Taking math classes at the local college

[Anonymous]

For those of you whose children have taken college math classes in middle school, what courses using applied math have you found that your child enjoyed? Mine has met the requirements for an engineering class using 3d printing. As an 8th grader he ABSOLUTELY LOVES this course. It is a mix of compsci, math and just plain fun.

[Anonymous]

Are you just bragging about your little genius? You didn't share any info about the class.

My kid enjoyed his quantum electrodynamics class.

[Anonymous]

One can take regular high school math classes that are not offered at middle school, but are considered remedial classes at college level (algebra, geometry, precalculus). It’s possible some students may be advanced enough to take even college math like calculus and statistics in middle school but that would be quite rare. Often, for these students double enrollment is more convenient than going to high school to take those classes.

For a class like 3d printing you’d have to look at the type of credit that is given, or that can be transferred. If it’s just for fun, it’s still great, there are tons of options, anyone can just follow their interest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you just bragging about your little genius? You didn't share any info about the class.

My kid enjoyed his quantum electrodynamics class.

That was too basic for my kid, so went with advanced quantum nucleardynamics using multivarible calculus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you just bragging about your little genius? You didn't share any info about the class.

My kid enjoyed his quantum electrodynamics class.

Only relevant thing was the first sentence of the orig post, minus the “in middle school” words.

[Anonymous]

This is not bragging. I am trying to get a feel for others' experiences in fun classes involving math. If I was bragging, I would tell you that when my son gave his SAT he scored perfectly on the math section, but I didn't.

I am not sure of the need for such snark.

[Anonymous]

How do we apply for college level maths in middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not bragging. I am trying to get a feel for others' experiences in fun classes involving math. If I was bragging, I would tell you that when my son gave his SAT he scored perfectly on the math section, but I didn't.

I am not sure of the need for such snark.

If you had omitted the first part of your first sentence ("For those of you whose children have taken college math classes in middle school,") you may have gotten less snark. If you're really interested in hearing from people what other fun and interesting classes are there that use applied math or engineering, your opening clause is a bit unnecessary, as it doesn't have to involve college.

[Anonymous]

OP, you seem to go for some very specific classes, like applied math at the local college (I assume community college). The options are not going to be too deep or wide. Genuinely interested on what the prerequisites for your sons class are.

I think your son would be better served by general education classes, instead of some narrow class that likely isn’t even for credit and sounds more like a hobby class. Something along the lines for typical math sequence from algebra to differential equations. There are also general science and programming classes that are needed for a solid foundation for stem majors.

I don’t know if you intended this as a brag fest, but I’ll play along. 5th grade, precalculus and statistics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you seem to go for some very specific classes, like applied math at the local college (I assume community college). The options are not going to be too deep or wide. Genuinely interested on what the prerequisites for your sons class are.

I think your son would be better served by general education classes, instead of some narrow class that likely isn’t even for credit and sounds more like a hobby class. Something along the lines for typical math sequence from algebra to differential equations. There are also general science and programming classes that are needed for a solid foundation for stem majors.

I don’t know if you intended this as a brag fest, but I’ll play along. 5th grade, precalculus and statistics.

If people are being serious in this thread, what are your kids doing to get to precalc by the time they are 10? Study for 4 hours a day? Or is "getting" to precalc mean being exposed to all the math between arithmetic and precalc, but not really mastering anything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you seem to go for some very specific classes, like applied math at the local college (I assume community college). The options are not going to be too deep or wide. Genuinely interested on what the prerequisites for your sons class are.

I think your son would be better served by general education classes, instead of some narrow class that likely isn’t even for credit and sounds more like a hobby class. Something along the lines for typical math sequence from algebra to differential equations. There are also general science and programming classes that are needed for a solid foundation for stem majors.

I don’t know if you intended this as a brag fest, but I’ll play along. 5th grade, precalculus and statistics.

If people are being serious in this thread, what are your kids doing to get to precalc by the time they are 10? Study for 4 hours a day? Or is "getting" to precalc mean being exposed to all the math between arithmetic and precalc, but not really mastering anything?

It’s about1 hour a day, but done very consistently, and it includes weekends, school breaks etc.

Many community college courses can be very light on the topics covered and their depth, plus the exam grading policy is very forgiving, eg everyone taking Algebra got an A if sticking till the end, but also many students dropped so it’s somewhat self selecting.

For precalculus, this year College Board introduced a new AP Precalculus exam, which he’ll take, and that would be a better indicator of mastery. There the next level of mastery for math competitions, but he’s not really interested in that for now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you seem to go for some very specific classes, like applied math at the local college (I assume community college). The options are not going to be too deep or wide. Genuinely interested on what the prerequisites for your sons class are.

I think your son would be better served by general education classes, instead of some narrow class that likely isn’t even for credit and sounds more like a hobby class. Something along the lines for typical math sequence from algebra to differential equations. There are also general science and programming classes that are needed for a solid foundation for stem majors.

I don’t know if you intended this as a brag fest, but I’ll play along. 5th grade, precalculus and statistics.

If people are being serious in this thread, what are your kids doing to get to precalc by the time they are 10? Study for 4 hours a day? Or is "getting" to precalc mean being exposed to all the math between arithmetic and precalc, but not really mastering anything?

It’s about1 hour a day, but done very consistently, and it includes weekends, school breaks etc.

Many community college courses can be very light on the topics covered and their depth, plus the exam grading policy is very forgiving, eg everyone taking Algebra got an A if sticking till the end, but also many students dropped so it’s somewhat self selecting.

For precalculus, this year College Board introduced a new AP Precalculus exam, which he’ll take, and that would be a better indicator of mastery. There the next level of mastery for math competitions, but he’s not really interested in that for now.

The fear /concern that many folks have is that accelerated kids do not have a deep understanding of the subjects and that recitations of memorized facts is substituting for real understanding. For example, many kids (both accelerated and nonaccelerated ) can tell you what 5! Is, or what 10C3 is, but if you ask them how many different types of pizzas can you make with 10 toppings, they are at a loss. That's why many top math educators suggest lots of time and practice with foundational subjects like algebra, geometry, and number theory (for brilliant young math students). It's tough to spend the time on those subjects while also getting to trig and calc at such a young age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous Bragger. He/she must laugh at their own jokes too!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you seem to go for some very specific classes, like applied math at the local college (I assume community college). The options are not going to be too deep or wide. Genuinely interested on what the prerequisites for your sons class are.

I think your son would be better served by general education classes, instead of some narrow class that likely isn’t even for credit and sounds more like a hobby class. Something along the lines for typical math sequence from algebra to differential equations. There are also general science and programming classes that are needed for a solid foundation for stem majors.

I don’t know if you intended this as a brag fest, but I’ll play along. 5th grade, precalculus and statistics.

If people are being serious in this thread, what are your kids doing to get to precalc by the time they are 10? Study for 4 hours a day? Or is "getting" to precalc mean being exposed to all the math between arithmetic and precalc, but not really mastering anything?

It’s about1 hour a day, but done very consistently, and it includes weekends, school breaks etc.

Many community college courses can be very light on the topics covered and their depth, plus the exam grading policy is very forgiving, eg everyone taking Algebra got an A if sticking till the end, but also many students dropped so it’s somewhat self selecting.

For precalculus, this year College Board introduced a new AP Precalculus exam, which he’ll take, and that would be a better indicator of mastery. There the next level of mastery for math competitions, but he’s not really interested in that for now.

The fear /concern that many folks have is that accelerated kids do not have a deep understanding of the subjects and that recitations of memorized facts is substituting for real understanding. For example, many kids (both accelerated and nonaccelerated ) can tell you what 5! Is, or what 10C3 is, but if you ask them how many different types of pizzas can you make with 10 toppings, they are at a loss. That's why many top math educators suggest lots of time and practice with foundational subjects like algebra, geometry, and number theory (for brilliant young math students). It's tough to spend the time on those subjects while also getting to trig and calc at such a young age.

Nobody is concerned that someone else’s kid doesn’t know how many different pizzas you can make with 10 toppings.

It’s just an indication of competitive parents. The ones with “advanced” kids, whatever that means, breathe a sigh of relief and feel the need to brag. The ones with “less advanced” kids are insecure and put some qualifications, ie didn’t really master the material, it’s a joke etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you whose children have taken college math classes in middle school, what courses using applied math have you found that your child enjoyed? Mine has met the requirements for an engineering class using 3d printing. As an 8th grader he ABSOLUTELY LOVES this course. It is a mix of compsci, math and just plain fun.

Our local community college doesn't accept middle schoolers (we know because we tried), and neither does the local university (too many special rules to follow...)
You must have a great college at your place, or perhaps a "college" that's desperate for tuition money?