Is 8th grade pre-algebra or algebra?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ds is in grade 7. He s currently taking algebra 1. He s thriving. I tried talk him out of it but he wants to take it and the teacher thought he d do well.

This isn’t what you need to worry about. It is at the other end of your child’s academics when confronted with upper level math courses and possibly struggling there. The data is there in FCPS that shows a huge number of students taking less demanding courses in 11th and 12th grade because they aren’t prepared for the rigor due to acceleration and memorization vs. understanding.

Or because they don't want to, even if they are highly capable. Kids and families choices once students finish algebra 2.

Why does it bother you what someone else chooses for their child?

Because we have a problem in this area where kids needlessly accelerate in mathematics for no reason and in doing so many suffer from a lack of understanding of content because they aren’t prepared due to memorization. Students struggle and get frustrated for no apparent reason.

And this impacts your family how?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ds is in grade 7. He s currently taking algebra 1. He s thriving. I tried talk him out of it but he wants to take it and the teacher thought he d do well.

This isn’t what you need to worry about. It is at the other end of your child’s academics when confronted with upper level math courses and possibly struggling there. The data is there in FCPS that shows a huge number of students taking less demanding courses in 11th and 12th grade because they aren’t prepared for the rigor due to acceleration and memorization vs. understanding.

Or because they don't want to, even if they are highly capable. Kids and families choices once students finish algebra 2.

Why does it bother you what someone else chooses for their child?

Because we have a problem in this area where kids needlessly accelerate in mathematics for no reason and in doing so many suffer from a lack of understanding of content because they aren’t prepared due to memorization. Students struggle and get frustrated for no apparent reason.

And this impacts your family how?

It is just my opinion. Isn’t that part of this Forum? No need to get to get your feelings hurt and upset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ds is in grade 7. He s currently taking algebra 1. He s thriving. I tried talk him out of it but he wants to take it and the teacher thought he d do well.

This isn’t what you need to worry about. It is at the other end of your child’s academics when confronted with upper level math courses and possibly struggling there. The data is there in FCPS that shows a huge number of students taking less demanding courses in 11th and 12th grade because they aren’t prepared for the rigor due to acceleration and memorization vs. understanding.

Or because they don't want to, even if they are highly capable. Kids and families choices once students finish algebra 2.

Why does it bother you what someone else chooses for their child?

Because we have a problem in this area where kids needlessly accelerate in mathematics for no reason and in doing so many suffer from a lack of understanding of content because they aren’t prepared due to memorization. Students struggle and get frustrated for no apparent reason.

This attitude right here is why the US is falling behind other countries.

I guess someone has to be average or below average. There is no need for a child who isn’t ready to take algebra to take it in middle school. Not every kid has to be in honors or go to a T20 school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ds is in grade 7. He s currently taking algebra 1. He s thriving. I tried talk him out of it but he wants to take it and the teacher thought he d do well.

This isn’t what you need to worry about. It is at the other end of your child’s academics when confronted with upper level math courses and possibly struggling there. The data is there in FCPS that shows a huge number of students taking less demanding courses in 11th and 12th grade because they aren’t prepared for the rigor due to acceleration and memorization vs. understanding.

Or because they don't want to, even if they are highly capable. Kids and families choices once students finish algebra 2.

Why does it bother you what someone else chooses for their child?

Because we have a problem in this area where kids needlessly accelerate in mathematics for no reason and in doing so many suffer from a lack of understanding of content because they aren’t prepared due to memorization. Students struggle and get frustrated for no apparent reason.

And we used to live in a world where you can graduate high school and get a decent job in car factory or whatever where accelerated math is not needed. But we don't live in that world now. Our business leader told us that low end job will be shipped to China and India and we are supposed to upskill and do the high end jobs like designing and inventing and financing and consulting. That's why everyone is "needlessly accelerate in math".

Of course in China, they just call it math. Pre-algebra at 7th grade is standard cirriculum in Chinese middle school. Geometry at 8th grade is also stanard there.

[Anonymous]

I have a rising 7th grader and am a bit confused. So whatever Math 7 is this year is changing to Prealegebra next year? So all the kids are skipping whatever has usually been covered in Math 7? I’ve been trying to decide between regular and Honors math for my kid. Worried that prealgebra will be harder than whatever the class would have been about before, which makes me question honors. But then will regular be kids who are really struggling due to the forced acceleration? Mine does well in grade level math. Will the kids who are in AAP math for 6th take algebra next year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a rising 7th grader and am a bit confused. So whatever Math 7 is this year is changing to Prealegebra next year? So all the kids are skipping whatever has usually been covered in Math 7? I’ve been trying to decide between regular and Honors math for my kid. Worried that prealgebra will be harder than whatever the class would have been about before, which makes me question honors. But then will regular be kids who are really struggling due to the forced acceleration? Mine does well in grade level math. Will the kids who are in AAP math for 6th take algebra next year?

They might. Or they will take PreAlgebra Honors. Prealgebra Honors is replacing math 7 Honors. Kids who were not in advanced math will take regular PreAlgebra in 7th and then probably regular Algebra in 8th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a rising 7th grader and am a bit confused. So whatever Math 7 is this year is changing to Prealegebra next year? So all the kids are skipping whatever has usually been covered in Math 7? I’ve been trying to decide between regular and Honors math for my kid. Worried that prealgebra will be harder than whatever the class would have been about before, which makes me question honors. But then will regular be kids who are really struggling due to the forced acceleration? Mine does well in grade level math. Will the kids who are in AAP math for 6th take algebra next year?

They might. Or they will take PreAlgebra Honors. Prealgebra Honors is replacing math 7 Honors. Kids who were not in advanced math will take regular PreAlgebra in 7th and then probably regular Algebra in 8th.

So a kid not being n advanced math in 6th should not take honors in 7th? I am confused because other people here say kids should take all honors if they are doing fine with grade level work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a rising 7th grader and am a bit confused. So whatever Math 7 is this year is changing to Prealegebra next year? So all the kids are skipping whatever has usually been covered in Math 7? I’ve been trying to decide between regular and Honors math for my kid. Worried that prealgebra will be harder than whatever the class would have been about before, which makes me question honors. But then will regular be kids who are really struggling due to the forced acceleration? Mine does well in grade level math. Will the kids who are in AAP math for 6th take algebra next year?

They might. Or they will take PreAlgebra Honors. Prealgebra Honors is replacing math 7 Honors. Kids who were not in advanced math will take regular PreAlgebra in 7th and then probably regular Algebra in 8th.

So a kid not being n advanced math in 6th should not take honors in 7th? I am confused because other people here say kids should take all honors if they are doing fine with grade level work.

Math is a different track than everything else. I would ask the child's teacher. Our kid's LLIV class had more kids take Math 7 Honors than Algebra this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a rising 7th grader and am a bit confused. So whatever Math 7 is this year is changing to Prealegebra next year? So all the kids are skipping whatever has usually been covered in Math 7? I’ve been trying to decide between regular and Honors math for my kid. Worried that prealgebra will be harder than whatever the class would have been about before, which makes me question honors. But then will regular be kids who are really struggling due to the forced acceleration? Mine does well in grade level math. Will the kids who are in AAP math for 6th take algebra next year?

They might. Or they will take PreAlgebra Honors. Prealgebra Honors is replacing math 7 Honors. Kids who were not in advanced math will take regular PreAlgebra in 7th and then probably regular Algebra in 8th.

So a kid not being n advanced math in 6th should not take honors in 7th? I am confused because other people here say kids should take all honors if they are doing fine with grade level work.

Ask your current teacher. Some kids in regular math in 6th may choose honors math for 7th - it depends how strong they are. There may be some gaps in knowledge if they go for honors and thus many kids who do that prep the summer before or are prepared to put more work in once they are actually in the honors math class.

[Anonymous]

When it comes to the soft racism of lowered expectations, California leads the way down the road to failure:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/10/california-math-framework-algebra/675509/

TL;dr

California’s public schools banned teaching Algebra prior to 9th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ds is in grade 7. He s currently taking algebra 1. He s thriving. I tried talk him out of it but he wants to take it and the teacher thought he d do well.

This isn’t what you need to worry about. It is at the other end of your child’s academics when confronted with upper level math courses and possibly struggling there. The data is there in FCPS that shows a huge number of students taking less demanding courses in 11th and 12th grade because they aren’t prepared for the rigor due to acceleration and memorization vs. understanding.

Or because they don't want to, even if they are highly capable. Kids and families choices once students finish algebra 2.

Why does it bother you what someone else chooses for their child?

Because we have a problem in this area where kids needlessly accelerate in mathematics for no reason and in doing so many suffer from a lack of understanding of content because they aren’t prepared due to memorization. Students struggle and get frustrated for no apparent reason.

And we used to live in a world where you can graduate high school and get a decent job in car factory or whatever where accelerated math is not needed. But we don't live in that world now. Our business leader told us that low end job will be shipped to China and India and we are supposed to upskill and do the high end jobs like designing and inventing and financing and consulting. That's why everyone is "needlessly accelerate in math".

Of course in China, they just call it math. Pre-algebra at 7th grade is standard cirriculum in Chinese middle school. Geometry at 8th grade is also stanard there.

NP here. I’m Korean American. Kids are doing algebra in elementary school, not middle school in Korea. Whenever a kid comes from Asia, they run circles around the kids in math here.

I always tell my kids they are lucky to live in America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When it comes to the soft racism of lowered expectations, California leads the way down the road to failure:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/10/california-math-framework-algebra/675509/

TL;dr

California’s public schools banned teaching Algebra prior to 9th grade.

Liar.

One school district stopped offering it but then reversed that decision.

Your anti-public-school propaganda is outdated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ds is in grade 7. He s currently taking algebra 1. He s thriving. I tried talk him out of it but he wants to take it and the teacher thought he d do well.

This isn’t what you need to worry about. It is at the other end of your child’s academics when confronted with upper level math courses and possibly struggling there. The data is there in FCPS that shows a huge number of students taking less demanding courses in 11th and 12th grade because they aren’t prepared for the rigor due to acceleration and memorization vs. understanding.

Or because they don't want to, even if they are highly capable. Kids and families choices once students finish algebra 2.

Why does it bother you what someone else chooses for their child?

Because we have a problem in this area where kids needlessly accelerate in mathematics for no reason and in doing so many suffer from a lack of understanding of content because they aren’t prepared due to memorization. Students struggle and get frustrated for no apparent reason.

And we used to live in a world where you can graduate high school and get a decent job in car factory or whatever where accelerated math is not needed. But we don't live in that world now. Our business leader told us that low end job will be shipped to China and India and we are supposed to upskill and do the high end jobs like designing and inventing and financing and consulting. That's why everyone is "needlessly accelerate in math".

Of course in China, they just call it math. Pre-algebra at 7th grade is standard cirriculum in Chinese middle school. Geometry at 8th grade is also stanard there.

NP here. I’m Korean American. Kids are doing algebra in elementary school, not middle school in Korea. Whenever a kid comes from Asia, they run circles around the kids in math here.

I always tell my kids they are lucky to live in America.

The kids who came to my kids school from Japan did not test into Advanced Math in 6th grade and is using a tutor for Algebra in 8th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ds is in grade 7. He s currently taking algebra 1. He s thriving. I tried talk him out of it but he wants to take it and the teacher thought he d do well.

This isn’t what you need to worry about. It is at the other end of your child’s academics when confronted with upper level math courses and possibly struggling there. The data is there in FCPS that shows a huge number of students taking less demanding courses in 11th and 12th grade because they aren’t prepared for the rigor due to acceleration and memorization vs. understanding.

I agree with this. High school level classes taught at the middle school level are severely watered down. Especially in world language. If you have a student who is exceptionally gifted in math, it won't matter. It's the average math students that may struggle as the math rigor intensifies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ds is in grade 7. He s currently taking algebra 1. He s thriving. I tried talk him out of it but he wants to take it and the teacher thought he d do well.

This isn’t what you need to worry about. It is at the other end of your child’s academics when confronted with upper level math courses and possibly struggling there. The data is there in FCPS that shows a huge number of students taking less demanding courses in 11th and 12th grade because they aren’t prepared for the rigor due to acceleration and memorization vs. understanding.

I agree with this. High school level classes taught at the middle school level are severely watered down. Especially in world language. If you have a student who is exceptionally gifted in math, it won't matter. It's the average math students that may struggle as the math rigor intensifies.

I recently went to a hs class meeting for course selection and the counselor said many kids drop from algebra 2 honors to algebra.

The problem is that to get into a deemed good college, you need high rigor or you basically have no shot at any school like UVA or other top college.

If you take algebra in 9th grade, that is the lowest math track. You are lowest rigor.