6th graders to take Algebra 1 HN

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:at our school’s AAP, it looks like fifth grade math is taught again to sixth graders - ratio, percentage, order of operation and basic algebra. It would be better if qualified and ready 6th graders at ALL ES schools would be permitted to take Algebra 1 and not just Haycock.

The ES math curriculum all spirals, they see it again and again each year.

The concept/topic spirals but the questions get harder and often include more steps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:at our school’s AAP, it looks like fifth grade math is taught again to sixth graders - ratio, percentage, order of operation and basic algebra. It would be better if qualified and ready 6th graders at ALL ES schools would be permitted to take Algebra 1 and not just Haycock.

I suspect Haycock gets a nod/pass from gatehouse because they have large numbers of kids who might be ready or fine with taking it in 6th. Reasons for this are: The level of parental involvement with math is extremely high for that cohort, likely due to prepping for TJ, but also self selection into that pyramid (parents moving into the area hear that Haycock/Longfellow historically is extremely strong in math, so they move there if they can afford it). The Mathcounts metrics confirm that Haycock as an elementary school does really well at Mathcounts and historically has set a large pipeline of students to continue to excel in Mathcounts at Longfellow, etc. They also have a very vocal PTA from what I've heard, so they will obviously push the school/FCPS to get whatever they need to feed this cohort. It probably also doesn't hurt that logistically Haycock is located next to Longfellow, so they can just walk there in 2 mins if they need to take Alg1 or another math course.

But most elementary schools don't have all this setup, so they will not be able to get Alg1 6th grade classes.

It's a shame that equally qualified kids are robbed of the opportunity for an appropriately challenging education just because they go to the wrong school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:at our school’s AAP, it looks like fifth grade math is taught again to sixth graders - ratio, percentage, order of operation and basic algebra. It would be better if qualified and ready 6th graders at ALL ES schools would be permitted to take Algebra 1 and not just Haycock.

The ES math curriculum all spirals, they see it again and again each year.

The concept/topic spirals but the questions get harder and often include more steps.

Shouldn't the AAP spirals be "wider"/"faster" rather than just being a grade ahead of normal?

[Anonymous]

There's no need to fear monger. Many kids who are regular, bright kids and not math supergeniuses have no problems whatsoever with Geometry in 8th and Algebra II in 9th. If your kid qualifies to take Algebra in 7th and has reasonably high executive function, your kid will be fine on that track.


+1 Taking Algebra HN in 7th was great for my son, who is not a math super genius but a regular bright kid. It allowed him the chance to learn how to do a hard class when the rest of his classes were relatively easy. He worked hard at it and is doing well in HS in math now. My younger son is turning out to be more gifted in math but I'm inclined to choose the same path for him, not to accelerate him further/younger.

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There's no need to fear monger. Many kids who are regular, bright kids and not math supergeniuses have no problems whatsoever with Geometry in 8th and Algebra II in 9th. If your kid qualifies to take Algebra in 7th and has reasonably high executive function, your kid will be fine on that track.


+1 Taking Algebra HN in 7th was great for my son, who is not a math super genius but a regular bright kid. It allowed him the chance to learn how to do a hard class when the rest of his classes were relatively easy. He worked hard at it and is doing well in HS in math now. My younger son is turning out to be more gifted in math but I'm inclined to choose the same path for him, not to accelerate him further/younger.

+2

+3 I think success in Algebra HN in 6th or 7th is more correlated to high executive functioning than innate math ability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In order to take Algebra I in 6th grade, they need to take 6th grade pre-algebra in 5th grade (or whenever). So the principal needs to move the child up a grade level (or more) for math. Some principals will consider this, many won't.

This. Two kids did it in our ES in my son’s grade. They joined the 6th grade AAP math class while in 5th so they took the IAAT and 7th grade SOL along with the rest of their math class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In order to take Algebra I in 6th grade, they need to take 6th grade pre-algebra in 5th grade (or whenever). So the principal needs to move the child up a grade level (or more) for math. Some principals will consider this, many won't.

This. Two kids did it in our ES in my son’s grade. They joined the 6th grade AAP math class while in 5th so they took the IAAT and 7th grade SOL along with the rest of their math class.

I should add they went to the middle school for first period and then came to our late start ES where they were only a couple of minutes late on the MS odd days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS has an official track that they hide from parents. If your child had a CogAT Q score >= 145, SOL scores for 3rd and 4th >= 575, and the teacher recommends them, they are then invited to jump up to 6th grade AAP math at the beginning of 5th grade. The kids I know of on this track also had to take another test administered by Gatehouse before being jumped up. This track is only available if your principal chooses to participate.

This correct. I do agree with FCPS that it is not necessary unless the kid is truly a mature math genius.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In order to take Algebra I in 6th grade, they need to take 6th grade pre-algebra in 5th grade (or whenever). So the principal needs to move the child up a grade level (or more) for math. Some principals will consider this, many won't.

This. Two kids did it in our ES in my son’s grade. They joined the 6th grade AAP math class while in 5th so they took the IAAT and 7th grade SOL along with the rest of their math class.

I should add they went to the middle school for first period and then came to our late start ES where they were only a couple of minutes late on the MS odd days.

I heard some are taking online Algebra I HN in 6th grade, not ideal in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand that students who are in 6th grade AAP, with SOL>500 and IAAT >91% can enroll in Algebra 1 HN in their 7th grade.
How can students be qualified to take Algebra 1 HN in their 6th grade? They will have SOL, but do they take IAAT at 5th grade?
Can anyone share experience? I will ask school counselor today as well.

I would seriously ask you to reconsider unless your kid is one of those that will graduate med school at 18. Why?

My kid was very good at math. Was not in accelerated math in 5th/6th (we opted against AAP) and I was pissed about it at the time. That said, DC developed a strong math foundation and was at the top of class with math. DC had lots of confidence going into 7th. DC killed it in HN Math 7 (or whatever it's called) and then had HN Alg 1 in 8th. Killed it there too. She's now had HN Geom and HN Alg 2 (with an A), and will take AP math next year (not jumping to calculus). She is doing so well, has lots of confidence in her math. So we are happy with how that worked out. And she likes it. MANY kids that we know, AAP and non, jumped to Algebra 1 in 7th and either dropped down/retook it, or it set them on a path where they struggled through the rest of HS.

My understanding (based on us starting the process) is that lots of schools will not accept the credits for the hard math AP classes (calc) b/c they want you to take them in college. This would be for the hard stem careers. So why rush it? Get the good, solid foundation in math in HS.

[Anonymous]

I would say algebra 1 in 6th is risky unless your kid is tog off the charts.

Algebra 1 in 7th is smart if they are considering TJ since most kids start at the algebra 2 in 9th step (or above for some). Tougher if you come in and still need to do Geometry.

[Anonymous]

Loudoun has more kids taking algebra in 6th and 7th than Fairfax, at least at some schools.
The kids taking algebra in 6th grade tend to be the best students in the class, and this carries thru to 8th grade algebra 2.
I don't know about the 7th grade numbers. About half of them take algebra in 7th grade in a few Loudoun schools, or at least did prior to the VMPI slowdown.

[Anonymous]

The same 6th graders who wanted to but couldn’t take Algebra 1 try to take Geometry HN in the summer. What a shame they spend the entire 6th year going over the same stuff they’ve already known while missing the beauty of and much needed logic training from Geometry by rushing it through in just 5 weeks! There is parents or students wanting to catch up with kids from the right school in this. All AAP center schools also need to make it possible for eligible 6th graders to take Algebra 1.

[Anonymous]

Do you know how to qualify?

Anonymous wrote:The same 6th graders who wanted to but couldn’t take Algebra 1 try to take Geometry HN in the summer. What a shame they spend the entire 6th year going over the same stuff they’ve already known while missing the beauty of and much needed logic training from Geometry by rushing it through in just 5 weeks! There is parents or students wanting to catch up with kids from the right school in this. All AAP center schools also need to make it possible for eligible 6th graders to take Algebra 1.

[Anonymous]

To be clear, if this child was to take Alg I in 6th grade, he would not be at his Elementary School for that class. He'd have to travel to the middle school. And I'm then not sure if they'd get Science as those two are together, as Reading/Language Arts are as well.

I'm not sure of the logistics (are you required to drive him? how does this fit into the schedule?) but another layer to consider.

Our Middle School held 80 minute classes and started significantly earlier than our Elementary as well.