FCPS algebra 1 vs AoPS introduction to algebra

[Anonymous]

Why do so many kids get enrolled in AOPs or RSM? How bizarre. Is it to get a leg up? To look good for TJ? Is it a cultural thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do so many kids get enrolled in AOPs or RSM? How bizarre. Is it to get a leg up? To look good for TJ? Is it a cultural thing?

We started because my kid had a bad math teacher and math was taught in a second language, but we've kept it up for many years even though those two factors are now moot. AoPS emphasizes deeper thinking and problem solving that isn't covered in any school setting (we've bounced between great publics and privates). DS is primarily interested in STEM subjects and I feel like he'll be much better prepared for college. My understanding is that a large percentage of MIT admits are AoPS students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do so many kids get enrolled in AOPs or RSM? How bizarre. Is it to get a leg up? To look good for TJ? Is it a cultural thing?

We started because my kid had a bad math teacher and math was taught in a second language, but we've kept it up for many years even though those two factors are now moot. AoPS emphasizes deeper thinking and problem solving that isn't covered in any school setting (we've bounced between great publics and privates). DS is primarily interested in STEM subjects and I feel like he'll be much better prepared for college. My understanding is that a large percentage of MIT admits are AoPS students.

So in your case it is absolutely to get a leg up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do so many kids get enrolled in AOPs or RSM? How bizarre. Is it to get a leg up? To look good for TJ? Is it a cultural thing?

Nope. My kids are/went through advanced math in ES through a local level IV school. Neither of them are super stars in math even though the get good grades. Neither are TJ bound. One didn't even make it to 7th grade Algebra. They aren't taking math outside of school to get ahead. They are taking it because I want them to get a solid foundation in math/reinforce concepts. I think advanced math in ES is good for acceleration but not for getting a decent foundation. I'm not sure if they will continue in HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do so many kids get enrolled in AOPs or RSM? How bizarre. Is it to get a leg up? To look good for TJ? Is it a cultural thing?

Distance Learning math was awful. DS was bored and loves math so we enrolled him in AoPS. He asked to do it the following year, but we changed to RSM because he wanted to be in person and did not want to drive to Tyson's for AoPS. He enjoys being in a class with other kids who like math and want to be doing math. He likes that the math at RSM is more challenging and makes him think. He also asks to participate in math competitions.

We were at a RSM event for Pi Day and ran into three families that we know who are checking out RSM because their kids have seen the location and asked about joining.

DS has some classmates who are attending so that they can continue to be on grade level in the Advanced Math class and I have seen a few AAP parents post that they use RSM in order to keep their kid on grade level for AAP. But there are kids who are there because they just like math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do so many kids get enrolled in AOPs or RSM? How bizarre. Is it to get a leg up? To look good for TJ? Is it a cultural thing?

Distance Learning math was awful. DS was bored and loves math so we enrolled him in AoPS. He asked to do it the following year, but we changed to RSM because he wanted to be in person and did not want to drive to Tyson's for AoPS. He enjoys being in a class with other kids who like math and want to be doing math. He likes that the math at RSM is more challenging and makes him think. He also asks to participate in math competitions.

We were at a RSM event for Pi Day and ran into three families that we know who are checking out RSM because their kids have seen the location and asked about joining.

DS has some classmates who are attending so that they can continue to be on grade level in the Advanced Math class and I have seen a few AAP parents post that they use RSM in order to keep their kid on grade level for AAP. But there are kids who are there because they just like math.

It just seems like it wasn’t done 20 or so years ago at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do so many kids get enrolled in AOPs or RSM? How bizarre. Is it to get a leg up? To look good for TJ? Is it a cultural thing?

Distance Learning math was awful. DS was bored and loves math so we enrolled him in AoPS. He asked to do it the following year, but we changed to RSM because he wanted to be in person and did not want to drive to Tyson's for AoPS. He enjoys being in a class with other kids who like math and want to be doing math. He likes that the math at RSM is more challenging and makes him think. He also asks to participate in math competitions.

We were at a RSM event for Pi Day and ran into three families that we know who are checking out RSM because their kids have seen the location and asked about joining.

DS has some classmates who are attending so that they can continue to be on grade level in the Advanced Math class and I have seen a few AAP parents post that they use RSM in order to keep their kid on grade level for AAP. But there are kids who are there because they just like math.

It just seems like it wasn’t done 20 or so years ago at all.

No, it wasn't. Parents have forgotten what childhood was like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do so many kids get enrolled in AOPs or RSM? How bizarre. Is it to get a leg up? To look good for TJ? Is it a cultural thing?

We started because my kid had a bad math teacher and math was taught in a second language, but we've kept it up for many years even though those two factors are now moot. AoPS emphasizes deeper thinking and problem solving that isn't covered in any school setting (we've bounced between great publics and privates). DS is primarily interested in STEM subjects and I feel like he'll be much better prepared for college. My understanding is that a large percentage of MIT admits are AoPS students.

So in your case it is absolutely to get a leg up.

NP. I call it developing a deeper foundational understanding of math. You call it a leg up. Yes, deeper knowledge is a leg up. It’s not like colleges ask if you did AOPS 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do so many kids get enrolled in AOPs or RSM? How bizarre. Is it to get a leg up? To look good for TJ? Is it a cultural thing?

Distance Learning math was awful. DS was bored and loves math so we enrolled him in AoPS. He asked to do it the following year, but we changed to RSM because he wanted to be in person and did not want to drive to Tyson's for AoPS. He enjoys being in a class with other kids who like math and want to be doing math. He likes that the math at RSM is more challenging and makes him think. He also asks to participate in math competitions.

We were at a RSM event for Pi Day and ran into three families that we know who are checking out RSM because their kids have seen the location and asked about joining.

DS has some classmates who are attending so that they can continue to be on grade level in the Advanced Math class and I have seen a few AAP parents post that they use RSM in order to keep their kid on grade level for AAP. But there are kids who are there because they just like math.

It just seems like it wasn’t done 20 or so years ago at all.

No, it wasn't. Parents have forgotten what childhood was like.

Or maybe you are projecting your version of childhood on other people. My kid wants to go to RSM. He has the choice to go or not and he chooses to go. He also chooses to play a rec sport. He asked to try fencing with some friends so he is doing that. He plays with his friends after school and on the weekends.

And he has tried things and dropped them, different sports and activities.

Just because some kids don’t want to do math classes or STEM classes or drama classes or music classes doesn’t mean that other kids are not interested in those activities.

If your kid likes sports, go for it. If you have a kid that doesn’t want to do any activity, fine. Mine likes math. And sports. You worry about your kid and I’ll parent mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do so many kids get enrolled in AOPs or RSM? How bizarre. Is it to get a leg up? To look good for TJ? Is it a cultural thing?

Distance Learning math was awful. DS was bored and loves math so we enrolled him in AoPS. He asked to do it the following year, but we changed to RSM because he wanted to be in person and did not want to drive to Tyson's for AoPS. He enjoys being in a class with other kids who like math and want to be doing math. He likes that the math at RSM is more challenging and makes him think. He also asks to participate in math competitions.

We were at a RSM event for Pi Day and ran into three families that we know who are checking out RSM because their kids have seen the location and asked about joining.

DS has some classmates who are attending so that they can continue to be on grade level in the Advanced Math class and I have seen a few AAP parents post that they use RSM in order to keep their kid on grade level for AAP. But there are kids who are there because they just like math.

It just seems like it wasn’t done 20 or so years ago at all.

No, it wasn't. Parents have forgotten what childhood was like.

Or maybe you are projecting your version of childhood on other people. My kid wants to go to RSM. He has the choice to go or not and he chooses to go. He also chooses to play a rec sport. He asked to try fencing with some friends so he is doing that. He plays with his friends after school and on the weekends.

And he has tried things and dropped them, different sports and activities.

Just because some kids don’t want to do math classes or STEM classes or drama classes or music classes doesn’t mean that other kids are not interested in those activities.

If your kid likes sports, go for it. If you have a kid that doesn’t want to do any activity, fine. Mine likes math. And sports. You worry about your kid and I’ll parent mine.

It wouldn’t even occur to me to suggest to my child to take an additional math class. He loves math and is good at it, but I don’t see the purpose of doing more school after school. I highly doubt that young kids are asking to take math courses. This is originally an idea a parent has and probably becomes a routine.

[Anonymous]

Do you think a first grader will think to ask to play a sport or take music lessons or are those things that kids hear about from friends or because a parent suggests it? We suggested the program because he enjoys math and was bored with distance learning, he said yes and then said yes the following two years when we ask him. He also says yes when we ask about a sport. He has said no to many an activity or asked to drop one he doesn’t like. But most kids are not asking to play soccer or baseball at 4 or 5, the parents enroll the kid. Most kids don’t say they want to play the piano at 5, the parent sets up lessons. Hopefully the kid continues because they like it. Why would it be different for Math? Or Art?

That said, RSM sets up events that attracts kids. We were at the Pi day celebration at RSM and saw some friends there. Their kid goes to the music school next door and saw the signs for Pi day and wanted to try the math games. They had also gone to the Halloween party. The kid is asking to go and is interested in RSM. The adverts for the special events are not different then the lawn signs for lacrosse that the kids and parents see.

[Anonymous]

There is often a hidden motive behind having your child take these kinds of courses. I just don’t understand why you don’t allow your child to develop naturally. Why the push for this extra schooling outside of school? The kids need downtime!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is often a hidden motive behind having your child take these kinds of courses. I just don’t understand why you don’t allow your child to develop naturally. Why the push for this extra schooling outside of school? The kids need downtime!

I'd like to give that to my kid but his school has a stupid way of teaching math. Maybe you are just lucky to not have that.
If you can’t see any problem in the math curriculum, then maybe you don’t understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is often a hidden motive behind having your child take these kinds of courses. I just don’t understand why you don’t allow your child to develop naturally. Why the push for this extra schooling outside of school? The kids need downtime!

Isn't 7 hours of school all downtime and socialization? The real learning happens either at home or outside of school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is often a hidden motive behind having your child take these kinds of courses. I just don’t understand why you don’t allow your child to develop naturally. Why the push for this extra schooling outside of school? The kids need downtime!

Typical school day in the life of my tween is school, an hour for AoPS, 30 minutes for school homework, a couple hours for sports (with friends) and an hour for whatever (which is gaming 99% of the time).