Algebra 1 honors in 7th grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find that students in the AAP program that don't pass all of the requirements ARE or AREN'T ready, and the general education students that do pass all of the tests AREN'T ready. If the General Students can't pass a CogAt test, how will they survive Algebra 1 HN?

No one "passes" a CogAt. Many children are fantatic in math but not in English or language arts. Many of them are ready for Honors Algebra in 7 th grade. I have one of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Except for truly exceptional students, I think that 7th grade algebra is a big mistake.

I took Algebra 1 in 6th grade and got a 97. Geometry is the real killer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS made the Iowa cut off but just barely missed the SOL cut off. It really had to have been 1 question on the SOL. At his MS, if you're that close and the parent requests to take Alg I, he will be put in. The school seemed to have their own cut off (which was even lower than my DS' score), where if you were within that range and you request to be put in, they will place you there without any question. It wasn't an appeal, you really just had to email the counselor and request it. BUT, DS did not do well in Alg I Hon in 7th grade, and we ended up pulling him out and moving him to Math 7 Hon after the 1st quarter. My take away from this is that if the kid is borderline on the test, he probably doesn't belong in Alg I (unless you think it was a fluke that he didn't do well on the test, like he was sick that day or something).

My kid had a 98 on the Iowa and missed the SOL cut off by what I think was one question (3 points).

We didn't request he get put into Algebra. The school placed him there. He did fine, B+ to As, evenly split and a B+ for the year.

If he had turned in all his homework he would have received all As.

I would suggest doing what the teacher recommends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this wasn't a timed test, my gut tells me that any kid in 6th grade advanced math would do well.

I just wonder why the test is timed such that each section, with 15 questions, is given only 10 minutes.

Being able to do the basic pre-algebra math quickly, efficiently, and correctly absolutely is a good predictor of your ability to succeed in Algebra I. It's SO important when you get to more advanced math to be able to do the basics - fractions, computation, solve for x, etc - without really thinking about it.
If a child can quickly and correctly solve the problems, they're ready to move on. If they can't, they need more practice until they are truly ready to succeed with the next level.
There is nothing more frustrating than an Algebra II student struggling with the computation part of an equation because they aren't 100% confident with fractions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Except for truly exceptional students, I think that 7th grade algebra is a big mistake.

I took Algebra 1 in 6th grade and got a 97. Geometry is the real killer.

Not necessarily so. DS worked pretty hard for his A- in Algebra I honors in 7th (but he had a tough adjustment to MS that hurt his 1st quarter grade). He seems to be putting forth very minimal effort in Geometry honors in 8th, and has a very high A (like 98-99%) as of now. Honestly, I wish the class were a bit harder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any stats on the % of AAP kids that don't qualify for algebra 1 honors and % of GE kids taking advanced math that do qualify?

Your child is clearly special and unique. They were wrong not to admit your child to AAP, and your child will show them all when you force their way into Algebra I as a 7th grader and they make a 94. Your in depth research will show that 62% of the class has a lower grade. You will add this too the scorecard you keep showing the various ways in which your GE child has outperformed AAP peers. The rest of us have moved on and could care less-- but you have the tenacity/ bitterness to hold on to your grudge against FCPS forever.

Honestly-- who cares about the AAP/GE composition of honors Algebra in 7th?

[Anonymous]

^ ignore

[Anonymous]

We attended the Lake Braddock rising 7th-grader orientation last week and were told that the SOL criteria was a perfect score, not just pass advanced. Does anyone know of LB students who took Honors Algebra without a perfect SOL score?

[Anonymous]

What you are told and what scores the kids have may be different. But the more important point is they discourage it, and I think they should

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We attended the Lake Braddock rising 7th-grader orientation last week and were told that the SOL criteria was a perfect score, not just pass advanced. Does anyone know of LB students who took Honors Algebra without a perfect SOL score?

Yes. Plenty.

The biggest struggle that I heard of was the volume of homework for them. That overwhelmed many of them more than the actual difficulty of the Algebra.

All of the kids we know who took it there did end up in Geometry. I don't inow of any of them who had to erase the grade and retake the class, although I am sure there were some.

I would consider how organized, attentive to detail and efficient your kid is and go fro there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We attended the Lake Braddock rising 7th-grader orientation last week and were told that the SOL criteria was a perfect score, not just pass advanced. Does anyone know of LB students who took Honors Algebra without a perfect SOL score?

Yes. Plenty.

The biggest struggle that I heard of was the volume of homework for them. That overwhelmed many of them more than the actual difficulty of the Algebra.

All of the kids we know who took it there did end up in Geometry. I don't inow of any of them who had to erase the grade and retake the class, although I am sure there were some.

I would consider how organized, attentive to detail and efficient your kid is and go fro there.

Thank you! That's really good to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We attended the Lake Braddock rising 7th-grader orientation last week and were told that the SOL criteria was a perfect score, not just pass advanced. Does anyone know of LB students who took Honors Algebra without a perfect SOL score?

I haven't heard anyone say either way. I just wanted to add that I looked up last year how many questions a kid has to get right to pass an SOL and how many for adv. pass. I was surprised to learn that you "Pass" and SOL by getting HALF the questions right (like 25 out of 50). You "Adv. Pass" by getting only 5 or less wrong (i.e. you have to get 45 out of 50 right). I thought that was a pretty harsh distinction... or maybe the passing score is just too low.

Either way, I was surprised that they were so different. Getting adv. pass is pretty close to getting a perfect score. I don't think that should be a distinction that separates those who are qualified to take Algebra I and those who aren't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We attended the Lake Braddock rising 7th-grader orientation last week and were told that the SOL criteria was a perfect score, not just pass advanced. Does anyone know of LB students who took Honors Algebra without a perfect SOL score?

I haven't heard anyone say either way. I just wanted to add that I looked up last year how many questions a kid has to get right to pass an SOL and how many for adv. pass. I was surprised to learn that you "Pass" and SOL by getting HALF the questions right (like 25 out of 50). You "Adv. Pass" by getting only 5 or less wrong (i.e. you have to get 45 out of 50 right). I thought that was a pretty harsh distinction... or maybe the passing score is just too low.

Either way, I was surprised that they were so different. Getting adv. pass is pretty close to getting a perfect score. I don't think that should be a distinction that separates those who are qualified to take Algebra I and those who aren't.

Thank you. Wow, so there is a huge range of "Pass" scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find that students in the AAP program that don't pass all of the requirements ARE or AREN'T ready, and the general education students that do pass all of the tests AREN'T ready. If the General Students can't pass a CogAt test, how will they survive Algebra 1 HN?

And where do you get this data?
My DS, who turned down AAP to stick with an immersion program, was placed in honors Algebra as an 7th grader, (so he did his pre-algebra earlier and in a different language) got As and is getting As in Honor Geometry. There is actually a slight downside, for IB students, since you can't take the IB HL exams as a junior. (and don't start slamming IB, please note we are an immersion family, and need IB to go to college overseas)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find that students in the AAP program that don't pass all of the requirements ARE or AREN'T ready, and the general education students that do pass all of the tests AREN'T ready. If the General Students can't pass a CogAt test, how will they survive Algebra 1 HN?

And where do you get this data?
My DS, who turned down AAP to stick with an immersion program, was placed in honors Algebra as an 7th grader, (so he did his pre-algebra earlier and in a different language) got As and is getting As in Honor Geometry. There is actually a slight downside, for IB students, since you can't take the IB HL exams as a junior. (and don't start slamming IB, please note we are an immersion family, and need IB to go to college overseas)

Sorry can't do. Thanks for adding another reason in my book to get rid of IB at most schools. Why do parents think this is some sort of private school to get their child into an overseas college! Have four IB schools -North, South, East, and West and be done with the program besides these.