Compacted Math

[Anonymous]

My DD got into the 4/5 math for next year. This is fine, and I think she's definitely capable of it...but I do have concerns based on what some are saying about the math as she progresses. Math hasn't been hard for her yet but I know 3rd grade math with acceleration and calculus or even algebra 2 and geometry are a different ball game. I want her well prepared for those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm confudpsed. My son received a letter saying he is in 4/5 Math Curriculum next year. Is that compacted math? The reason I ask is because he said most of the students in his class received the same 4/5 designation, but some received 5/6.

I really wish they would explain this better to parents

Yes, 4/5 means compacted math. If someone is placed in 5/6 for 4th grade, they have either been taking 4/5 this year already, or they are skipping all of 4th and half of 5th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD got into the 4/5 math for next year. This is fine, and I think she's definitely capable of it...but I do have concerns based on what some are saying about the math as she progresses. Math hasn't been hard for her yet but I know 3rd grade math with acceleration and calculus or even algebra 2 and geometry are a different ball game. I want her well prepared for those.

The brain develops, too, along with the math background.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm confudpsed. My son received a letter saying he is in 4/5 Math Curriculum next year. Is that compacted math? The reason I ask is because he said most of the students in his class received the same 4/5 designation, but some received 5/6.

I really wish they would explain this better to parents

Yes, 4/5 means compacted math. If someone is placed in 5/6 for 4th grade, they have either been taking 4/5 this year already, or they are skipping all of 4th and half of 5th.

Thank you! You should really consider working for MCPS in the communication's dept. because this is the most information I received all year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm confudpsed. My son received a letter saying he is in 4/5 Math Curriculum next year. Is that compacted math? The reason I ask is because he said most of the students in his class received the same 4/5 designation, but some received 5/6.

I really wish they would explain this better to parents

Yes, 4/5 means compacted math. If someone is placed in 5/6 for 4th grade, they have either been taking 4/5 this year already, or they are skipping all of 4th and half of 5th.

Maybe with the new "policies" or lack thereof schools are allowed to do this.

[Anonymous]

See the other thread about the 4th Grader being placed into IM at the middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD got into the 4/5 math for next year. This is fine, and I think she's definitely capable of it...but I do have concerns based on what some are saying about the math as she progresses. Math hasn't been hard for her yet but I know 3rd grade math with acceleration and calculus or even algebra 2 and geometry are a different ball game. I want her well prepared for those.

There are many years between third-grade math and calculus for her to get prepared.

[Anonymous]

PP's that are saying there are slow downs are only partly correct. They can only come from a parent and not from the school/teacher. Even if a child is greatly struggling in 5/6, teachers are not allowed to recommend them for anything except for IM, because otherwise they would be repeating a class. Even if a parent asks, we are expected to tell them the truth- that their child is passing the class and that they are therefore recommended for the next class even if in our minds we are trying to tell the parent (or strongly hint) that this is not the correct path for their child. And from reading DCUM, it is obvious that no parent wants a child that is not in the accelerated class even if it is not right for the child. Just make sure that you are setting your child up for success!

[Anonymous]

What do you mean by setting your child up for success? Not Kumon, I Hope? We reserve spare time for arts, athletics and religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP's that are saying there are slow downs are only partly correct. They can only come from a parent and not from the school/teacher. Even if a child is greatly struggling in 5/6, teachers are not allowed to recommend them for anything except for IM, because otherwise they would be repeating a class. Even if a parent asks, we are expected to tell them the truth- that their child is passing the class and that they are therefore recommended for the next class even if in our minds we are trying to tell the parent (or strongly hint) that this is not the correct path for their child. And from reading DCUM, it is obvious that no parent wants a child that is not in the accelerated class even if it is not right for the child. Just make sure that you are setting your child up for success!

If parents ask can they repeat.?

[Anonymous]

So are there going to be three 4th grade maths? 5/6, 4/5, and 4? Somebody please explain. My letter says he's going to be in Grade 4 Mathematics next year and be in Grade 5 Mathematics the following year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So are there going to be three 4th grade maths? 5/6, 4/5, and 4? Somebody please explain. My letter says he's going to be in Grade 4 Mathematics next year and be in Grade 5 Mathematics the following year.

There is grade-level math (math 4 in grade 4, math 5 in grade 5). There is compacted math (math 4 and the first half of math 5 in grade 4 (aka math 4/5), the second half of math 5 and math 6 in grade 5 (aka math 5/6)).

If there is a math 5/6 in grade 4, then that would be the second half of math 5 and math 6 in grade 4, which leads to the question, what happened to math 4/5? Or there is a whole new math that is math 5 and math 6 in grade 4, which leads to the question, what happened to math 4?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP's that are saying there are slow downs are only partly correct. They can only come from a parent and not from the school/teacher. Even if a child is greatly struggling in 5/6, teachers are not allowed to recommend them for anything except for IM, because otherwise they would be repeating a class. Even if a parent asks, we are expected to tell them the truth- that their child is passing the class and that they are therefore recommended for the next class even if in our minds we are trying to tell the parent (or strongly hint) that this is not the correct path for their child. And from reading DCUM, it is obvious that no parent wants a child that is not in the accelerated class even if it is not right for the child. Just make sure that you are setting your child up for success!

You are wrong.
We have child who did not struggled, but asked with parents to be moved in regular class in 5th grade. Child felt it was too much...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So are there going to be three 4th grade maths? 5/6, 4/5, and 4? Somebody please explain. My letter says he's going to be in Grade 4 Mathematics next year and be in Grade 5 Mathematics the following year.

That means you child will not be in compacted math.
There is no math 5/6 in 4th grade. Most likely school will have 2 classes of regular math, and one of compacted 4/5.

[Anonymous]

are people really already cramming for 4/5?? holy smokes. My kid played outside today. He's already behind I guess.