Is it important that kids take AMP 6+/7+/Algebra 1 in MS after Math 5, and how hard is it?

[Anonymous]

My daughter is smart and does quite well in ELA, but hates math and generally scores around the 70th percentile or so on MAP-M and gets Bs on assignments somewhat frequently (no supplementation or tutoring, and little parental help on homework/math concepts because she resists it, although we are considering changing that.) She didn't get selected for compacted math (unsurprisingly), so my understanding is that doing 6+/7+ is the only way for her to get to Algebra by 8th grade (and that the vast majority of bright kids in MCPS take Algebra 1 no later than 8th grade... let me know if that's not true.)

A few questions:

1) Does anyone know roughly what MAP-M score or percentile they look for to move a kid from Math 5 to Math 6+? And are they allowed to have any Bs in 4th or 5th grade math?
2) it feels silly to think about this so early. but are there any negative long-term consequences for a smart, humanities-focused kid to just stay on a grade-level math track and not get to Algebra until 9th? For example, would it make it harder to get into humanities or IB magnets if she wants that, assuming strong MAP-R scores? Would it potentially hurt college admissions/merit aid chances (assuming a non-STEM major, and not shooting for the very top schools, but UMCP and other good publics as well as solid private schools at around that level)? Or is it no big deal?
3) How hard is the pace of 6+ and 7+ for a kid who's pretty average in math? Are there key topics that they move through quickly that would be problematic for future years if she doesn't fully grasp them? Or is there enough repetition of the years before and after that she should be fine? And on the other hand, is regular Math 6/7/8 full of below-proficiency kids that the teachers will need to teach to and will that actually impede her learning math, or is it a perfectly fine slower track that works well for kids who are middling in math and helps set them up for success when they do eventually get to higher-level math?

Thanks so much for any insight!

[Anonymous]

You are overthinking this. The 5th grade math teacher will make a recommendation, and your kid will follow that recommendation.

[Anonymous]

Don't accelerate for kid
-who doesn't like marh
-not scoring higher on test

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are overthinking this. The 5th grade math teacher will make a recommendation, and your kid will follow that recommendation.

The thing is that I think there's a good chance that if things continue as-is they will recommend the grade-level math track, but also that if we push her and really focus on math, she may well be able to get her grades and scores up enough to be recommended for 6+. But that pushing has its costs and I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth it or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are overthinking this. The 5th grade math teacher will make a recommendation, and your kid will follow that recommendation.

The thing is that I think there's a good chance that if things continue as-is they will recommend the grade-level math track, but also that if we push her and really focus on math, she may well be able to get her grades and scores up enough to be recommended for 6+. But that pushing has its costs and I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth it or not.

Your kid is in 5th grade. Let her be a kid. Are you going to force her to do extra work in a subject she doesn’t care much for in order to try to push her into a higher level math class, where she will likely struggle because it is 50% accelerated?

[Anonymous]

Get a tutor and talk to the teacher.

[Anonymous]

The teacher will make the rec. If it’s grade level, that sounds like the best path. If your child is already getting some b’s, why would you want to accelerate them?

[Anonymous]

Don’t accelerate. My son was recommended for Algebra 1 in 6th. In 9th he barely made it through 1 month of Hon Precalculus, stepped down to regular Precalculus made a C. Took Calculus with Apps in 10th made a B and now is failing AP Calculus Ab in 11th. Better slow than fast. I regret pushing him too fast. You daughter may end up being the opposite of my son and become a math wizard in high school.

[Anonymous]

Don't accelerate a kid who is getting some Bs and scoring 70th percentile on the MAP-M. If at some point she decides she loves math and improves sufficiently (which can happen), think about supplementing or whatever at that point. If she's into humanities, I'm sure she'll be OK on the regular path.

[Anonymous]

Please do not overthink the various math pathways.

You need to get your daughter a tutor, because math is the topic amongst all others that builds upon itself, year after year. A lot of parents don't get this, but they cannot allow their kids to pass every grade with gaps in their conceptual reasoning in math. It's not like missing a concept in English, or a concept in science or music; those will be revisited and re-explained and kids will pick them up at some point. Math is a lot more unforgiving, and for private high school admissions or college admissions, it's still used as an indicator of intelligence, even for Humanities majors.

So either you tutor, or you hire a tutor. The tutor can't just provide answers to homework. You pay them to go back to basics and test the solidity of her math foundation, and to re-teach anything she's fuzzy on. And then you pay them to teach ahead.

For MCPS, just enroll her in whatever the school allows that's most advanced. They're going to gate-keep the fastest tracks anyway, since she didn't make compacted math, so there won't be any "hard" class. Maybe a "hard-for-her" class, but you're going to rectify that with a tutor. And don't let summer brain drain take hold. She needs to read and exercise her math skills in the summer as well.

One of my children made it to AP Calc BC as a senior, despite a specific math disability (dyscalculia). He was tutored by me and then I hired tutors. Your kid can apply herself and achieve too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t accelerate. My son was recommended for Algebra 1 in 6th. In 9th he barely made it through 1 month of Hon Precalculus, stepped down to regular Precalculus made a C. Took Calculus with Apps in 10th made a B and now is failing AP Calculus Ab in 11th. Better slow than fast. I regret pushing him too fast. You daughter may end up being the opposite of my son and become a math wizard in high school.

Wrong thread.
No one here is talking about Algebra in 6th

[Anonymous]

Is your daughter making B’s on some assignments or B’s overall in the class? My daughter was scoring in the 70th percentile of MAP in 4th grade and was selected for compacted, but were told she was on the bubble. She struggled a bit in compacted (made a B overall) so took AMP 6+ and is now taking AMP 7+. She’s making As and there is some griping with HW assignments (she doesn’t like math either), but she’s not struggling. I don’t think the AMP pathway is that hard. I think you should accelerate if you have the opportunity to catch the AMP 6+ on-ramp. They could always drop down a level if it doesn’t work out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is your daughter making B’s on some assignments or B’s overall in the class? My daughter was scoring in the 70th percentile of MAP in 4th grade and was selected for compacted, but were told she was on the bubble. She struggled a bit in compacted (made a B overall) so took AMP 6+ and is now taking AMP 7+. She’s making As and there is some griping with HW assignments (she doesn’t like math either), but she’s not struggling. I don’t think the AMP pathway is that hard. I think you should accelerate if you have the opportunity to catch the AMP 6+ on-ramp. They could always drop down a level if it doesn’t work out.

She's at a B overall so far but I would say roughly half of her errors are just mistakes on things she genuinely knows-- based purely on knowledge I think she'd probably get As overall but still a fair number of Bs on assignments because there are some things she doesn't fully grasp when they're first taught.

[Anonymous]

There is no need to rush this. A student can be bright and still want to take a slower path in certain subjects so as to ensure understanding. Further, Maryland is already moving to a 2-year integrated Algebra.

With regards to college admission no one is going to be able to answer that question. You're at least 6 years from then, so much could change between now and then. Focus on taking a rigorous course load that she can do really well in and explore interest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is your daughter making B’s on some assignments or B’s overall in the class? My daughter was scoring in the 70th percentile of MAP in 4th grade and was selected for compacted, but were told she was on the bubble. She struggled a bit in compacted (made a B overall) so took AMP 6+ and is now taking AMP 7+. She’s making As and there is some griping with HW assignments (she doesn’t like math either), but she’s not struggling. I don’t think the AMP pathway is that hard. I think you should accelerate if you have the opportunity to catch the AMP 6+ on-ramp. They could always drop down a level if it doesn’t work out.

She's at a B overall so far but I would say roughly half of her errors are just mistakes on things she genuinely knows-- based purely on knowledge I think she'd probably get As overall but still a fair number of Bs on assignments because there are some things she doesn't fully grasp when they're first taught.

If she's getting a B in regular math and needs more time with concepts, then I definitely wouldn't accelerate her. It's going to move substantially faster, so she will have to learn it faster than she is now.