Who should do Compacted Math?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is the one thing I regret. But of my DDs did well up until 9th grade when they were in Honors Algebra 2. It was such a rough start to high school.

Its rough for a lot of kids but parents never think ahead to this. Or having to take Calculus in 11th grade. Most kids should not be on this path. Dumb that MCPS encourages this.

It's not rough for math kids. Mine did Calculus in 10th. It was hard as they jumped to BC and not AB, but we just got a tutor. We thought ahead. Kid wanted it and I wasn't going to say no.

Your kid with a math tutor, is not a "math kid".

Yes, they are. They needed a tutor as there are no textbooks, just assignment handouts and teacher is often out for long periods of time, including 3 weeks and the solution was to teach yourself with videos.

Hate to tell you but a math kid just figures it out on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is the one thing I regret. But of my DDs did well up until 9th grade when they were in Honors Algebra 2. It was such a rough start to high school.

Its rough for a lot of kids but parents never think ahead to this. Or having to take Calculus in 11th grade. Most kids should not be on this path. Dumb that MCPS encourages this.

It's not rough for math kids. Mine did Calculus in 10th. It was hard as they jumped to BC and not AB, but we just got a tutor. We thought ahead. Kid wanted it and I wasn't going to say no.

Your kid with a math tutor, is not a "math kid".

Yes, they are. They needed a tutor as there are no textbooks, just assignment handouts and teacher is often out for long periods of time, including 3 weeks and the solution was to teach yourself with videos.

Hate to tell you but a math kid just figures it out on their own.

No, they don’t. Why wouldn’t you get a tutor. It’s not expense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is the one thing I regret. But of my DDs did well up until 9th grade when they were in Honors Algebra 2. It was such a rough start to high school.

Its rough for a lot of kids but parents never think ahead to this. Or having to take Calculus in 11th grade. Most kids should not be on this path. Dumb that MCPS encourages this.

It's not rough for math kids. Mine did Calculus in 10th. It was hard as they jumped to BC and not AB, but we just got a tutor. We thought ahead. Kid wanted it and I wasn't going to say no.

Your kid with a math tutor, is not a "math kid".

Yes, they are. They needed a tutor as there are no textbooks, just assignment handouts and teacher is often out for long periods of time, including 3 weeks and the solution was to teach yourself with videos.

Hate to tell you but a math kid just figures it out on their own.

No, they don’t. Why wouldn’t you get a tutor. It’s not expense.

Because my kid did not need a tutor. They got As in the class and a 5 on the exam (different poster)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is the one thing I regret. But of my DDs did well up until 9th grade when they were in Honors Algebra 2. It was such a rough start to high school.

Same experience. I would supplement outside of school and keep your child in non-compacted.

[Anonymous]

Math kid just loves math. I have a math kid that is obsessed with math, self taught many advanced math concepts watching videos and asking for math books. This kid fits the program for compacted math, and more homework, more merrier for my kid. Teacher says she thinks he will be in compacted math. Math is too easy for him according to grade level mcps math curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Compacted math was fine for my kid, but AIM was terrible. Our school did not offer 7+ to 6th graders and used the C2.0 materials. Algebra was much better because it used a legit curriculum (Illustrative Math). If our MS continues to offer AIM, I would not have my younger kids take it. I’d rather have them be in 6+ even if it is mostly repetitive if what they did in ES.

[Anonymous]

Compacted skips over lessons and has less homework for each lesson because of the faster pace. If your kid does not have a good foundation, this may not be ideal, and kid will likely struggle in higher level math; if your kid is already accelerated, then it is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids should not working to get into Compacted Math. They should either be math loving kids who are excelling and need the acceleration or kids who for whatever reason are grasping the concepts easily and new enrichment/accleration.

As others mentioned thinking ahead and paying attention to how kids are doing each year is critical. Because what seems easy in 4th grade, starts to really become a lot of necessary concepts to grasp and have solid foundation of each year.

As someone else noted the criteria for entry and staying is becoming stricter, because MCPS wants to see kids doing well all the way through, particularly in Alg1 and Alg2. This means Profecieny or Distinguished on the MCAP.

+1

My older two kids didn't have to work hard to get into Compacted Math. The oldest is in 7th grade and also hasn't had to work particularly hard to do well in AIM. The youngest kid is wired differently and while is fine at math, would need real concerted effort to go that same route. We're not interested in putting that pressure on a young kid, especially one who has so many other strengths we can easily build on. It's okay to not be outstanding at math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids should not working to get into Compacted Math. They should either be math loving kids who are excelling and need the acceleration or kids who for whatever reason are grasping the concepts easily and new enrichment/accleration.

As others mentioned thinking ahead and paying attention to how kids are doing each year is critical. Because what seems easy in 4th grade, starts to really become a lot of necessary concepts to grasp and have solid foundation of each year.

As someone else noted the criteria for entry and staying is becoming stricter, because MCPS wants to see kids doing well all the way through, particularly in Alg1 and Alg2. This means Profecieny or Distinguished on the MCAP.

Almost no one gets Distinguished on MCAP, not even kids winning national extra curricular math recognition a year or two above grade level.

MCAP scale is ridiculous and opaque

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids should not working to get into Compacted Math. They should either be math loving kids who are excelling and need the acceleration or kids who for whatever reason are grasping the concepts easily and new enrichment/accleration.

As others mentioned thinking ahead and paying attention to how kids are doing each year is critical. Because what seems easy in 4th grade, starts to really become a lot of necessary concepts to grasp and have solid foundation of each year.

As someone else noted the criteria for entry and staying is becoming stricter, because MCPS wants to see kids doing well all the way through, particularly in Alg1 and Alg2. This means Profecieny or Distinguished on the MCAP.

+1

My older two kids didn't have to work hard to get into Compacted Math. The oldest is in 7th grade and also hasn't had to work particularly hard to do well in AIM. The youngest kid is wired differently and while is fine at math, would need real concerted effort to go that same route. We're not interested in putting that pressure on a young kid, especially one who has so many other strengths we can easily build on. It's okay to not be outstanding at math.

Compacted Math is the base Honors track. You don't have to go into AIM/7+ after CM. You can go into 6+

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids should not working to get into Compacted Math. They should either be math loving kids who are excelling and need the acceleration or kids who for whatever reason are grasping the concepts easily and new enrichment/accleration.

As others mentioned thinking ahead and paying attention to how kids are doing each year is critical. Because what seems easy in 4th grade, starts to really become a lot of necessary concepts to grasp and have solid foundation of each year.

As someone else noted the criteria for entry and staying is becoming stricter, because MCPS wants to see kids doing well all the way through, particularly in Alg1 and Alg2. This means Profecieny or Distinguished on the MCAP.

Almost no one gets Distinguished on MCAP, not even kids winning national extra curricular math recognition a year or two above grade level.

MCAP scale is ridiculous and opaque

That's why they are looking to replace MCAP in 2026-2027.
MCAP is a terrible test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is the one thing I regret. But of my DDs did well up until 9th grade when they were in Honors Algebra 2. It was such a rough start to high school.

Its rough for a lot of kids but parents never think ahead to this. Or having to take Calculus in 11th grade. Most kids should not be on this path. Dumb that MCPS encourages this.

It's not rough for math kids. Mine did Calculus in 10th. It was hard as they jumped to BC and not AB, but we just got a tutor. We thought ahead. Kid wanted it and I wasn't going to say no.

Then you are still in the hole in 11th and 12th with the shaky foundation.

"Hard" school is a red flag in math. School A-grade should be interesting and comfortable, and the enrichment extension should be the hard part.

Better to supplement with depth first, and then accelete if needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids should not working to get into Compacted Math. They should either be math loving kids who are excelling and need the acceleration or kids who for whatever reason are grasping the concepts easily and new enrichment/accleration.

As others mentioned thinking ahead and paying attention to how kids are doing each year is critical. Because what seems easy in 4th grade, starts to really become a lot of necessary concepts to grasp and have solid foundation of each year.

As someone else noted the criteria for entry and staying is becoming stricter, because MCPS wants to see kids doing well all the way through, particularly in Alg1 and Alg2. This means Profecieny or Distinguished on the MCAP.

Almost no one gets Distinguished on MCAP, not even kids winning national extra curricular math recognition a year or two above grade level.

MCAP scale is ridiculous and opaque

That's why they are looking to replace MCAP in 2026-2027.
MCAP is a terrible test.

The test is fine. I've taken a sample test. The scoring is woo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Compacted skips over lessons and has less homework for each lesson because of the faster pace. If your kid does not have a good foundation, this may not be ideal, and kid will likely struggle in higher level math; if your kid is already accelerated, then it is fine.

Compacted doesn’t really skip over lessons as much as it just teaches a concept at a higher level the first time through and has less spiraling. So whereas the regular curriculum may have do a new concept every two days and review on the fifth day, compacted math might do a new lesson or two every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids should not working to get into Compacted Math. They should either be math loving kids who are excelling and need the acceleration or kids who for whatever reason are grasping the concepts easily and new enrichment/accleration.

As others mentioned thinking ahead and paying attention to how kids are doing each year is critical. Because what seems easy in 4th grade, starts to really become a lot of necessary concepts to grasp and have solid foundation of each year.

As someone else noted the criteria for entry and staying is becoming stricter, because MCPS wants to see kids doing well all the way through, particularly in Alg1 and Alg2. This means Profecieny or Distinguished on the MCAP.

+1

My older two kids didn't have to work hard to get into Compacted Math. The oldest is in 7th grade and also hasn't had to work particularly hard to do well in AIM. The youngest kid is wired differently and while is fine at math, would need real concerted effort to go that same route. We're not interested in putting that pressure on a young kid, especially one who has so many other strengths we can easily build on. It's okay to not be outstanding at math.

Compacted Math is the base Honors track. You don't have to go into AIM/7+ after CM. You can go into 6+

You also don’t have to do CM in order to start with AMP6+ in MS.