9th grade - Alg 2 or Alg 2 Honors

[Anonymous]

For a kid who is a B math student in the accelerated middle school track Alg 1 (7th) and Geometry (8th), would doing Alg 2 (instead of Honors Alg 2) be smart to build a stronger base for future high school or even college math? And maybe be less stressful while the student takes other honors and AP classes in 9th. Are there other factors I should consider, from those who have been there before?

[Anonymous]

I am not sure. But consider peer cohort. Pretty much all kids eventually take Algebra II. By taking honors, he will be in with the more academically focused kids.

[Anonymous]

A B math student should not be on that math pathway.

[Anonymous]

I wish DC had taken Alg 2 instead of honors. It would have really helped with the stress level and grades. If your child had Bs in Alg. 1 I would take the regular track to get a better foundation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A B math student should not be on that math pathway.

+1

It is preferable to take the honors level at the expense of acceleration.

A in Honors Geometry in 9th is better than A in Algebra 2 which is better than B in Honors Algebra 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A B math student should not be on that math pathway.

Are you saying that everyone taking geometry in middle school should be getting A's? And if they're not, they shouldn't be in that class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A B math student should not be on that math pathway.

Are you saying that everyone taking geometry in middle school should be getting A's? And if they're not, they shouldn't be in that class?

I thought everyone got A's because of the 50% rule and all.

[Anonymous]

There are several recent threads on this exact topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish DC had taken Alg 2 instead of honors. It would have really helped with the stress level and grades. If your child had Bs in Alg. 1 I would take the regular track to get a better foundation.

Plus 1

[Anonymous]

Honors Alg 2 was very difficult for both my daughters as freshman. There is no transition. It was a steep learning curve. And didn't help with the transition to high school.

[Anonymous]

Teachers typically recommend if getting a B, or lower, take regular not Honors for next math course. If child has A in current math class, take Honors for next. Some students will take Honors and struggle-will get a tutor-or go to regular/on level if they can't keep up in Honors.

[Anonymous]

OP-This is really kid dependent. Alg2 and Pre-Cal are where students tend to start dropping down from Honors to the regular track. That said there are plenty of kids who continue on the honors track.

It really comes down to how much your kid enjoys math, how comfortable they currently feel about the concepts already taught and whether they can handle more rigor (there will be no easing into it). Is your kid a mathy kid? Are they a science kid mathy if so what type? Is it a high B or just barely cracking the B?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A B math student should not be on that math pathway.

+1

It is preferable to take the honors level at the expense of acceleration.

A in Honors Geometry in 9th is better than A in Algebra 2 which is better than B in Honors Algebra 2.

This is so not true

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A B math student should not be on that math pathway.

+1

It is preferable to take the honors level at the expense of acceleration.

A in Honors Geometry in 9th is better than A in Algebra 2 which is better than B in Honors Algebra 2.

This is so not true

Care to explain?

Algebra 2 in 9th is still two years accelerated in math. If the end goal is Calculus BC, that can be done with Geometry in 9th and sticking to the honors path.

It’s really stupid to accelerate your kid into being a mediocre math student with a bunch of Bs. I can’t see any benefit to it and will likely take any kind of STEM major off the table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A B math student should not be on that math pathway.

+1

It is preferable to take the honors level at the expense of acceleration.

A in Honors Geometry in 9th is better than A in Algebra 2 which is better than B in Honors Algebra 2.

This is so not true

Care to explain?

Algebra 2 in 9th is still two years accelerated in math. If the end goal is Calculus BC, that can be done with Geometry in 9th and sticking to the honors path.

It’s really stupid to accelerate your kid into being a mediocre math student with a bunch of Bs. I can’t see any benefit to it and will likely take any kind of STEM major off the table.

Ok, but a B is the most rigorous level is not failing or being “mediocre.” My kid has a B in her math classes (highest track), and her understanding of math is far and above stronger than her friends who took Geometry in 9th, Alg 2 in 10th, etc.