Algebra 1 - 7th grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:M7H is prealgebra honors (FKA math 8). It covers most of 1st semester algebra at a less in depth level, and then does a random survey of geometry, probability, etc.

It's really strong preparation for algebra 1 honors in 8th grade. Taught well, your child will not be bored.

The caveat is that it is open enrollment, so if the culture at your school is that everyone takes honors everything regardless of qualifications, the course may not be a true honors math class and may just be a regular prealgebra class, in which case it would be more repetitive.

--math teacher

Thank you for this. I don't think ours is one of the hyper competitive schools but I guess we'll find out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend put her son in Alg 1 even tho he didn’t get pass advanced on the SOL. I personally would not do that but she did and I guess it’s going fine.

My spouse teaches honors math 7. We have 3 kids. Our oldest took alg 1 in 7th but I am certain our younger 2 will take honors math 7 even the 1 who will also be coming from aap.

Does your spouse have any insight as to the material that is covered and whether it is a repeat of the 6th grade AAP math? Does he see some of the cusp kids who didn't get into Algebra get bored? I don't want to pay for math enrichment next year but if DC is not getting any new material, I may need to.

He said some of it is a little repetitive but it goes into more detail than what they had previously.

He’s not worried about our middle kid taking it, fwiw.

I would see it as a way to really make sure your kid is prepared for Alg 1.

Does your kid love math homework? It has been fine for my oldest to take Alg 1 in 7th and geometry in 8th but IMO it’s no joke and a fair amount of pressure since it’s a HS course and it’s also his class that is the most work. He wanted to take it and he qualified so we allowed but I personally wouldn’t have forced it if he wasn’t interested.

Our middle one is better as the big fish in a small pond and I just know he won’t take it even if he qualifies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend put her son in Alg 1 even tho he didn’t get pass advanced on the SOL. I personally would not do that but she did and I guess it’s going fine.

My spouse teaches honors math 7. We have 3 kids. Our oldest took alg 1 in 7th but I am certain our younger 2 will take honors math 7 even the 1 who will also be coming from aap.

Is it because of your oldest’s experience that you all do not want your youngest to take algebra when get to 7th? Was it negative experience? Or solely based on your kids personalities that you think the kids won’t want to v you all steering them a different path. With your husband math teacher for this grade, thinking he has good view on this.

[Anonymous]

Question for poster with spouse math teacher- do students that take algebra 1 in 7th end up taking math classes with students year and 2 years ahead of them in high school? Do they have usually separate class for 9th graders taking algebra 2 in 9th grade or are the 9th graders with sophomores and juniors taking they math level?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend put her son in Alg 1 even tho he didn’t get pass advanced on the SOL. I personally would not do that but she did and I guess it’s going fine.

My spouse teaches honors math 7. We have 3 kids. Our oldest took alg 1 in 7th but I am certain our younger 2 will take honors math 7 even the 1 who will also be coming from aap.

Is it because of your oldest’s experience that you all do not want your youngest to take algebra when get to 7th? Was it negative experience? Or solely based on your kids personalities that you think the kids won’t want to v you all steering them a different path. With your husband math teacher for this grade, thinking he has good view on this.

My oldest is having a fine experience in geometry in 8th grade right now. They're just different kids, and the oldest has always enjoyed math. The middle one is fine/good but doesn't love it the same way. I believe the kids should be able to select their own courses in middle school. If my middle one qualifies for alg 1 in 7th and surprises me by saying he really wants to take it - I would allow it - but I would be really shocked that he wanted to work harder in math. He's finishing 5th grade AAP right now - so it will be next year that he'll have to decide.

My spouse teaches in a middle school, not a HS. So I don't really know what happens in HS. My oldest has selected to take Honors Alg II in 9th grade. His geometry class was all 8th graders. I hadn't considered for his 9th grade math class whether he'd be with older kids or not - I assume he will be with all 9th graders but maybe that's wrong. I'll let you know when I find out.

[Anonymous]

Helpful. Thank you

[Anonymous]

OP here. My DS asked his math teacher today about Math 7HN. He told him that it would be "the easiest class that you take" and to be prepared to review a lot of material. Teacher said some material would be new but for the most part DS would coast. That's not reassuring.

I wish FCPS had a better solution for this.

[Anonymous]

Any chance a student who studies over the summer could take a test in the fall and transfer from 7H to Algebra?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My DS asked his math teacher today about Math 7HN. He told him that it would be "the easiest class that you take" and to be prepared to review a lot of material. Teacher said some material would be new but for the most part DS would coast. That's not reassuring.

I wish FCPS had a better solution for this.

OP, my daughter's friends that did Math 7H after doing AAP 6th grade math mostly said that it wasn't easy and it wasn't difficult. Kind of what my DD would say about Algebra 1H.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any chance a student who studies over the summer could take a test in the fall and transfer from 7H to Algebra?

I don't believe there is a mechanism for this, no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any chance a student who studies over the summer could take a test in the fall and transfer from 7H to Algebra?

You can just call the guidance counselor and say you want your kid in Alg 1 even though they didn’t qualify. I already said upthread that my friend did it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My DS asked his math teacher today about Math 7HN. He told him that it would be "the easiest class that you take" and to be prepared to review a lot of material. Teacher said some material would be new but for the most part DS would coast. That's not reassuring.

I wish FCPS had a better solution for this.

OP, I teach middle school math. The elementary teachers honestly have NO IDEA what goes on in middle school classrooms. Is M7H easy for a handful of kids? Sure. A1H is too! But for most kids it is a very healthy level of challenge. The standards spiral but are much deeper than in M7.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question for poster with spouse math teacher- do students that take algebra 1 in 7th end up taking math classes with students year and 2 years ahead of them in high school? Do they have usually separate class for 9th graders taking algebra 2 in 9th grade or are the 9th graders with sophomores and juniors taking they math level?

Algebra 2 is a mixed class. It would be way too restrictive to limit a section to only freshmen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any chance a student who studies over the summer could take a test in the fall and transfer from 7H to Algebra?

You can just call the guidance counselor and say you want your kid in Alg 1 even though they didn’t qualify. I already said upthread that my friend did it.

I would ask to do this as well. If his current (or most recent) 6th teacher can recommend him for it and his test scores with close, I think a reasonable counselor would ok this. You can ask to have it be probationary for the first 6 weeks with the understanding if the Alg I teacher does not feel his is ready, he can be placed back into the math level below.

[Anonymous]

Math 7 Honors is 8th grade Math, not a repeat. Our neighbor who teaches Algebra to 7th graders said she does not recommend it unless kids get 550+ on 7th grade SOL and at least 95th percentile on the IAAT, so that was out plan. Turns out my kid got 99th %ile on the IAAT and a perfect score on the SOL, but he still found Algebra somewhat challenging.