Struggling in Hon Precalculus

[Anonymous]

OP is determined that struggling massively in precalculus in 9th grade is no big deal and the student only needs some support from tutoring despite many posters warning her that this could be a sign for deep and wide gaps in understanding. To not know the definition of a function in honors precalculus is a huge red flag, definitely not typical of a student doing advanced programs like AOPS as OP claims. That’s her prerogative, but I think she’s in for a rude awakening later on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes perfect sense to me. I don't know her child in real life but I don't see why you don't think it's possible. HS is the start of a new stage of pressure with lots of different demands.

The child could also have undiagnosed ADHD or just low processing speed and could have compensated previously by being really smart. A Yale law school grad who is a friend of mine revealed once that he has really low processing speed, like 20th percentile.

And, here the diagnosis come with the I know someone ...

What are you even talking about?

No one is trying to diagnose her child. We are just saying there are many explanations for why a child could know the content so well they could get 100% on an aops test yet not do well on a school test. It was just an example. As an anonymous person on the internet I personally have no reason to think her child has any of these conditions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP is determined that struggling massively in precalculus in 9th grade is no big deal and the student only needs some support from tutoring despite many posters warning her that this could be a sign for deep and wide gaps in understanding. To not know the definition of a function in honors precalculus is a huge red flag, definitely not typical of a student doing advanced programs like AOPS as OP claims. That’s her prerogative, but I think she’s in for a rude awakening later on.

Why do you care so much that you keep posting bashing her? She's taking this seriously. She tested her child on the content just as you advised, using the very test that you linked to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is determined that struggling massively in precalculus in 9th grade is no big deal and the student only needs some support from tutoring despite many posters warning her that this could be a sign for deep and wide gaps in understanding. To not know the definition of a function in honors precalculus is a huge red flag, definitely not typical of a student doing advanced programs like AOPS as OP claims. That’s her prerogative, but I think she’s in for a rude awakening later on.

Why do you care so much that you keep posting bashing her? She's taking this seriously. She tested her child on the content just as you advised, using the very test that you linked to.

Yes, but then he's getting D's and struggling with the class. And she's chalking it up to test anxiety.

That doesn't make sense, TBH. This is a kid who is 4 years ahead of his peers. If challenging material or classes triggered test anxiety, it would have come up a long time ago. Not just now.

No one is bashing OP. The details she has provided don't make sense with the conclusion she's reached. It sounds much more like he might have been advancing so far and he's just now reaching the point where his gaps and limitations in understanding the material and it's time to slow down and review and strengthen the foundation.

That makes way more than sudden onset test anxiety.

[Anonymous]

He just needs a tutor to go over everything a few more times. My son was the same, it's a huge learning curve in pre-calc but once your turn the corner with a bit of extra time and explanations, it makes sense and your kid can move forward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is determined that struggling massively in precalculus in 9th grade is no big deal and the student only needs some support from tutoring despite many posters warning her that this could be a sign for deep and wide gaps in understanding. To not know the definition of a function in honors precalculus is a huge red flag, definitely not typical of a student doing advanced programs like AOPS as OP claims. That’s her prerogative, but I think she’s in for a rude awakening later on.

Why do you care so much that you keep posting bashing her? She's taking this seriously. She tested her child on the content just as you advised, using the very test that you linked to.

Enough with the sock puppets, OP. How would you know this unless you really are the OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is determined that struggling massively in precalculus in 9th grade is no big deal and the student only needs some support from tutoring despite many posters warning her that this could be a sign for deep and wide gaps in understanding. To not know the definition of a function in honors precalculus is a huge red flag, definitely not typical of a student doing advanced programs like AOPS as OP claims. That’s her prerogative, but I think she’s in for a rude awakening later on.

Why do you care so much that you keep posting bashing her? She's taking this seriously. She tested her child on the content just as you advised, using the very test that you linked to.

Enough with the sock puppets, OP. How would you know this unless you really are the OP?

I’m not the OP either but I know this because I’VE READ THE THREAD!! Keep up!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP does your child supplement outside of MCPS? I looked at that test and I saw at least three topics that are not covered by MCPS Alg. 2 so it's odd that your child could magically get 100% of those questions right.

OP here. Like I posted elsewhere DS does AoPS. This is the first year he is not going to do it because of another activity.

IMO, your two options are go to regular Precal or stay in honors, with or without a tutor, and don't worry about the grade too much. He's absorbing the material which will mean higher level classes will be fine.

The OP said “struggling massively”. That’s the opposite of being fine.

Read the updates.

Yeah, things really improved from Thursday night to Sunday.

She explained what she meant by that. To me it sounds like the teacher is unnecessarily piling on tests that don’t allow enough time for a kid who understands the content.

+1
Although I don't agree with describing the teacher as "piling on" because it's unclear to me the teacher is doing anything wrong or excessive but just that the student works a bit more slowly than other students despite having a great grasp of the material.

I don't know why that other PP is obsessed with putting down OP and her child and finding flaws in her story.

My kid has had a similar issue and if his teacher had as many tests would also have a D. But his teacher doesn’t. And many other kids in the class (all kids with a very strong history of being high achievers in math) are saying the exact same thing. They know the content, but they just can’t do it fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is determined that struggling massively in precalculus in 9th grade is no big deal and the student only needs some support from tutoring despite many posters warning her that this could be a sign for deep and wide gaps in understanding. To not know the definition of a function in honors precalculus is a huge red flag, definitely not typical of a student doing advanced programs like AOPS as OP claims. That’s her prerogative, but I think she’s in for a rude awakening later on.

Why do you care so much that you keep posting bashing her? She's taking this seriously. She tested her child on the content just as you advised, using the very test that you linked to.

Enough with the sock puppets, OP. How would you know this unless you really are the OP?

I'm not the OP. My child is doing really badly in Algebra 2 after getting As in all previous classes so I am following this thread closely. My child is on grade level, not accelerated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It makes perfect sense to me. I don't know her child in real life but I don't see why you don't think it's possible. HS is the start of a new stage of pressure with lots of different demands.

The child could also have undiagnosed ADHD or just low processing speed and could have compensated previously by being really smart. A Yale law school grad who is a friend of mine revealed once that he has really low processing speed, like 20th percentile.

Agree with this - starting high school and knowing that you’ve done badly on one test even though this is a subject you’ve previously aced is enough to develop test anxiety for subsequent tests.

[Anonymous]

OP, it really is hopeless. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP does your child supplement outside of MCPS? I looked at that test and I saw at least three topics that are not covered by MCPS Alg. 2 so it's odd that your child could magically get 100% of those questions right.

OP here. Like I posted elsewhere DS does AoPS. This is the first year he is not going to do it because of another activity.

IMO, your two options are go to regular Precal or stay in honors, with or without a tutor, and don't worry about the grade too much. He's absorbing the material which will mean higher level classes will be fine.

The OP said “struggling massively”. That’s the opposite of being fine.

Read the updates.

Yeah, things really improved from Thursday night to Sunday.

She explained what she meant by that. To me it sounds like the teacher is unnecessarily piling on tests that don’t allow enough time for a kid who understands the content.

+1
Although I don't agree with describing the teacher as "piling on" because it's unclear to me the teacher is doing anything wrong or excessive but just that the student works a bit more slowly than other students despite having a great grasp of the material.

I don't know why that other PP is obsessed with putting down OP and her child and finding flaws in her story.

My kid has had a similar issue and if his teacher had as many tests would also have a D. But his teacher doesn’t. And many other kids in the class (all kids with a very strong history of being high achievers in math) are saying the exact same thing. They know the content, but they just can’t do it fast.

I think you are the magnet parent on other threads. The experience your child is having in magnet math is not comparable to regular Precal Honors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is determined that struggling massively in precalculus in 9th grade is no big deal and the student only needs some support from tutoring despite many posters warning her that this could be a sign for deep and wide gaps in understanding. To not know the definition of a function in honors precalculus is a huge red flag, definitely not typical of a student doing advanced programs like AOPS as OP claims. That’s her prerogative, but I think she’s in for a rude awakening later on.

Why do you care so much that you keep posting bashing her? She's taking this seriously. She tested her child on the content just as you advised, using the very test that you linked to.

Enough with the sock puppets, OP. How would you know this unless you really are the OP?

I'm not the OP. My child is doing really badly in Algebra 2 after getting As in all previous classes so I am following this thread closely. My child is on grade level, not accelerated.

NP. Alg 2 is when math gets hard. Definitely get a tutor. It can be very dispiriting for kids to struggle through math - they quickly lose confidence and say it’s boring, their teacher hates them, etc. I have one who loves math and none who struggles !!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is determined that struggling massively in precalculus in 9th grade is no big deal and the student only needs some support from tutoring despite many posters warning her that this could be a sign for deep and wide gaps in understanding. To not know the definition of a function in honors precalculus is a huge red flag, definitely not typical of a student doing advanced programs like AOPS as OP claims. That’s her prerogative, but I think she’s in for a rude awakening later on.

Why do you care so much that you keep posting bashing her? She's taking this seriously. She tested her child on the content just as you advised, using the very test that you linked to.

Enough with the sock puppets, OP. How would you know this unless you really are the OP?

I'm not the OP. My child is doing really badly in Algebra 2 after getting As in all previous classes so I am following this thread closely. My child is on grade level, not accelerated.

NP. Alg 2 is when math gets hard. Definitely get a tutor. It can be very dispiriting for kids to struggle through math - they quickly lose confidence and say it’s boring, their teacher hates them, etc. I have one who loves math and none who struggles !!

*one who struggles, sorry :-)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is determined that struggling massively in precalculus in 9th grade is no big deal and the student only needs some support from tutoring despite many posters warning her that this could be a sign for deep and wide gaps in understanding. To not know the definition of a function in honors precalculus is a huge red flag, definitely not typical of a student doing advanced programs like AOPS as OP claims. That’s her prerogative, but I think she’s in for a rude awakening later on.

Why do you care so much that you keep posting bashing her? She's taking this seriously. She tested her child on the content just as you advised, using the very test that you linked to.

Enough with the sock puppets, OP. How would you know this unless you really are the OP?

I'm not the OP. My child is doing really badly in Algebra 2 after getting As in all previous classes so I am following this thread closely. My child is on grade level, not accelerated.

NP. Alg 2 is when math gets hard. Definitely get a tutor. It can be very dispiriting for kids to struggle through math - they quickly lose confidence and say it’s boring, their teacher hates them, etc. I have one who loves math and none who struggles !!

*one who struggles, sorry :-)

Thank you for the advice! It's been a really awful start to the year and we're still troubleshooting. The teacher is very demanding, but I think it is good and in the longrun DC will learn more than with an easier teacher.