Options for child who aced Geometry but is struggling in Algebra 2

[Anonymous]

We feel stuck and unsure how to help DC. She's already struggling in Algebra 2 and it's clear her algebra foundation is not up to par. She is struggling even with simple review problems. She can't retake Geometry and can't go back to Algebra 1 so what do people do other than muddling through with a tutor if you can afford it? Anyone BTDT and come out it ok?

[Anonymous]

Is she in honors? If so, consider moving to grade level if she’s really struggling. My kids have also benefited from tutoring when they’ve found math classes challenging. Try to find an MCPS teacher who is familiar with the curriculum. Finally, most schools offer tutoring by honors society students. My kids have been reluctant to use peers but it’s a great free resource.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is she in honors? If so, consider moving to grade level if she’s really struggling. My kids have also benefited from tutoring when they’ve found math classes challenging. Try to find an MCPS teacher who is familiar with the curriculum. Finally, most schools offer tutoring by honors society students. My kids have been reluctant to use peers but it’s a great free resource.

+1 to all of this. Especially agree with honors society tutoring.

[Anonymous]

Tutor, its too bad that MCPS got rid of the tutoring program.

[Anonymous]

AoPS and Khan have free algebra videos and homework.

[Anonymous]

If she isn't in honors algebra 2, transfer to 2 year algebra 2

[Anonymous]

Agree with PP, move down a level now. There is no consequence for a course change in the first month of school.

Either switch from honors to regular or regular to 2-year. If she’s struggling now, things will only get worse.

[Anonymous]

What grade is she in?

[Anonymous]

Heads up that Honors PreCalc I is where kids who aren’t strong in math get tripped up. But this is just about hard work. Use the tutors, prioritize the homework. Your student will get through.

[Anonymous]

My daughter's Alg 2 Honors teacher told the class it is the hardest math class they will take, especially for this year. Because Alg 1 was right after Covid and then they had Geometry and now they are in high school and expectations and speed of the class are high.

I have no thought to pull her out of honors if needed but so far she is doing ok. She said the first week was stuff she never heard, but the last 2 days things were a little easier.

What is this honors society tutoring? Do I contact a counselor about this?

[Anonymous]

If you can drop from Honors to regular I'd say do it. It really takes the pressure off. My kid had to do this in 9th grade and the results were huge. She said that while her class spent 3-4 wks reviewing earlier Algebraic terms and then having a quiz the Honors group spent less than a week on it and were quizzed on the Friday. Its fast paced. Getting an A in non-Honors is fine. Struggling to get a B in Honors is horrible.

[Anonymous]

https://www.steppingstonetutoring.org/

IN case this helps, free tutoring is available from this small, private, student-run nonprofit

My kid tutors for them (for SSL hours) as well as for Bethesda tutoring (for pay)

[Anonymous]

FWIW- how someone does in geometry isn't an indication of how they'll do in the algebra, precal, cal sequence. Geometry is a one-off in math. I'd just support with tutoring and extra help. But don't connect geometry and algebra II performance because they don't really relate

[Anonymous]

As a tutor I can say that Algebra Ii is a very common place to fall apart, and it’s usually because kids haven’t learned to keep strictly to a linear organization of algebraic manipulation and haven’t learned to write equations. It also can be because they are not memorizing formulas and key concepts (sometimes not even able to recognize what is “key”). And, in Algebra 2 it can be that their underlying memorization and application of fractions and exponents/roots and graphing is weak, so because they don’t know or remember they can’t apply the simple rules to more complex ideas.

Some kids really need a good tutor to do homework with them and explicitly enforce the linear organization/manipulation, re-teach earlier concepts and identify what current concepts and formulas have to be memorized.

Some schools have some kind of after school help program but often there’s no higher level math teacher there. Sometimes peer tutors are good but sometimes they can only explain an answer not identify the underlying student problems. Asking the teacher for help at lunch isn’t a great long term solution. (Sometimes the teacher is actually the problem.)

Dropping down from honors is OK, but can be frustrating for bright students because the non-honors pace is much slower and the kids have even more, different kinds of problems with the math. Those students just need better or different explanations than they get from class.

[Anonymous]

I agree Alg2 H was where things can go sideways. But is very teacher/school dependent. My kid’s Alg2 H teacher was a masochist, and very few students did well in the class.