What Are the Pros and Cons Of Taking Algebra I in Sixth Grade?

[Anonymous]

School systems continue to debate when it's appropriate to take x or y math course, yet statistically we are far behind countries such as Finland, Sweden, Germany, Australia etc.
it's time to stop worrying about accelerating students and focus more on producing students of excellence

[Anonymous]

Agree with the PP but they are trying to close the achievement gap by limiting the top students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the PP but they are trying to close the achievement gap by limiting the top students.

You posted this comment on a thread asking whether the OP should let their child take Algebra I in 6th grade, as recommended by the school authorities. Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will his grade go on his HS transcript? That's one argument for taking it a bit slower - if he stumbles a bit because of immaturity, there's a lot riding on it, assuming it goes on his HS transcript.

This is a great point. Yes, it will go on his HS transcript. Definitely something to consider. As for the social side, I would not worry about that. It's one class out of the day.

OP here. Yes, this is one of my concerns. Actually, it appears that I'm the only one who is worried about this. My son, my husband, and his teacher are all thrilled. I'm happy as well, but I didn't realized that we were going to be making decisions about high school credit while he is still in elementary school. My son already knows how to do Algebra and he thinks its so easy. Math always came natural to him. He is a die hard STEM kid. His interests are medicine and engineering. However, he gravitates more to medicine. My other concern is that in 8th grade he will have to take math at River Hill School which isn't our zoned high school. I will find out next Monday more detail information at the Middle School Accelerated G/T Mathematics Orientation for parents. I already have a long of list of questions to ask at the orientation. Maybe I'm worried for nothing, but I still have reservations.

I'm looking at the letter right now and this is the breakdown of the accelerated math program:
Grade Level/ Course
6th- Algebra I G/T
7th- Geometry
8th - Algebra II G/T
9th - Precalculus G/T
10th - AP Calculus AB
11th - AP Calculus C
12th - AP Statistics, and/or Discrete Mathematics, and/or Differential Equations

I don't understand the bit about being "thrilled." What is there to be "thrilled" about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:School systems continue to debate when it's appropriate to take x or y math course, yet statistically we are far behind countries such as Finland, Sweden, Germany, Australia etc.
it's time to stop worrying about accelerating students and focus more on producing students of excellence

And yet, with the possible exception of Germany, our economy outperforms all of those countries and our business sectors and university matriculations are higher. Please stop with the canard that the "others" do education better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The State requires 4 years of math in HS regardless of level. Your child will Take Calc in 10th grade and still needs two more years of math..likely AP Stats and Calc II. If he is likely to go into a tech field, probably great. If he is more likely to be an English major, he might want his focus elsewhere.

Algebra 1 is a high school course which means it will count towards his/her 4 years of Math. I took Algebra 1 in 8th grade and only needed to finish 3 years of Math when I got to high school. This was several years ago I'm sure it is still the case.

This is not how it works in MD any more. Studens must take math their senior year to graduate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School systems continue to debate when it's appropriate to take x or y math course, yet statistically we are far behind countries such as Finland, Sweden, Germany, Australia etc.
it's time to stop worrying about accelerating students and focus more on producing students of excellence

And yet, with the possible exception of Germany, our economy outperforms all of those countries and our business sectors and university matriculations are higher. Please stop with the canard that the "others" do education better.

Is that what you're using as the outcome measure of the US education system -- the state of the US economy?

[Anonymous]

If you're kid goes to RM, Poolesville or Blair they'd have many more math choices than AP. Mine finished math requirements in 10th due to taking Calc then ... now they take math electives like Linear Algebra, Discrete Math, etc...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're kid goes to RM, Poolesville or Blair they'd have many more math choices than AP. Mine finished math requirements in 10th due to taking Calc then ... now they take math electives like Linear Algebra, Discrete Math, etc...

NP here.
I saw this on Poolesville HS website. Is this pathway typical of what is offered by all highschools?

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/poolesvillehs/departments/math/MathPathways.pdf

[Anonymous]

This is anecdotal but I know lots of kids who were on the Math track which brought them to Algebra II in 8th grade and many of them hit a wall during this course. These were strong students who had been accelerated into Algebra I in 6th grade and did very well in this course and in geometry in 7th but had trouble in Algebra II

[Anonymous]

My kid is taking HS algebra in 8th. Likely we will have her do algebra 1 in HS anyway. She'll be that much better prepared and will once get really, really good at algebra! I say go for it.

[Anonymous]

My son is a math wiz. I had concerns about high school grades so young and the pressure of pushing hard at a young age. But his classes and the fact that he is capable at his age makes him so happy and keeps him motivated.

[Anonymous]

My son took algebra in 6th and breezed through along with other MS courses. No issues n geometry either but struggled a bit (high B w C in finals) in algebra 2. In mcps science magnet hs straddling B+/A thru pre-calc. Hard to parse out what/why but I suspect ms instruction and student's aptitude is key factor in what their fundamentals will be like. Younger son taking algebra in 7th grade science magnet and I am kind of glad he can take his time and not go as accelerated.

[Anonymous]

Pros:
Kept him interested and motivated in math.
Showed more maturity being with older kids.

Cons:
Having to bus to another school for some years which left less time for extracurriculars, friends and regular down time kids need like playing in the yard.
Real homework at an earlier age which left less time for everything above.
Some minor bullying, not physical, which DC was able to fend off but was still annoying.
Worrying about whether child would be developmentally ready to make the leap to real abstraction. It's a thing like reading you know. This is why many PPs said their child had more of a challenge in Algebra II where everything is variables.
Being accelerated doesn't necessarily mean you're with like-minded kids in our district. You're just going a grade ahead and there are as many unmotivated kids in those classes as in the grade-level classes.

OP, how many kids from Howard are accelerated? It sounds like a lot if they are having a meeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you're kid goes to RM, Poolesville or Blair they'd have many more math choices than AP. Mine finished math requirements in 10th due to taking Calc then ... now they take math electives like Linear Algebra, Discrete Math, etc...

NP here.
I saw this on Poolesville HS website. Is this pathway typical of what is offered by all highschools?

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/poolesvillehs/departments/math/MathPathways.pdf

I don't know but this is the MCPS chart

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/math/