Sidwell Advanced Math - Tutor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe you people pay 40,000 a year for Sidwelll and then go on DCUM of all places for advice about academics and tutors. Why not just talk to the teacher?

Anyone who thinks they can comfortably discuss these issues with the school itself is dead wrong. Teachers will blanket you with vague assertions. Not OP. But my own experience with MS teachers (math) has been much less than ideal. Leave it to us and let the kids self advocate they say. This may work for older and more self assured kids. Bit not everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe you people pay 40,000 a year for Sidwelll and then go on DCUM of all places for advice about academics and tutors. Why not just talk to the teacher?

I second this . Talk to the teacher! My son goes to another private and they have "math help" hours every day after school. It might not be your teacher every day, but every teacher staffing those hours can help any math student who walks in the door. And my child knows exactly which days his teacher will be there. He also likes to go on the days that last year's teacher runs.

Another vote for talking to the school. My DC goes to another private that also has math help hours. And the teachers all also have hours where they're available for help. It's not a big deal, some kids go to the math help room to do their homework on the off chance they have a question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is in your son's grade, OP. Why not just do the regular math track? 70% of the kids do. My sense is that the faster track is really designed for those kids who foresee engineering and math as their majors. If your son is struggling with the material in his first month of school, I wonder if a math/engineering career is a realistic plan?

How is it that you know who the kid is? I’m genuienely fascinated. Are there only 3 kids in the class??

[Anonymous]

All poster said is that they also have a 9th grader. Didn’t say anything about knowing the poster’s son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is in your son's grade, OP. Why not just do the regular math track? 70% of the kids do. My sense is that the faster track is really designed for those kids who foresee engineering and math as their majors. If your son is struggling with the material in his first month of school, I wonder if a math/engineering career is a realistic plan?

Not even engineering. They can stay through Math II and switch and still be in BC Calc as a senior. This Math track if the student stays on it, is really for people who want to be math majors in college.

I would recommend Prep Matters - there are tutors there that know the exact curriculum and the teachers teaching styles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate to be that person, but OP you can't help with 9th grade math?

I am a DP, and took calc in college. I cannot do this math easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is in your son's grade, OP. Why not just do the regular math track? 70% of the kids do. My sense is that the faster track is really designed for those kids who foresee engineering and math as their majors. If your son is struggling with the material in his first month of school, I wonder if a math/engineering career is a realistic plan?

How is it that you know who the kid is? I’m genuienely fascinated. Are there only 3 kids in the class??

The PP indicated their son was in OP's grade and never indicated they know who OP or their son is.

[Anonymous]

My oldest DC went to Sidwell, did well in math, and went on to study engineering in college. The top math track is not for kids who are struggling. The hole just gets deeper and deeper. As to the comments about teachers not being helpful -- I understand where those parents are coming from. SFS US teachers often -- not always -- have a teaching style focused on the kids who are highly adept in their subject. We saw this in every department, not just math. That's just the deal with Sidwell and is why people who are paying a boatload in tuition still hire tutors.

[Anonymous]

Get a tutor from one of the other privates - my daughter worked with a teacher from NCS and my son worked with a tutor from GDS. Both helped tremendously. Or get the coach who used to work in the math dept to tutor your kids that is allowed.

[Anonymous]

How did you find tutors from other schools? Did you contact ncs and gds directly? Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did you find tutors from other schools? Did you contact ncs and gds directly? Thanks

Work of mouth from another parent. You can email them directly and find the emails on the website... email the department head if you don't have a reference and ask them for recommendations directly. We used the BC calc teacher from NCS and the male math teacher from GDS who lives in Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not just tell all of DCUM your son's name? You've all but outed him already. Poor guy.

Several Math 1 classes. There's no way he's been outed. My DC in 9th too and I have no idea who it is.

[Anonymous]

Do students who opt for neither advanced math nor advanced science do ok as far as college placement is concerned? Does the school see them as slackers? What is STEM is just not what they are interested in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a tutor from one of the other privates - my daughter worked with a teacher from NCS and my son worked with a tutor from GDS. Both helped tremendously. Or get the coach who used to work in the math dept to tutor your kids that is allowed.

Coach formerly in the math department? Who is this? Any pointers would be useful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not just tell all of DCUM your son's name? You've all but outed him already. Poor guy.

Several Math 1 classes. There's no way he's been outed. My DC in 9th too and I have no idea who it is.

PP, say hello to CrazyOutingMom who posts frequently about how everyone is outing their children.