New Math Program - NO Differentiation until Grades 11-12?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do kids need to take Calculus in high school anyway?

My high school didn't even offer calculus. I simply took a year of it freshman year of college, majored in mathematics, got a master's in a STEM area, and have been working on a STEM field ever since.

What benefit would taking calculus in high school have given me?

Well, grandma, things were different in the 70s

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I need more details on how these paths work. By my understanding, everyone is in regular math together through 10th, and they all effectively take Algebra I and Geometry in 9th and 10th. How are they going to fit in the rest of the classes that lead them through Calc or into any post-calc classes? If a kid is doing IB, how can they take IB Analysis I in 10th? I thought that wasn't going to be allowed.

Thaf alreasy puts them a year behind.

Algebra is an 8th grade class for the average to bright kids, and a 6th or 7th grade class for the exceptional kids.

Algebra in 9th is remedial.

So Virginia is going to move the entire state to a remedial math track just so some kids don't have to feel badly about not taking calculus??

Wtf Virginia!!

Vote differently this November.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So how do they grade 9th grade math under this system? Before, a kid who was above average in an honors class would get a B or a B-, but it would be boosted and an above average non-honors would jus get the B, B-. The difference gets reflected on the transcript, but the non-honors kid still has the B on their report card. Now that all those kids are in the same room, does the teacher just hand out more C-s and Ds to reflect the stark differences between students (the kid would would be getting the A+ in the honors class vs. the kid struggling in the gen class)?

Take a look at the VA DOE youtube channel. They have a video on grading and equity. So probably the grading will be changed to keep the weaker students from feeling left out.

I don’t want my weaker student to get a participation trophy grade I want them to learn math.

[Anonymous]

Our teachers are not good enough to differentiate to the variety of abilities in one, overcrowded class. Sorry.

If classes are capped smaller and we hire better teachers, sure, this works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do kids need to take Calculus in high school anyway?

My high school didn't even offer calculus. I simply took a year of it freshman year of college, majored in mathematics, got a master's in a STEM area, and have been working on a STEM field ever since.

What benefit would taking calculus in high school have given me?

Well, grandma, things were different in the 70s

20 years ago I took advanced math in high school. It allowed me to double major in college in a STEM field and a liberal arts field. The liberal arts field enriches my life daily, the STEM field provides my job. Plus having a solid math (and computing) background from high school helped me get through weed out classes in college.

[Anonymous]

Paraphrasing a PP, what do Tech, W&M and UVA say about this? How will this affect students’ preparation for college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our teachers are not good enough to differentiate to the variety of abilities in one, overcrowded class. Sorry.

If classes are capped smaller and we hire better teachers, sure, this works.

It's not a question of better teachers in my view. It's that the county/state/whoever expects teachers to invent the differentiation themselves rather than saying: "here's the main curriculum & how to have the kids practice it, here are the extra supports for kids that aren't getting it right away, and here are the extension for the quick kids that need something deeper". It should not be on the teachers to invent things all by themselves but that's what happens and that's a big part of why differentiation in math isn't going to work - because teachers don't have time to invent all these extra things that the county should be providing to them but doesn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Paraphrasing a PP, what do Tech, W&M and UVA say about this? How will this affect students’ preparation for college?

I can only speak for my school - i'd be shocked if W&M comes out against a proposal wrapped in the flag of equity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our teachers are not good enough to differentiate to the variety of abilities in one, overcrowded class. Sorry.

If classes are capped smaller and we hire better teachers, sure, this works.

It's not a question of better teachers in my view. It's that the county/state/whoever expects teachers to invent the differentiation themselves rather than saying: "here's the main curriculum & how to have the kids practice it, here are the extra supports for kids that aren't getting it right away, and here are the extension for the quick kids that need something deeper". It should not be on the teachers to invent things all by themselves but that's what happens and that's a big part of why differentiation in math isn't going to work - because teachers don't have time to invent all these extra things that the county should be providing to them but doesn't.

Well yes, that’s basically what I meant. A teacher than CAN develop a curriculum to meet all of those needs in one class is not in the hiring pool.

[Anonymous]

Back in the day, I went to private ES and MS before public. We didn’t have an advanced track, and the teachers tried to differentiate. I was way behind in math when I hit high school AP/honors with kids that had been in GT programs since middle school. It altered my future for sure. This is a mistake if I’m understanding what’s happening—which I’m not sure of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I need more details on how these paths work. By my understanding, everyone is in regular math together through 10th, and they all effectively take Algebra I and Geometry in 9th and 10th. How are they going to fit in the rest of the classes that lead them through Calc or into any post-calc classes? If a kid is doing IB, how can they take IB Analysis I in 10th? I thought that wasn't going to be allowed.

Thaf alreasy puts them a year behind.

Algebra is an 8th grade class for the average to bright kids, and a 6th or 7th grade class for the exceptional kids.

Algebra in 9th is remedial.

So Virginia is going to move the entire state to a remedial math track just so some kids don't have to feel badly about not taking calculus??

Wtf Virginia!!

Vote differently this November.

I’m seeing algebra in middle school per the chart not 9th? Am I looking at the wrong information?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I need more details on how these paths work. By my understanding, everyone is in regular math together through 10th, and they all effectively take Algebra I and Geometry in 9th and 10th. How are they going to fit in the rest of the classes that lead them through Calc or into any post-calc classes? If a kid is doing IB, how can they take IB Analysis I in 10th? I thought that wasn't going to be allowed.

Thaf alreasy puts them a year behind.

Algebra is an 8th grade class for the average to bright kids, and a 6th or 7th grade class for the exceptional kids.

Algebra in 9th is remedial.

So Virginia is going to move the entire state to a remedial math track just so some kids don't have to feel badly about not taking calculus??

Wtf Virginia!!

Vote differently this November.

I’m seeing algebra in middle school per the chart not 9th? Am I looking at the wrong information?

Yes, algebra is in k-7 in the chart here.

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/mathematics/vmpi/index.shtml#goal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our teachers are not good enough to differentiate to the variety of abilities in one, overcrowded class. Sorry.

If classes are capped smaller and we hire better teachers, sure, this works.

It's not a question of better teachers in my view. It's that the county/state/whoever expects teachers to invent the differentiation themselves rather than saying: "here's the main curriculum & how to have the kids practice it, here are the extra supports for kids that aren't getting it right away, and here are the extension for the quick kids that need something deeper". It should not be on the teachers to invent things all by themselves but that's what happens and that's a big part of why differentiation in math isn't going to work - because teachers don't have time to invent all these extra things that the county should be providing to them but doesn't.

Exactly, and not providing extra curriculum supports means that kids are going to have wildly different experiences in practice because it will be solely based on the school's grade-level team or individual teachers to implement. If they're going for everyone having the same experience in math class, this is not the way to do it.

I also disagree with PP on the "better teachers" thing - it's not hiring the good ones, it's getting rid of the bad ones that is the big problem. Can them and hire more like the ones who are good at their jobs. There are plenty of good teachers in the system now, but they're being chased out by jerk parents who lump them in with the crappy peers they can do nothing about, the pay that means they can't buy a house in their own district, and ideas like VMPI that not only put too many kids in their class but now want them to differentiate instruction for all 30 of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I’m seeing algebra in middle school per the chart not 9th? Am I looking at the wrong information?

Yes, algebra is in k-7 in the chart here.

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/mathematics/vmpi/index.shtml#goal

But FCPS currently indicates that kids as early as 5th are "learning Algebra." They have units on variables and algebraic thinking. I assume the K-7 Algebra is the same as the "Algebra" being taught in 5th and 6th grade math classes. I doubt they're getting a full, comprehensive Algebra class. It looks more like they're carving up the high school Algebra and Geometry, and then sprinkling them across 8th-10th grade without a solid, dedicated course.

It also doesn't look like there's any opportunity for kids to take Trig until at least 11th grade.

This entire pathway will be disastrous for any kids who move into or out of VA while in 7th-10th, since none of the courses would align with the way math is being taught everywhere else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:VOTE.

VOTE.

There is an election in November for statewide offices.

Vote out the idiots you elected last time.

What are the alternatives? And how are they different than these idiots?

Well there is a fool on this board that always says they will "care about education and not equity". As if those are inextricable. At best you get someone like that but benign, at worst you get the Trumpian wing of the party which is likely and its a shit show for a place that isn't just white, hetero, religious, etc.

I do wish the school board for FCPS wasn't such a political stepping stone. I do agree that is an issue because the size of the district certainly lends itself to people who are more ambition focused vs mission focused. I will give people that gripe. But "vote RED YALL" is not exactly a solution here. People's values are going to kick in and they won't vote for the opposition endorsed candidates if they show they are aligned with the kinds of people who storm the capitol, for example.

The problem is that equity is defined as "equal outcomes."

Equal outcomes are only possible by holding back the top achievers. I have mulitple children and they have different talents, ability levels and drive. They all excel, but in different areas. I could have only made them "equal" by holding each back from achieving excellence in an area where the others were merely competent.

I have no idea who will be up for school board next time. I do know that I will not be voting for anyone who supports "equity" over policies that seek to educate each child according to their own ability, talent, and drive. Holding back the top achievers doesn't help anyone and as a country we shouldn't want to quash home-grown talent.