Experience with grades in 6th Algebra pilot?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, is I typical not to allow homework submissions u til after the unit test?

~OP

Common to put in all homework for a unit as a single grade after the test, yes. Generally homework is reviewed in class or is on mathspace/delta math and is self checking, so no need to grade and return daily. That many grades clogs up the gradebook.

Not talking about having a single grade for homework. At our school, students are not allowed to turn in their homework until the end of the unit. If it is intended to be self-checking, it makes sense. But, as you can see from one of the previous posts, at some schools, teachers do post homework grades in Schoology.

At our school, we had a full month between second and third grade being posted (just got the third grade today).

~OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our school, Algebra pilot students are not allowed to submit homework until after the unit test. Not sure whether homework is graded after that point, since no homework grade has been entered in the system yet.

Is this how it works in High School too?

No! This is bananas and sounds like a poorly designed course. Homework should be graded and handed back regularly. How else is the student going to understand where they are going wrong- and the teacher also needs to understand what concepts the students are collectively missing. My middle school child in a 6th grade Alg I program was assigned a huge amount of weekly homework problems. They would turn them in weekly, get them graded and handed back, and would have the opportunity to make corrections to receive half credit back for corrections made.

However, my high schooler in upper level math (calc+) didn’t have homework corrected. It was checked for completeness though. The problems with assigned were those with the answers in the back of book so students could check they are getting right answers and understanding concepts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school, Algebra pilot students are not allowed to submit homework until after the unit test. Not sure whether homework is graded after that point, since no homework grade has been entered in the system yet.

Is this how it works in High School too?

No! This is bananas and sounds like a poorly designed course. Homework should be graded and handed back regularly. How else is the student going to understand where they are going wrong- and the teacher also needs to understand what concepts the students are collectively missing. My middle school child in a 6th grade Alg I program was assigned a huge amount of weekly homework problems. They would turn them in weekly, get them graded and handed back, and would have the opportunity to make corrections to receive half credit back for corrections made.

However, my high schooler in upper level math (calc+) didn’t have homework corrected. It was checked for completeness though. The problems with assigned were those with the answers in the back of book so students could check they are getting right answers and understanding concepts.

Bolded seems like what they might be doing at our school. But, so far, no feedback whatsoever (on completeness or being done correctly). Solutions are sometimes posted, however, homework has never been discussed in the classroom. And students are not allowed to submit anything until the end of the unit.

So, students are responsible for holding onto their completed work and submit it on the day of the unit test. We were told if they somehow forget to bring it all on that day (even if left in their home classroom, backpack or whatever), they are not allowed to retrieve it. Then, they are marked as being late with their homework.

I suppose this is ok if this is how Middle Schools and High Schools operate. I just find it all a bit unfriendly and odd. Based on some of the responses here, it seems not all ES Algebra pilots are this way either.

[Anonymous]

^^ OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school, Algebra pilot students are not allowed to submit homework until after the unit test. Not sure whether homework is graded after that point, since no homework grade has been entered in the system yet.

Is this how it works in High School too?

No! This is bananas and sounds like a poorly designed course. Homework should be graded and handed back regularly. How else is the student going to understand where they are going wrong- and the teacher also needs to understand what concepts the students are collectively missing. My middle school child in a 6th grade Alg I program was assigned a huge amount of weekly homework problems. They would turn them in weekly, get them graded and handed back, and would have the opportunity to make corrections to receive half credit back for corrections made.

However, my high schooler in upper level math (calc+) didn’t have homework corrected. It was checked for completeness though. The problems with assigned were those with the answers in the back of book so students could check they are getting right answers and understanding concepts.

Bolded seems like what they might be doing at our school. But, so far, no feedback whatsoever (on completeness or being done correctly). Solutions are sometimes posted, however, homework has never been discussed in the classroom. And students are not allowed to submit anything until the end of the unit.

So, students are responsible for holding onto their completed work and submit it on the day of the unit test. We were told if they somehow forget to bring it all on that day (even if left in their home classroom, backpack or whatever), they are not allowed to retrieve it. Then, they are marked as being late with their homework.

I suppose this is ok if this is how Middle Schools and High Schools operate. I just find it all a bit unfriendly and odd. Based on some of the responses here, it seems not all ES Algebra pilots are this way either.

This sounds terrible and not developmentally appropriate for 6th grade

[Anonymous]

DC is cruising through Algebra 1 so far, along with many of their 6th grade friends.

Wondering why the paranoia about constantly checking ParentVUE grades for just this one class? Is your child struggling in the class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is cruising through Algebra 1 so far, along with many of their 6th grade friends.

Wondering why the paranoia about constantly checking ParentVUE grades for just this one class? Is your child struggling in the class?

Oh stop it. This is the first class that matters grade wise, of course parents are going to pay attention to it. It's the only one in parentvue because it's the only one on a transcript.

NP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is cruising through Algebra 1 so far, along with many of their 6th grade friends.

Wondering why the paranoia about constantly checking ParentVUE grades for just this one class? Is your child struggling in the class?

How do you know that your DC and their friends are cruising through Algebra 1?

Unless you are just going by what your DC and their friends are telling you, you must be getting some feedback from their Algebra teacher.

We are barely getting any information (today was a third grade since the beginning of the school year, and first after a month with no information whatsoever). How would you know if your DC was struggling without any feedback from the school?


As far as how DC is doing: grade wise great (so far) and no concern there. However, I am not taking it for granted. Timely feedback matters.

[Anonymous]

^^ OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our Algebra 1 teacher has shared grades and feedback promptly so far. DS had 1 unit test, 2 quizzies, and daily homework and the grades for each are on schoology and parent sis. I would be able to see the grades within a day or two. I even see a letter grade on parent sis. our teacher also communicates weekly on what they're learning. Is it not the case for all of you? We are in a center school with an in-person teacher.

Haycock?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our Algebra 1 teacher has shared grades and feedback promptly so far. DS had 1 unit test, 2 quizzies, and daily homework and the grades for each are on schoology and parent sis. I would be able to see the grades within a day or two. I even see a letter grade on parent sis. our teacher also communicates weekly on what they're learning. Is it not the case for all of you? We are in a center school with an in-person teacher.

Haycock?

No. We are in the Chantilly pyramid.

[Anonymous]

Most students and parents are not going to be stressed at all. The plan had been to take Algebra 1 in 7th grade anyway. FCPS made it clear that is is easy peasy to scrub the grade and retake if needed. Why would anyone be stressed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most students and parents are not going to be stressed at all. The plan had been to take Algebra 1 in 7th grade anyway. FCPS made it clear that is is easy peasy to scrub the grade and retake if needed. Why would anyone be stressed?

Most of the 700+ students are really liking the Algebra 1 in 6th grade program. Not everyone, of course, but the overwhelming majority of 6th graders are having a positive experience with Algebra 1.

There are a few parents who know this pilot program might be too challenging for their child but still choose to keep them enrolled. Instead of simply opting out, some of them have decided to criticize the entire program. Participation is completely optional. But for some, dropping out would mean admitting that their child isn’t quite ready for what most of the other 700 students are handling just fine. So instead, on their way out, they try to discredit the whole effort, maybe to save face, maybe out of frustration, who knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most students and parents are not going to be stressed at all. The plan had been to take Algebra 1 in 7th grade anyway. FCPS made it clear that is is easy peasy to scrub the grade and retake if needed. Why would anyone be stressed?

Most of the 700+ students are really liking the Algebra 1 in 6th grade program. Not everyone, of course, but the overwhelming majority of 6th graders are having a positive experience with Algebra 1.

There are a few parents who know this pilot program might be too challenging for their child but still choose to keep them enrolled. Instead of simply opting out, some of them have decided to criticize the entire program. Participation is completely optional. But for some, dropping out would mean admitting that their child isn’t quite ready for what most of the other 700 students are handling just fine. So instead, on their way out, they try to discredit the whole effort, maybe to save face, maybe out of frustration, who knows.

How do you know all of this? And, what does it have to do with my original question? I am almost convinced that our school is botching implementation of a program that could be wonderful (as evidenced by parents at other schools ).

Also, why do you keep insisting that only a parent of a struggling student would complain. Are you somehow related to our teacher, who is refusing to do the basic minimum?
I mean most students at our school pilot are motivated and self starters. It doesn’t take much to make the program a full success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most students and parents are not going to be stressed at all. The plan had been to take Algebra 1 in 7th grade anyway. FCPS made it clear that is is easy peasy to scrub the grade and retake if needed. Why would anyone be stressed?

Most of the 700+ students are really liking the Algebra 1 in 6th grade program. Not everyone, of course, but the overwhelming majority of 6th graders are having a positive experience with Algebra 1.

There are a few parents who know this pilot program might be too challenging for their child but still choose to keep them enrolled. Instead of simply opting out, some of them have decided to criticize the entire program. Participation is completely optional. But for some, dropping out would mean admitting that their child isn’t quite ready for what most of the other 700 students are handling just fine. So instead, on their way out, they try to discredit the whole effort, maybe to save face, maybe out of frustration, who knows.

And how do You, random person on the internet, have any idea what the vast majority of the 700 students in the pilot are thinking about algebra 1.