My DC scored 250+ in 3rd, but our principal said they had to take compacted 4/5. In 6th, they scored 285, but our school doesn't allow kids to skip, so they had to take AIM. I often wish we were at one of the WPES schools where kids can take Algebra in 5th. |
We all were wondering when the "WPES" poster would show up. Ignore. They post the same thing in every math thread, often with some claim about scores, to gin up discontent with that particular slant. They've been doing it for years. Those who haven't seen it are baited into "What's WPES?" when no such school exists so that the poster can identify it as a term for wealthy areas. While there may be some schools in wealthy areas that are more accommodative of acceleration, it is not ubiquitous, and the real problem is that MCPS does not do a good job of identifying need for such acceleration (or providing it to those with need) with fidelity across the system. WPES is just a distraction. |
Some schools are putting AIM students in 7+ to help with scheduling (6th and 7th graders can be placed together), but AIM is still the official class offered to 6th graders per central office. And 6th graders moving to 7+ will miss the first half of 7th grader standards so should supplement over the summer. |
Not really so. MCPS correspondence on the matter is not AIM-focused. Middle schools have been given the latitude to offer 7+ in lieu of AIM, and have been encouraged to do so due to its greater curricular continuity (see above/please read before responding). 7+ does not miss the first half of 7th -- the compaction of both 6+ and 7+ rearranges the modules (again, see above; the vendor has a curricular guide to the specific order and standards covered). Neither 5/6 nor Algebra are from the old C2.0, of which AIM has been a holdover, and there are elements of now-curricular-standard pre-Algebra that C2.0 AIM never covered (those were in C2.0 Algebra). Some teachers might be able to back-fill, of course. Some of the reason a school might keep AIM is logistics (teachers require training for AMP7+, but may already be trained for AIM) and some might be community adherence, whether from misinterpretation of the curriculum, dedication to the thought of two years of study in one (despite ending up in the same path to Algebra), a rare offering of AIM in 5th by a feeder ES (where switching to 7+ may, again, not garner the training allowance required from MCPS, but the already-AIM-trained teacher remains), or some other reason. |
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I am the OP, so are there three levels of math? I thought there was just grade 6 math and the advanced class (that I don't know the name of). The teacher felt like my daughter was getting overwhelmed by the speed of the course and thought slowing it down would benefit her. I don't disagree. But when she compares her scores to kids in the grade 5- not compacted- math class, she is well above them. So I don't want her completely bored.
If there is a middle class, that sounds exactly what she needs. |
7+ is not compaction if 6th and 7th. It is compaction of second half of 7th and all of 8th. Kids moving from 5/6 directly into 7+ miss the first half of 7th. |
Math 6 -- standard 6th-grade curriculum. Your DD will have covered much of this (a few lessons dropped due to compaction, but not really needed as they get recovered in the spiral) this year in Math 5/6. Usually (but not always -- can be suggested for different path depending on performance) followed by Math 7 and then Math 8, with Algebra in 9th grade. AMP 6+ -- the first half of accelerated/compacted (with rearrangements of modules/lessons) coverage of 6th-7th-8th curriculum. Paced similarly to elementary Math 4/5 & Math 5/6. Your DD will have covered much, but not all, of the curriculum. Typically followed by the paired AMP 7+, with Algebra in 8th grade. Math 7 -- standard, as above, but taken a year ahead in 6th grade (with 7th graders at the non-accelerated pace). Your DD wouldn't be repeating curriculum (aside from the spiral). Typically followed by Math 8 in 7th grade and Algebra in 8th. AIM and/or AMP 7+ (depending on that offered at the school -- continues higher acceleration with differential compaction (see above posts noting differences; AIM may be faster paced from its prior design). Each leads to Algebra in 7th grade. Depending on how your DD absorbed the Math 5/6 material, how she might handle a faster pace (given prior coverage of material, but taking the following year's likely course into account) and any preference for classmates, 6+ or Math 7 would seem to be the ones to consider for her, but talk to her current teacher, elementary Math specialist & MS Math lead to get a better idea. |
No -- The sentence to which you refer is not saying 7+ is compaction of 6th and 7th. It is saying that taking 7+ does not "miss the first half of 7th" in that those going from Math 5/6 directly to AMP 7+ don't really miss the first half of 7th, as often misunderstood. They miss things, but the compaction of the pair of AMP 6+ and AMP 7+ mixes modules across all three years of 6th-7th-8th covered curriculum. Parts of what are seen in the first half of the standard Math 7 might be seen in 6+ or might be seen in 7+. Parts of 8th might be mixed between the two, though much more likely to be in 7+. It's not a straight-line acceleration of the 6th/7th/8th material. With the spiral, the items missed by going from Math 5/6 to AMP7+ might be covered in any extra time in a manner similar to that in which the missing parts of AIM (with respect to the new Algebra curriculum) might be covered. |
| Have the spring MAP scores been released? |
No but your child saw their score when the test ended. Also you can request this from their teachers. |
It's because people are jealous that WPES kids have so many options for enrichment which just aren't available elsewhere. |
I mean, when you made up an imaginary thing, it can have as many options as you want and imagine. |
My WPES kid could take AIM in 5th at their ES, and Algebra 2 in 8th grade was super convenient from their MS. It is too bad more schools can't offer this. |
| MS that offers Alg 1 in 6th and Alg 2 onsite in 8th is important. AIM in 5th is not important, because you can do Khan Academy etc at home. |
What Frost does and what's good for students are not exactly the same. |