Annual Honors Pre-Calc Complaint Thread

[Anonymous]

Oh why, oh why do the Honors Precalc teachers feel it necessary to give problems on a test that they have never covered in class? Stretching for hard problems in a known topic is one thing, but wholly new concepts to see if students can figure it out. What is the purpose?

And, is this everywhere in the county or only WJ?

[Anonymous]

Get a tutor.

[Anonymous]

Gets them ready for college. Professors do this on every test to see if students really understand the topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a tutor.

A psychic tutor who can tell what topic not previously taught or in the review materials may appear on the test?

[Anonymous]

It is everywhere.

Like PP said it is to see if they understand the material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a tutor.

A psychic tutor who can tell what topic not previously taught or in the review materials may appear on the test?

A good tutor willl teach what is lacking.

[Anonymous]

There are different levels of understanding. Doing the problems as they were taught in class is what I call plug and play. That just demonstrates you understand the steps to solve the problem. But when a teacher asks a “wholly new concept” chances are they are asking for an application of the concept that was taught. That requires that the student actually understands the material, understands why the computation works the way it does, and can apply critical thinking to solve the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are different levels of understanding. Doing the problems as they were taught in class is what I call plug and play. That just demonstrates you understand the steps to solve the problem. But when a teacher asks a “wholly new concept” chances are they are asking for an application of the concept that was taught. That requires that the student actually understands the material, understands why the computation works the way it does, and can apply critical thinking to solve the problem.

I think there's a point to this type of challenge, but what happens when it is on a test is that panic ensues and the kids can't figure out where to start because the problem looks too unfamiliar. (Except for those students who do math for fun!) These should be given as homework. Perhaps an A/T homework even.

[Anonymous]

I wish WJ would add AP pre calc as a class between Honors and Regular. Honors is exceptionally difficult but regular too easy. I think AP pre calc would be a great offering for the standard strong math student who wants to proceed to AB calc.

[Anonymous]

My dc had this complaint and he is not in MCPS. Got a tutor to review before the tests and his grades shot way up to high As. Was making Cs and Fs before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish WJ would add AP pre calc as a class between Honors and Regular. Honors is exceptionally difficult but regular too easy. I think AP pre calc would be a great offering for the standard strong math student who wants to proceed to AB calc.

Ap precalc is a new class. If you have two it’s one more than many have.

[Anonymous]

We are in a different district and that’s how it was for my kid. It’s a very rigorous class.

[Anonymous]

It is a true honors class. That actually sounds great.