Algebra 1 H Question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD got a 570-something on the Math 7 SOL and 98th percentile on the Iowa and she found Algebra I H to be somewhat difficult. She got an A but just barely. We would have expunged and retaken for an A- or below. No need to rush into a HS level class.

NP. My DS got a 550 and 98th percentile of the IAAT and found Algebra IH to be difficult and got a B+ (and a Pass Advance on the Algebra I SOL, fwiw). We did not expunge. He is taking Algebra II now and his teacher has mentioned gaps in skills (I was never impressed with his Algebra I math teacher tbh although he liked him since he gave out lots of candy).

Younger DS is going to take Math 7 H.

[Anonymous]

DS scored a 99th percentile and a 600, he has found Algebra not easy but not hard either. He has friends who have Bs and have had worked hard for those Bs.

It isn’t an easy class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got a 570-something on the Math 7 SOL and 98th percentile on the Iowa and she found Algebra I H to be somewhat difficult. She got an A but just barely. We would have expunged and retaken for an A- or below. No need to rush into a HS level class.

NP. My DS got a 550 and 98th percentile of the IAAT and found Algebra IH to be difficult and got a B+ (and a Pass Advance on the Algebra I SOL, fwiw). We did not expunge. He is taking Algebra II now and his teacher has mentioned gaps in skills (I was never impressed with his Algebra I math teacher tbh although he liked him since he gave out lots of candy).

Younger DS is going to take Math 7 H.

NP. DS got similar SOL in 6th , 99th percentile on IAAT, pass advanced on Algebra SOL this yr, and algebra IH has sucked. It’s mostly bc the teacher doesn’t bother teaching, since her expectation seems to be that most of these kids learn the material in enrichment classes, and she’s there simply for review. For students who strictly rely on school classes to teach curriculum, it’s a hard class to teach yourself from notes.

[Anonymous]

Similar. DS was 99th% on IAAT, and easily passed advanced on the SOL (575?), but Algebra 1H in 7th was hard. Sort of happy(?) to hear others had the same experience. Teacher isn't great, but we hate to fault the teacher here. DS as a 7th grader found it a huge step to manage the independence expected from a HS course. He's got a great intuition for math and had zero issues with learning the material, but still had to work really hard for that B+. Now we're trying to figure out whether to keep that B+ or have him retake it next year. Which sounds crazy, but this is NoVA, and it might be better that he get a solid A in 8th and progress steadily to Calc as a Senior, than risk it as a Jr, even though he's probably capable? Anyways, it puts you in an even worse position if your kid has to repeat. It's a huge blow to their already very fragile middle-school ego.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Similar. DS was 99th% on IAAT, and easily passed advanced on the SOL (575?), but Algebra 1H in 7th was hard. Sort of happy(?) to hear others had the same experience. Teacher isn't great, but we hate to fault the teacher here. DS as a 7th grader found it a huge step to manage the independence expected from a HS course. He's got a great intuition for math and had zero issues with learning the material, but still had to work really hard for that B+. Now we're trying to figure out whether to keep that B+ or have him retake it next year. Which sounds crazy, but this is NoVA, and it might be better that he get a solid A in 8th and progress steadily to Calc as a Senior, than risk it as a Jr, even though he's probably capable? Anyways, it puts you in an even worse position if your kid has to repeat. It's a huge blow to their already very fragile middle-school ego.

I’m one of the PPs. Instead of retaking the course, I would probably have the b+ grade removed from the transcript, especially because you mentioned that they clearly learned the material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Similar. DS was 99th% on IAAT, and easily passed advanced on the SOL (575?), but Algebra 1H in 7th was hard. Sort of happy(?) to hear others had the same experience. Teacher isn't great, but we hate to fault the teacher here. DS as a 7th grader found it a huge step to manage the independence expected from a HS course. He's got a great intuition for math and had zero issues with learning the material, but still had to work really hard for that B+. Now we're trying to figure out whether to keep that B+ or have him retake it next year. Which sounds crazy, but this is NoVA, and it might be better that he get a solid A in 8th and progress steadily to Calc as a Senior, than risk it as a Jr, even though he's probably capable? Anyways, it puts you in an even worse position if your kid has to repeat. It's a huge blow to their already very fragile middle-school ego.

There is nothing wrong with a B+. I wouldn’t expunge it and I would move him on to Geometry. The GPA craziness in this area is real. He’ll go to a college that is a great fit with a B+. Kids go to college with C’s in none honors classes after not taking any HS classes as a 7th grader. A B+ in 7th grade math is not going to sink him at any school.

He has three more years of math to decide if he wants to take Calculus or Stats or one of the other math paths. He can go to a great college without Calculus. But that is a decision that is in the distance.

[Anonymous]

One more thing. Think of the example you set by expunging a B+ in a HS level class for a 7th grader. You said he worked really hard to earn that B+. It took a bit but he figured out the demands of a class meant for kids 2 years older then he is. He worked hard, learned the material, and earned a good grade.

Give him a high five, praise all the work he put in on a challenging class. Talk about what he learned about himself and his ability to dig in and work. Take him out for an ice cream.

We keep talking about mental health issue with teens and how problematic it is and then we expunge strong grades in hard classes. We are teaching kids that only A’s matter and not focusing on the effort that goes in to earning good grades in challenging classes.

I would look at things differently with a C or some notion that the kid was lost all year and didn’t understand the material but your kid figured it out and did well.

Signed,

A solidly B+/A- math student in HS who went to college and earned a PhD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One more thing. Think of the example you set by expunging a B+ in a HS level class for a 7th grader. You said he worked really hard to earn that B+. It took a bit but he figured out the demands of a class meant for kids 2 years older then he is. He worked hard, learned the material, and earned a good grade.

Give him a high five, praise all the work he put in on a challenging class. Talk about what he learned about himself and his ability to dig in and work. Take him out for an ice cream.

We keep talking about mental health issue with teens and how problematic it is and then we expunge strong grades in hard classes. We are teaching kids that only A’s matter and not focusing on the effort that goes in to earning good grades in challenging classes.

I would look at things differently with a C or some notion that the kid was lost all year and didn’t understand the material but your kid figured it out and did well.

Signed,

A solidly B+/A- math student in HS who went to college and earned a PhD

I love this. Thanks for the reminder and perspective.

[Anonymous]

He could retake it and still get a B+. Then what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One more thing. Think of the example you set by expunging a B+ in a HS level class for a 7th grader. You said he worked really hard to earn that B+. It took a bit but he figured out the demands of a class meant for kids 2 years older then he is. He worked hard, learned the material, and earned a good grade.

Give him a high five, praise all the work he put in on a challenging class. Talk about what he learned about himself and his ability to dig in and work. Take him out for an ice cream.

We keep talking about mental health issue with teens and how problematic it is and then we expunge strong grades in hard classes. We are teaching kids that only A’s matter and not focusing on the effort that goes in to earning good grades in challenging classes.

I would look at things differently with a C or some notion that the kid was lost all year and didn’t understand the material but your kid figured it out and did well.

Signed,

A solidly B+/A- math student in HS who went to college and earned a PhD

I love this. Thanks for the reminder and perspective.

Why Sockpuppet by replying to your own posts with different ip address?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One more thing. Think of the example you set by expunging a B+ in a HS level class for a 7th grader. You said he worked really hard to earn that B+. It took a bit but he figured out the demands of a class meant for kids 2 years older then he is. He worked hard, learned the material, and earned a good grade.

Give him a high five, praise all the work he put in on a challenging class. Talk about what he learned about himself and his ability to dig in and work. Take him out for an ice cream.

We keep talking about mental health issue with teens and how problematic it is and then we expunge strong grades in hard classes. We are teaching kids that only A’s matter and not focusing on the effort that goes in to earning good grades in challenging classes.

I would look at things differently with a C or some notion that the kid was lost all year and didn’t understand the material but your kid figured it out and did well.

Signed,

A solidly B+/A- math student in HS who went to college and earned a PhD

I love this. Thanks for the reminder and perspective.

Why Sockpuppet by replying to your own posts with different ip address?

What? I’m the poster who suggested they expunge the B+ instead of retaking the course. I appreciated the perspective of this pp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Similar. DS was 99th% on IAAT, and easily passed advanced on the SOL (575?), but Algebra 1H in 7th was hard. Sort of happy(?) to hear others had the same experience. Teacher isn't great, but we hate to fault the teacher here. DS as a 7th grader found it a huge step to manage the independence expected from a HS course. He's got a great intuition for math and had zero issues with learning the material, but still had to work really hard for that B+. Now we're trying to figure out whether to keep that B+ or have him retake it next year. Which sounds crazy, but this is NoVA, and it might be better that he get a solid A in 8th and progress steadily to Calc as a Senior, than risk it as a Jr, even though he's probably capable? Anyways, it puts you in an even worse position if your kid has to repeat. It's a huge blow to their already very fragile middle-school ego.

I’m one of the PPs. Instead of retaking the course, I would probably have the b+ grade removed from the transcript, especially because you mentioned that they clearly learned the material.

If you expunge the grade it’s as if you never took the course. You have to retake the course and keep the grade to get credit for it.