going in person since August 2020 and had not switched to computer math. Everything was pencil to paper.in Algebra I. Best decision ever.

My kid was so behind for the entire first semester, in spite of testing in the mid 90s on the Iowa the Catholic school used for placement. It seems that she learned almost nothing from virtual pre Algebra in 2020/21 at her fcps middle school. The Catholic school kids were miles ahead of her. It took all year to catch up, but she only had a middle grade in Algebra.

She retook Algebra I online over the summer to raise the grade. Based on what she learned in Catholic school, she did very well in the condensed summer class and felt much more confident in her math knowledge and skills.

My suggestion would be to drop them down to non honors if theh are struggling, and maybe consider some sort of in person (not online) Algebra supplemental class like at Kumon, that starts from the very basic.

Fundamental algebra skills and knowledge are way too important to miss.

Distance learning sucked. We are going to reap the consequences for years down the road for most of the kids, but especially those who learned to read and write 2020-2022, those who were middle schoolers learning algebra, and the teens who are dealing with the emotional scars of those 2 wasted years.

Honestly, my blood is boiling reading all the messages from teachers saying that kids just have to work harder because they didn't learn the material. The kids did not learn the material because virtual teaching -- which teachers overwhelmingly wanted for the 20-21 school year -- was terrible for many kids.

Terrible because so many CHEATED. Sorry you cheated, kids!

Sorry you cheated. We teachers and admin knew about it and let it go. We knew you didn’t learn the materials and passed you with flying colors.sorry parents those grades were meaningless, and we didn’t warn you so now your kids are struggling this year.

My kid is OK (not great) but so many parents of my kids’ friends were blindsided.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the poster above who’s blood is boiling, you are hearing what you want to hear. Teachers are saying students who cheated during the virtual year need to work harder to learn the material they didn’t learn when they used Photomath. The ones who didn’t cheat are doing fine with the intensive review we are providing.

If teachers believe that its only students who cheated who are suffering today, then that conveniently exempts them, doesn't it?

Let it go. Most of us are also parents. We get how bad virtual school was and wanted our own kids in school. Most of these kids took Algebra 1 back in middle school. What do you want? Us to blame teachers at another school for not teaching? Would you rather we not teach Algebra 2 but teach Algebra 1 since they didn’t have it in person and they next year they take….what?

I would like more compassion and creativity on finding a solution to help kids catch up rather than just saying "guess they must have cheated!" "I guess you just have to work harder! I have to keep the class moving!"

HS Math Teacher here (teaching Algebra 2 and Pre-cal this year). I am available after school every day as well as during lunch and "study period time." Struggling students are encouraged to come work with me to re-learn material from Algebra 1. Beyond that, parents can hire a tutor or set their kids up on Khan Academy or help their kids themselves. What more do you expect me to do? I do have to keep the class moving.

Dp imexpected FCPS to redraw the lines of what would be included in the math sequence to account for the gaps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Third algebra 2 teacher, confirming everything stated above.

I usually spend 2.5 days reviewing factoring (algebra 1 spends weeks on it), give a short quiz, and then move on to the actual factoring applications that are in our curriculum. This year I’ve spent 5 days on it so far this year and kids are still struggling. So many of them didn’t get anything out of virtual (thanks, photomath) and those choices are coming back to haunt them this year.

I added extra days here because this skill is so critical to the rest of the year, but I can’t do it for every unit. Kids are going to have to get help outside class, whether from me, khan academy, or an outside tutor.

The vitrual math classesare really going to hit the class of 2026 hard on their SATs and PSAT.

Algebra is the most crucial subject for those tests.

I pulled my kid from fcps and put her in Catholoc for 8th. They had been going in person since August 2020 and had not switched to computer math. Everything was pencil to paper.in Algebra I. Best decision ever.

My kid was so behind for the entire first semester, in spite of testing in the mid 90s on the Iowa the Catholic school used for placement. It seems that she learned almost nothing from virtual pre Algebra in 2020/21 at her fcps middle school. The Catholic school kids were miles ahead of her. It took all year to catch up, but she only had a middle grade in Algebra.

She retook Algebra I online over the summer to raise the grade. Based on what she learned in Catholic school, she did very well in the condensed summer class and felt much more confident in her math knowledge and skills.

My suggestion would be to drop them down to non honors if theh are struggling, and maybe consider some sort of in person (not online) Algebra supplemental class like at Kumon, that starts from the very basic.

Fundamental algebra skills and knowledge are way too important to miss.

Distance learning sucked. We are going to reap the consequences for years down the road for most of the kids, but especially those who learned to read and write 2020-2022, those who were middle schoolers learning algebra, and the teens who are dealing with the emotional scars of those 2 wasted years.

Honestly, my blood is boiling reading all the messages from teachers saying that kids just have to work harder because they didn't learn the material. The kids did not learn the material because virtual teaching -- which teachers overwhelmingly wanted for the 20-21 school year -- was terrible for many kids.

Terrible because so many CHEATED. Sorry you cheated, kids!

Nice try. But, we had a supplemental tutor through COVID/Distance Learning. 30 years with FCPS teacher (retired) and very familiar with the curriculum pre and during COVID. All of the material usually taught in Alg. 1 was NOT TAUGHT by the teachers. My kid learned it b/c we PAID someone to teach DC. Not everyone had that.

So, no, it was not just cheating. You're not getting off that easy.

Thank you. This is our case as well’— though I’m a former tutor not teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Third algebra 2 teacher, confirming everything stated above.

I usually spend 2.5 days reviewing factoring (algebra 1 spends weeks on it), give a short quiz, and then move on to the actual factoring applications that are in our curriculum. This year I’ve spent 5 days on it so far this year and kids are still struggling. So many of them didn’t get anything out of virtual (thanks, photomath) and those choices are coming back to haunt them this year.

I added extra days here because this skill is so critical to the rest of the year, but I can’t do it for every unit. Kids are going to have to get help outside class, whether from me, khan academy, or an outside tutor.

The vitrual math classesare really going to hit the class of 2026 hard on their SATs and PSAT.

Algebra is the most crucial subject for those tests.

I pulled my kid from fcps and put her in Catholoc for 8th. They had been going in person since August 2020 and had not switched to computer math. Everything was pencil to paper.in Algebra I. Best decision ever.

My kid was so behind for the entire first semester, in spite of testing in the mid 90s on the Iowa the Catholic school used for placement. It seems that she learned almost nothing from virtual pre Algebra in 2020/21 at her fcps middle school. The Catholic school kids were miles ahead of her. It took all year to catch up, but she only had a middle grade in Algebra.

She retook Algebra I online over the summer to raise the grade. Based on what she learned in Catholic school, she did very well in the condensed summer class and felt much more confident in her math knowledge and skills.

My suggestion would be to drop them down to non honors if theh are struggling, and maybe consider some sort of in person (not online) Algebra supplemental class like at Kumon, that starts from the very basic.

Fundamental algebra skills and knowledge are way too important to miss.

Distance learning sucked. We are going to reap the consequences for years down the road for most of the kids, but especially those who learned to read and write 2020-2022, those who were middle schoolers learning algebra, and the teens who are dealing with the emotional scars of those 2 wasted years.

Honestly, my blood is boiling reading all the messages from teachers saying that kids just have to work harder because they didn't learn the material. The kids did not learn the material because virtual teaching -- which teachers overwhelmingly wanted for the 20-21 school year -- was terrible for many kids.

Distance learning wasn't ideal for learning but not that bad if kids were actually motivated to learn. Worst case they could go to Khan Academy and teach themselves if they had a bad teacher, since KA is quite good. The real problem as others above have stated, is that many kids blatantly used DL to cheat their way through classes whenever they could. Now it's biting them back hard, esp. in math class. Rest assured, there are students who learned a lot during DL (sadly not a big %), because DL helped them cut through through all the other physical in person school BS, so they could learn a lot more at home on their own during 7 hours of DL. Those were likely the kids whose parents were either engaged or taught them values.

What a sanctimonious post.

Teaching your kids values has zero to do with how ineffective distance learning was for the vast majority of kids.

Aah, but we disagree! Teaching your kid values has everything to do with how they will deal with an unforeseen situation! After seeing a sampling of math teaching in FCPS high schools, I find that Khan Academy is actually very high quality. So take that idea to its logical conclusion... a high schooler has NO excuse to not attempt to learn, even if they happen to have gotten the worst DL instruction. They can go to KA, in 2022 they can google for numerous other sites that do a fairly decent job explaining the basics. On top of that, YouTube math channels are yet another world. Or goodness forbid... they can go crack open a math book at their local library to try to learn the subject! But of course not, your kids in this generation are so special that they cannot do any of these things and MUST be spoon fed, that is the parent demand!

Seriously, in my time the teachers were also not very effective, they were ok at best. Guess what? When I didn't understand, I went home and read a textbook and attempted to figure it out. Or was very lucky if I found something on the internet (mid to late 90s). And forget about hiring a tutor, I'd be lucky if I got to eat fast food once every few weeks.

Fcps does not have math textbooks.

My kid was given a math textbook that first day of Alg 2. I don't think he's used it though.

Because we are told not to use them. The only courses with textbooks are AP classes because those are mandated by the college board. I have a stack of textbooks to send home with kids when parents ask for them, but I do not/cannot use them for the masses. They are purely a reference tool, not a teaching too.

How unfortunate.

Math classes should be required to use and follow textbooks.

I’ve bought my FCPS kids honors textbooks found online and highly recommended but the FCPS algebra thru algebra 2 curriculum was far deeper than these books, rendering them useless.

Going deeper into the math itself (like AoPS) or doing more cross-curricular applications involving technology and statistics/regressions?

Deeper. multiple times I would suggest one of my kids try it and they would state that the book’s examples and problems were way too easy compared to what they had to do. I checked myself and they were right. It was not helpful. I donated the books. (My friend teaches math at an FCPS and suggested this series but it wasn’t good at all).

Not all textbooks are created equal. Most K12 textbooks are boring and insipid. If you want a deep, high quality textbook, you have to do your research upfront. For example, you can rest assured that the AoPS Intermediate Algebra textbook has many, many problems which are more difficult and interesting than what is taught FCPS algebra 2 curriculum. They are also very well explained, showing multiple ways to think about the problem. It's a completely different ballgame from your average watered down textbook. You're still learning the same concepts and ideas, but far more effectively.

Today's textbooks are a distracting mash-up of graphics, encouraging messages, and real-world applications. Older textbooks are better at laying out concepts and having tiered problems that steadily step up the level of rigor. AoPS is great for that too.

Good point! Modern textbooks are incredibly distracting with all the graphics and information windows. The eye doesn’t know where to settle. Too much competing copy.

As for Alg2, the teacher matters more than anything. My DD’s is HARD. Some of what she tests has not been covered in class. There is the expectation the students learn OUTSIDE of class. I think this is a new phenomenon that I don’t remember growing up

Meanwhile FCPS takes credit for kids who were taught by tutors not their teachers. Nice. If what PP says is true, why are we paying to have FCPS schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the poster above who’s blood is boiling, you are hearing what you want to hear. Teachers are saying students who cheated during the virtual year need to work harder to learn the material they didn’t learn when they used Photomath. The ones who didn’t cheat are doing fine with the intensive review we are providing.

If teachers believe that its only students who cheated who are suffering today, then that conveniently exempts them, doesn't it?

Let it go. Most of us are also parents. We get how bad virtual school was and wanted our own kids in school. Most of these kids took Algebra 1 back in middle school. What do you want? Us to blame teachers at another school for not teaching? Would you rather we not teach Algebra 2 but teach Algebra 1 since they didn’t have it in person and they next year they take….what?

I would like more compassion and creativity on finding a solution to help kids catch up rather than just saying "guess they must have cheated!" "I guess you just have to work harder! I have to keep the class moving!"

HS Math Teacher here (teaching Algebra 2 and Pre-cal this year). I am available after school every day as well as during lunch and "study period time." Struggling students are encouraged to come work with me to re-learn material from Algebra 1. Beyond that, parents can hire a tutor or set their kids up on Khan Academy or help their kids themselves. What more do you expect me to do? I do have to keep the class moving.

Dp imexpected FCPS to redraw the lines of what would be included in the math sequence to account for the gaps.

FCPS doesn’t have that ability, it’s a state requirement to teach X in course Y.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Third algebra 2 teacher, confirming everything stated above.

I usually spend 2.5 days reviewing factoring (algebra 1 spends weeks on it), give a short quiz, and then move on to the actual factoring applications that are in our curriculum. This year I’ve spent 5 days on it so far this year and kids are still struggling. So many of them didn’t get anything out of virtual (thanks, photomath) and those choices are coming back to haunt them this year.

I added extra days here because this skill is so critical to the rest of the year, but I can’t do it for every unit. Kids are going to have to get help outside class, whether from me, khan academy, or an outside tutor.

The vitrual math classesare really going to hit the class of 2026 hard on their SATs and PSAT.

Algebra is the most crucial subject for those tests.

I pulled my kid from fcps and put her in Catholoc for 8th. They had been going in person since August 2020 and had not switched to computer math. Everything was pencil to paper.in Algebra I. Best decision ever.

My kid was so behind for the entire first semester, in spite of testing in the mid 90s on the Iowa the Catholic school used for placement. It seems that she learned almost nothing from virtual pre Algebra in 2020/21 at her fcps middle school. The Catholic school kids were miles ahead of her. It took all year to catch up, but she only had a middle grade in Algebra.

She retook Algebra I online over the summer to raise the grade. Based on what she learned in Catholic school, she did very well in the condensed summer class and felt much more confident in her math knowledge and skills.

My suggestion would be to drop them down to non honors if theh are struggling, and maybe consider some sort of in person (not online) Algebra supplemental class like at Kumon, that starts from the very basic.

Fundamental algebra skills and knowledge are way too important to miss.

Distance learning sucked. We are going to reap the consequences for years down the road for most of the kids, but especially those who learned to read and write 2020-2022, those who were middle schoolers learning algebra, and the teens who are dealing with the emotional scars of those 2 wasted years.

Honestly, my blood is boiling reading all the messages from teachers saying that kids just have to work harder because they didn't learn the material. The kids did not learn the material because virtual teaching -- which teachers overwhelmingly wanted for the 20-21 school year -- was terrible for many kids.

Terrible because so many CHEATED. Sorry you cheated, kids!

Sorry you cheated. We teachers and admin knew about it and let it go. We knew you didn’t learn the materials and passed you with flying colors.sorry parents those grades were meaningless, and we didn’t warn you so now your kids are struggling this year.

My kid is OK (not great) but so many parents of my kids’ friends were blindsided.

My kid in AAP did very well and didn’t cheat during his virtual year which was 5th grade. That said, it was obvious there were gaps in math and the pace was slower. I tried to fill in with workbooks over the summer but it wasn’t enough. I knew then this would affect him so that he wouldn’t be able to take Algebra in 7th. Too many gaps. He still isn’t great with long division and long division with decimals. The next year (2021-2022 school year) math was hard and I had to help him a lot with homework, but he got it. This year in 7th he’s been totally fine on his own. But he is not in Algebra - he will be next year for 8th.