Workload at Blair Math and Science Magnet

[Anonymous]

Is there info on the summer class on line..so we could plan for it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there info on the summer class on line..so we could plan for it?

They would talk about it at the info session they usually hold. I recall that it was in the first 2 weeks of the summer -- if not the first week. However, the program coordinator would also have an idea as to when it will be this year. I do not believe it is online.

Sorry I can't be more definitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son did not take Functions -- and the majority of magnet kids do not take Functions - and I think his workload was fine. He also was on a team every season but he does not take a bus to Blair -- and that saves time. The courses that take up the most time are sometimes the non-magnet classes such as english and history. We also had him take a study hall in 9th grade since he missed 9th period a lot to travel for the team(s).

He did not come from TPMS program and still did just fine in the standard pre-calc/calc series they have. He is not the most organized child, and I thought it was less tedious work than the Eastern magnet program.

Blair magnet is great and he loves it. The PP was correct in that chemistry can add work in the 9th grade. Math is just steady and every day.

I hope that helps.

I would love to know how your Eastern kid enjoyed Blair Math and Science magnet. It sounds like he came in having completed Geometry in 8th grade. Was he adequately prepared for the Math classes? Was he at a disadvantage compared to the TPMS kids who have already taken Computer Science and have some exposure to Engineering. Is there as much debate and classroom participation as there was at Eastern? I feel like the kids at Eastern are pretty diverse in terms of their interests - there are a lot of kids who are good at Math and like science but also love to read novels, like to write and are interested in current affairs and history. Also how did he find the non magnet English and History classes. Sorry to have so many questions. TIA

I'm back - with the son from Eastern - The Blair Math and Science magnet has been great. He did complete Geometry in 8th grade, but there is a class of magnet kids from who still need geometry even in HS. In the freshman year, there are (I'm estimating) one class of functions, two of pre-calc, one of geometry. He was in one of the two pre-calc classes. The hardest point was coming home the first day of the one week 'prep class' they offer -- or I called it "Algebra II by firehose". He just didn't have experience with all the factoring that the TPMS kids did and that is just pure exposure and practice. They gave him a booklet and he just practiced. Within a few weeks in the fall, they were all learning new things.

In terms of being 'prepared' for the Blair program, he's been fine. I must admit, we/I was pretty clear that calculators should always be used as a last resort throughout ES/MS. If your child got in, he/she can handle it. I also asked the program coordinator for my DS's score so I could explain to him what percentile he was in (and to convince him that he belonged there). If the percentile was low, I wouldn't have told him it.

The english and history are good at Blair. This was never his area of interest, but I find the books they read interesting. His writing from Eastern helps write the labs, papers, etc. The teachers in the magnet program (aside from 1-2....) are really very, very good. They are better than the instructors they would get in college (and I say that as a college professor).

As to other interests, I find he's more likely to talk now about politics, world issues, etc at school. But that could be a product of being in HS rather than MS.

In a nutshell: he was not at a disadvantage in regards to being prepared for the magnet program aside from the 1-week crash course in the summer (highly recommend) and the first 2-3 weeks of math. For all students, they are seeing new science and engineering ideas. For computer science, there are a few kids who are accelerated and all can take a test to see if they can join - the rest just take computer science together.

I am the PP you are responding to.
Thanks so much for answering all of my questions. Very reassuring! My kid actually likes English and History but also loves science so it will be interesting to see whether he will end up enjoying the accelerated pace of study in science- I hope so.

[Anonymous]

If your DC went into functions as a freshman after 8th grade magnet geometry,was she able to handle the workload and get good grades? Looking back, would you recommend taking precalc course only in 9th grade for DC coming from TPMS? My DC is good in math but more of a science kid.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your DC went into functions as a freshman after 8th grade magnet geometry,was she able to handle the workload and get good grades? Looking back, would you recommend taking precalc course only in 9th grade for DC coming from TPMS? My DC is good in math but more of a science kid.

Thank you.

I think Geometry to functions is an unusual path but if it is reccomended for your child know that lots of kids drop down in the first quarter..either function to precalculus or precalculus to geometry. She could always try it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your DC went into functions as a freshman after 8th grade magnet geometry,was she able to handle the workload and get good grades? Looking back, would you recommend taking precalc course only in 9th grade for DC coming from TPMS? My DC is good in math but more of a science kid.

Thank you.

My DC went from local MS to Blair with 8th grade geometry. DC was placed in function after the summer school and managed to finish the class with a lot of struggle. Looking back, I think DC could have a better experience at Blair if he took the precal instead of the function. Each child is different, your child could success if he has been enriched outside of mcps classroom.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the information. If your DC got through functions with some struggle, was she able to make up the GPA in the next math courses she took?

[Anonymous]

My DD is in eighth grade at TPMS and taking geometry. If my DD is placed in functions next year, I am concerned that it will be too much. I have read a lot about functions on this site and want to better understand the amount of homework and the stress level of this class. In addition, DD is a straight A student and would like to keep it that way. Any responses would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

More than 80% of students in function are from 8th grade geometry class directly because mcps do not allow skipping classes. My DC is dong well in function. If your child is recommended to take function, s/he should be fine. Nowaday, an A in any class in mcps does not mean your child is advanced. It only means the student finished homework on time and learned most of stuff on test.

[Anonymous]

A good number kids drop down from Functions to Pre-calc in the first month of school. Your child can see how it goes at the beginning of the semester.

[Anonymous]

There are also between 12-20 kids who start in magnet geometry in 9th grade. It is a gentler path through a very tough program and does not really disadvantage them unless they are interested in Math or high level Physics. These kids finish the Magnet Analysis A and B sequence in the first semester of 12th grade which means they have basically completed the equivalent of an AP Calculus BC course halfway through 12th grade in addition to completing Applied Statistics. I see a few posts here about kids who love science but who aren't passionate about Math and this pathway might be a good fit for them. There are 100 kids in each batch at Blair. Some love Math or theoretical Physics, some love Computer Science, some love the life sciences. You don't need to master Multivariable Calculus in high school to be successful in most scientific fields.

[Anonymous]

Kids also drop from pre-calc to geometry..even though they have taken geometry before. Magnet geometry is different/more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son did not take Functions -- and the majority of magnet kids do not take Functions - and I think his workload was fine. He also was on a team every season but he does not take a bus to Blair -- and that saves time. The courses that take up the most time are sometimes the non-magnet classes such as english and history. We also had him take a study hall in 9th grade since he missed 9th period a lot to travel for the team(s).

He did not come from TPMS program and still did just fine in the standard pre-calc/calc series they have. He is not the most organized child, and I thought it was less tedious work than the Eastern magnet program.

Blair magnet is great and he loves it. The PP was correct in that chemistry can add work in the 9th grade. Math is just steady and every day.

I hope that helps.

It's like we have the same DC! I have the same background -- non-functions 9th grade, from Eastern humanities, DC is now a senior -- and would say the exact same thing about the workload. We also did a study hall 9th period for 9th grade due to sports. The workload was better than Eastern humanities -- also because there is far less group work in high school (at least for the Blair magnet).