STA Math Track

[Anonymous]

STA parent with a math background. The trolls are somewhat correct. Math instruction at STA is pretty bad and students are clearly behind those schools with better math instruction and class selection. School likes to push the narrative reflected here that math is the taught different or harder here but it’s not really true. There just aren’t a lot of strong STEM type kids at least in my son’s grade. You can see it in for example the NMS numbers. Each class has a handful of good STEM kids and those kids learn it outside of STA. Standard curriculum is pretty basic, but parents assume that it is more because of STA’s reputation. Instruction in other subjects is good, but math is not what I’d consider rigorous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:STA parent with a math background. The trolls are somewhat correct. Math instruction at STA is pretty bad and students are clearly behind those schools with better math instruction and class selection. School likes to push the narrative reflected here that math is the taught different or harder here but it’s not really true. There just aren’t a lot of strong STEM type kids at least in my son’s grade. You can see it in for example the NMS numbers. Each class has a handful of good STEM kids and those kids learn it outside of STA. Standard curriculum is pretty basic, but parents assume that it is more because of STA’s reputation. Instruction in other subjects is good, but math is not what I’d consider rigorous.

I'm also an STA parent with a math background and I disagree. Honors precalculus and BC are taught at a challenging level. The exams are much harder at STA than at NCS (I've had kids in both schools in back-to-back years). The exams are also much more difficult than what my oldest was given in public.

I agree that their are not many super math inclined kids in each grade. There are always a few who do acceleration outside of school (for example--arrive taking BC in 9th grade and then do course work at Georgetown or elsewhere by senior year).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:STA parent with a math background. The trolls are somewhat correct. Math instruction at STA is pretty bad and students are clearly behind those schools with better math instruction and class selection. School likes to push the narrative reflected here that math is the taught different or harder here but it’s not really true. There just aren’t a lot of strong STEM type kids at least in my son’s grade. You can see it in for example the NMS numbers. Each class has a handful of good STEM kids and those kids learn it outside of STA. Standard curriculum is pretty basic, but parents assume that it is more because of STA’s reputation. Instruction in other subjects is good, but math is not what I’d consider rigorous.

My son had a 800 on the math portion of the SAT coming out of STA with very little outside prep. He was in a mix of honors and regular classes throughout his time at STA. They must be doing something right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA parent with a math background. The trolls are somewhat correct. Math instruction at STA is pretty bad and students are clearly behind those schools with better math instruction and class selection. School likes to push the narrative reflected here that math is the taught different or harder here but it’s not really true. There just aren’t a lot of strong STEM type kids at least in my son’s grade. You can see it in for example the NMS numbers. Each class has a handful of good STEM kids and those kids learn it outside of STA. Standard curriculum is pretty basic, but parents assume that it is more because of STA’s reputation. Instruction in other subjects is good, but math is not what I’d consider rigorous.

My son had a 800 on the math portion of the SAT coming out of STA with very little outside prep. He was in a mix of honors and regular classes throughout his time at STA. They must be doing something right.

Yes, mine got an 800 math PSAT in the fall and a 36 math ACT this spring. He's going to study a humanities subject in college (and will not take BC calculus at STA) but he's learned math.

[Anonymous]

So is it true that only 3-10 boys per class at STA take a course beyond calculus? That’s an insanely low number. No wonder STA has so few NMS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA parent with a math background. The trolls are somewhat correct. Math instruction at STA is pretty bad and students are clearly behind those schools with better math instruction and class selection. School likes to push the narrative reflected here that math is the taught different or harder here but it’s not really true. There just aren’t a lot of strong STEM type kids at least in my son’s grade. You can see it in for example the NMS numbers. Each class has a handful of good STEM kids and those kids learn it outside of STA. Standard curriculum is pretty basic, but parents assume that it is more because of STA’s reputation. Instruction in other subjects is good, but math is not what I’d consider rigorous.

My son had a 800 on the math portion of the SAT coming out of STA with very little outside prep. He was in a mix of honors and regular classes throughout his time at STA. They must be doing something right.

Yes, mine got an 800 math PSAT in the fall and a 36 math ACT this spring. He's going to study a humanities subject in college (and will not take BC calculus at STA) but he's learned math.

You can't get above a 760 on the math for the PSAT.

[Anonymous]

Glad to see this topic. NCS MS math teacher at 8th grade is using this as a somewhat bullying mechanism. Some girls are doing great the first and second trimester, but their scores slipped a bit the last trimester. The math teacher kept telling her “you are not selected to go to an honor algebra 2 class” or “oh well, I might consider if your score gets better” the girl is under a lot of stress right. How dumb is this! What is the difference between a 94 and 95? What is in this teacher’s mind of showing his so called recommendation power to a 14 year old? And this teacher told some other girls - you are on the waiting list. I don’t know what I will do with you. I will let you know when I am ready. Talking about toxic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA parent with a math background. The trolls are somewhat correct. Math instruction at STA is pretty bad and students are clearly behind those schools with better math instruction and class selection. School likes to push the narrative reflected here that math is the taught different or harder here but it’s not really true. There just aren’t a lot of strong STEM type kids at least in my son’s grade. You can see it in for example the NMS numbers. Each class has a handful of good STEM kids and those kids learn it outside of STA. Standard curriculum is pretty basic, but parents assume that it is more because of STA’s reputation. Instruction in other subjects is good, but math is not what I’d consider rigorous.

My son had a 800 on the math portion of the SAT coming out of STA with very little outside prep. He was in a mix of honors and regular classes throughout his time at STA. They must be doing something right.

Yes, mine got an 800 math PSAT in the fall and a 36 math ACT this spring. He's going to study a humanities subject in college (and will not take BC calculus at STA) but he's learned math.

You can't get above a 760 on the math for the PSAT.

This was my post. You're right--my kid got whatever a perfect score is on the PSAT. I think it's a 760. He did not do as well on the English section.

[Anonymous]

Math instruction at STA is bad full stop. School hides behind its reputation for rigor. But fact is the average STA student is behind many other students. If you are smart you can catch up in college, but this is something the school should address rather than gaslight parents into thinking a mediocre program is teaching things differently and with more rigor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Math instruction at STA is bad full stop. School hides behind its reputation for rigor. But fact is the average STA student is behind many other students. If you are smart you can catch up in college, but this is something the school should address rather than gaslight parents into thinking a mediocre program is teaching things differently and with more rigor.

We came from an excellent public school system locally where there are vast numbers of accelerated kids and very high level math offered. Our son scored well on the math SSAT. Our son did well in STA math but also found it challenging—more so than prior accelerated public school math.

My personal view is that the grass is not always greener. I had always heard the better math was in very good local publics—don’t go to privates for the math sort of thing. I can speak to that, and it was not our experience. Sidwell parents, for example, also have whole threads dedicated to hating their math departments. Bottom line is I am not sure where you think math is “better?”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA parent with a math background. The trolls are somewhat correct. Math instruction at STA is pretty bad and students are clearly behind those schools with better math instruction and class selection. School likes to push the narrative reflected here that math is the taught different or harder here but it’s not really true. There just aren’t a lot of strong STEM type kids at least in my son’s grade. You can see it in for example the NMS numbers. Each class has a handful of good STEM kids and those kids learn it outside of STA. Standard curriculum is pretty basic, but parents assume that it is more because of STA’s reputation. Instruction in other subjects is good, but math is not what I’d consider rigorous.

My son had a 800 on the math portion of the SAT coming out of STA with very little outside prep. He was in a mix of honors and regular classes throughout his time at STA. They must be doing something right.

Yes, mine got an 800 math PSAT in the fall and a 36 math ACT this spring. He's going to study a humanities subject in college (and will not take BC calculus at STA) but he's learned math.

You can't get above a 760 on the math for the PSAT.

This was my post. You're right--my kid got whatever a perfect score is on the PSAT. I think it's a 760. He did not do as well on the English section.

Achieving a perfect score on SAT/ACT is not indicative of having taken rigorous math - it's just too easy to differentiate the top scorers. There is not even calculus, not to mention linear algebra or differential equations on these standardized tests. Sidwell and GDS have a higher level of math rigor in the area, but really no private DC schools can compete at the AMC level of math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Glad to see this topic. NCS MS math teacher at 8th grade is using this as a somewhat bullying mechanism. Some girls are doing great the first and second trimester, but their scores slipped a bit the last trimester. The math teacher kept telling her “you are not selected to go to an honor algebra 2 class” or “oh well, I might consider if your score gets better” the girl is under a lot of stress right. How dumb is this! What is the difference between a 94 and 95? What is in this teacher’s mind of showing his so called recommendation power to a 14 year old? And this teacher told some other girls - you are on the waiting list. I don’t know what I will do with you. I will let you know when I am ready. Talking about toxic?

NCS is very particular as to who moves ahead in math going into US. I know parents who have tried to push their daughters ahead and the school holds firm and really believes their reasoning for placements. Be careful what you wish for, the advanced math track (especially taking geo over the summer before 9th, peers of my DD said no to this due to summer commitments) is no walk in the park and US is much more demanding than MS, across the board. You need to consider whether getting a higher grade in a lower level class with less stress is better for your daughter than pushing for the hardest track and slogging through with a B or worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Glad to see this topic. NCS MS math teacher at 8th grade is using this as a somewhat bullying mechanism. Some girls are doing great the first and second trimester, but their scores slipped a bit the last trimester. The math teacher kept telling her “you are not selected to go to an honor algebra 2 class” or “oh well, I might consider if your score gets better” the girl is under a lot of stress right. How dumb is this! What is the difference between a 94 and 95? What is in this teacher’s mind of showing his so called recommendation power to a 14 year old? And this teacher told some other girls - you are on the waiting list. I don’t know what I will do with you. I will let you know when I am ready. Talking about toxic?

If this is true, probably good idea to have a conversation with the Head of the Middle School about what you perceive it going on.

[Anonymous]

The DC privates are full of lawyers' kids. STEM isn't emphasized at home as much as it is for the suburban scientists' kids whose parents work at NIST or Census or who teach at College Park.

You don't see DC schools on the list of Regeneron semi-finalists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Glad to see this topic. NCS MS math teacher at 8th grade is using this as a somewhat bullying mechanism. Some girls are doing great the first and second trimester, but their scores slipped a bit the last trimester. The math teacher kept telling her “you are not selected to go to an honor algebra 2 class” or “oh well, I might consider if your score gets better” the girl is under a lot of stress right. How dumb is this! What is the difference between a 94 and 95? What is in this teacher’s mind of showing his so called recommendation power to a 14 year old? And this teacher told some other girls - you are on the waiting list. I don’t know what I will do with you. I will let you know when I am ready. Talking about toxic?

If this is true, probably good idea to have a conversation with the Head of the Middle School about what you perceive it going on.

This is unfortunately the result of hiring young people with strong subject backgrounds and little training in education. The private school line is that they have the advantage of being able to fire bad teachers. So why don't they? This isn't the first time I have heard stories of Cathedral school teachers throwing tantrums in class.