Algebra in 9th

[Anonymous]

I teach both prealgebra and algebra in FCPS to 8th graders.

OP, the culture is WILDLY different at different schools. At some schools, everyone from math 7 goes to math 8 (prealgebra) except the absolute tippy top kids who probably should have taken m7h in the first place. In other schools, anyone who passes the m7 sol goes to algebra, and m8 is only remedial students. Without knowing where your daughter is, it’s hard to make a conclusion.

I will say two things:
1) they made the standards in m7/m8 much more rigorous last year. The topics are REALLY good prep for algebra. M8 is almost algebra 1 part 1 now.
2) in my experience, a kid who gets a 430 on the m7 SOL can hang in algebra. They will need some help along the way, but they can be successful with a good teacher (and ARI if it’s offered concurrently). A 450 or above usually does just fine in algebra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just for reference, OP. About 75% of white kids, 80% of asian kids, and something like 68% of ALL FCPS kids take Algebra in 8th grade or before.

It is VERY common for kids to go from reg. 7th grade math to Alg I in 8th grade. Or, kids take Math 7 hons (which is 8th grade math) and then go to Alg. I (or Alg I hons) in 8th.

This is from documents that FCPS posts in their board docs -- I may be slightly off on the exact percentages, (i.e. is is 76% or 75%? I don't remember).

So, you decide -- is your kid in the bottom 25-30%? If so, then wait until 9th grade. My DD was not a strong math kid. But, she took Alg. I in 8th and got a B, I think. She did the same with Geom. in 9th.

If your child can get a B in math 7, I think it is worth going to Alg. in 8th grade. Of course, there is no requirement that you do. If you are a little unsure, I'd recommend asking your child's counselor to put her in the Alg. section that meets everyday for a shorter period (45 min. every day rather than a block that is 90 min. every other day). That way, a kid who is not fast at math can take it in smaller doses.

My kid got a B in intensified Algebra 1 in 7th, but had no understanding of it at the end of the year. Kid will repeat Intensified Algebra in 8th.

Again, you need to dig further and see what the real understanding is. My kid's math department said he knew enough to push into Intensified Geometry. Ha! He did not understand most of the summer math pack review. I think APS wanted the numbers to look better because so many kids were falling off the track so they were telling more kids they were prepared for the next level when they actually weren't. Our 5th grade recommended very few kids for the new 6/7/8 math---even high scorers/GT kids are doing Math 6 this year. Knowing what I know and watching it, that is the better math for 99% of kids (minus the very few true math wizards---and there are far fewer than are labeled that way).

But what were they recommended to take this year in 7th? Mine was recommended for Math 6 in 6th grade but now recommended for pre-algebra for 7th.

[Anonymous]

When I was in 7th grade my teacher refused to let any student move on to algebra 1 in 8th grade. I was ready for it but my parents didn’t know they could advocate for me to move to algebra 1. As a result I was unable to take AP calc or physics senior year of high school and was unprepared for calc freshman year of college. It really impacted my trajectory and I am still resentful about it 30 years later!

[Anonymous]

Algebra 9th grade, geometry over the summer , then algebra 2 as a sophomore ,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I was in 7th grade my teacher refused to let any student move on to algebra 1 in 8th grade. I was ready for it but my parents didn’t know they could advocate for me to move to algebra 1. As a result I was unable to take AP calc or physics senior year of high school and was unprepared for calc freshman year of college. It really impacted my trajectory and I am still resentful about it 30 years later!

I took Algebra in 9th and Physics in 12th. I get Calc, but why in the world could you not take Physics??? Physics was a standard 12th course, even for those that didn’t have Calc. I am a biochemist. PhD. How was your trajectory so altered?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have one who did algebra in 8th and was fine to continue the track into high school. My other one didn’t do as well and we chose to retake in 9th and expunge the 8th grade from record. I would rather they do well in regular classes at grade level than do not so well but be “ahead.”

+100
We were fine with our kids taking Algebra 1 in 9th grade.

[Anonymous]

DD was general ed math. Took M7 and had a great teacher. Jumped to Alg in 8th and did fine. Now a Senior in HS taking Calc AB and took AP Stats last year (her choice elective). Did the non-honors math track all through high school because the pace was better for her vs honors that moved faster and covered more topics. DD needed to work more with the material.
Skipping M8 for most kids is do-able. It also helped to have the precalc/trig material completed her junior year for the SAT.

[Anonymous]

if you need a tutor to stay accelerated/keep up with material, then you don't belong in the advanced class

Somewhere along the journey the student is likely to have a bad teacher, at least one bad teacher. It's helpful for the student to bounce ideas and concepts off someone who's passionate about the subject (the tutor, hopefully), and fill in gaps. It was the subjects our kids were most passionate about where we hired tutors. As their parents we couldn't discuss those subjects or inspire. Just not wired for those subjects.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps you should just ask your child what they want to do and what they feel is the most appropriate level for them. Nobody seems to ever consider what the student thinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps you should just ask your child what they want to do and what they feel is the most appropriate level for them. Nobody seems to ever consider what the student thinks.

I did and he insisted on Intensified Algebra in 7th which I thought was a poor choice after having a bad teacher in 6th.

Kids want to do what their friends are doing and not necessarily in their own best interest.

Repeating Algebra in 8th because didn’t learn it well/too fast pace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps you should just ask your child what they want to do and what they feel is the most appropriate level for them. Nobody seems to ever consider what the student thinks.

I did and he insisted on Intensified Algebra in 7th which I thought was a poor choice after having a bad teacher in 6th.

Kids want to do what their friends are doing and not necessarily in their own best interest.

Repeating Algebra in 8th because didn’t learn it well/too fast pace.

Yeah, there is that. I don't have that problem with mine as far as math goes - they both hate it and are very happy to not be pushed too hard. Hopefully your child's bad decision was a good life lesson for him.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't be too worried about when your kid takes Algebra. I took Algebra in 9th grade and never took Calculus in high school. I ended up teaching statistics and game theory at the University level. Yes, I needed to work harder at math in college and grad school but I got there.

Mind you, I took a slower math path because of learning disabilities but I still got there.

This notion that your kid has to take Algebra in Junior High, and the sooner the better, is an artificial construct. There is plenty of time to take the more advanced math classes. If your child decides they want to go to Engineering school later on in high school, they can take the more advanced math classes at a Community College or even early on in College and then apply for Engineering programs. What matters is that they learn the material when they take the class. Rushing your child into math that they might struggle with is not going to help with their understanding.

If you child is able to handle that type of math earlier and they are learning and understanding the concepts earlier, more power to them, but that really is a smaller number of kids then people want to believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't be too worried about when your kid takes Algebra. I took Algebra in 9th grade and never took Calculus in high school. I ended up teaching statistics and game theory at the University level. Yes, I needed to work harder at math in college and grad school but I got there.

Mind you, I took a slower math path because of learning disabilities but I still got there.

This notion that your kid has to take Algebra in Junior High, and the sooner the better, is an artificial construct. There is plenty of time to take the more advanced math classes. If your child decides they want to go to Engineering school later on in high school, they can take the more advanced math classes at a Community College or even early on in College and then apply for Engineering programs. What matters is that they learn the material when they take the class. Rushing your child into math that they might struggle with is not going to help with their understanding.

If you child is able to handle that type of math earlier and they are learning and understanding the concepts earlier, more power to them, but that really is a smaller number of kids then people want to believe.

There's so much criticism about how the US is so far behind other countries in math. Nobody even considers that our push to move kids through the levels of math faster rather than focusing on a rock solid grounding in understanding every step along the way is (a) not solving the gap and (b) might be causing the gap.