VA math changes - ways to speak out

[Anonymous]

32:20
"Let me totally clear we are talking about taking algebra 1 geometry algebra 2, those three courses that we've known and loved for 150 years, and removing them from our HS mathematics programs and replacing them with essential concepts for grade 8, 9, 10."

Chill, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's a Virginia-wide thing. The posters on here who are against this change are just making things up at this point, making huge assumptions, and just being ignorant. They have no trust in educators and think they no better than everyone else.

+1

+1

Irrational and premature.

The next info session addresses a lot of these misconceptions.

Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - Advanced Pathways in Grades 11 - 12
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrbxl9wHScrWKWIEoUWNIfQ

Wait - so they think they can push students who currently are start the Algebra 1 - Geometry - Algebra 2 path in 9th grade into learning everything a year earlier, but also including the people who need an extra year to take Algebra 1 part 1, and at least some of students currently in the special-needs oriented Individual Mathematics?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
32:20
"Let me totally clear we are talking about taking algebra 1 geometry algebra 2, those three courses that we've known and loved for 150 years, and removing them from our HS mathematics programs and replacing them with essential concepts for grade 8, 9, 10."

Chill, people.

Great. As long as they are actually covering Alg 1 / Geo / Alg 2 in 8-10 and at the right pace so that strong students are ready to cover all necessary pre-calc in 11th, calc in 12th, I'm good.

Sounds like they seem to think that all children will now magically be able to handle algebra 1 in 8th grade when they weren't before which seems like a huge stretch. Especially if the teachers in K-7 aren't supposed to be providing separate instruction for students who are struggling (that whole no ability grouping). Maybe you might want to test out how this is going to work before rolling it out to the whole state? (not that it matters to me personally -- my freshman may benefit from the new electives in 11th-12th but regardless will take calculus and not be part of their K-10 experiment)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's a Virginia-wide thing. The posters on here who are against this change are just making things up at this point, making huge assumptions, and just being ignorant. They have no trust in educators and think they no better than everyone else.

+1

+1

Irrational and premature.

The next info session addresses a lot of these misconceptions.

Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - Advanced Pathways in Grades 11 - 12
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrbxl9wHScrWKWIEoUWNIfQ

Wait - so they think they can push students who currently are start the Algebra 1 - Geometry - Algebra 2 path in 9th grade into learning everything a year earlier, but also including the people who need an extra year to take Algebra 1 part 1, and at least some of students currently in the special-needs oriented Individual Mathematics?

Don't you know it's all just about having a positive attitude and seeing that math can be fun!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's a Virginia-wide thing. The posters on here who are against this change are just making things up at this point, making huge assumptions, and just being ignorant. They have no trust in educators and think they no better than everyone else.

First bolded point: True, but that's because VDOE is being deliberately vague about the program. If VDOE clearly stated that every child would effectively take Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II in 8th-10th grade, and if they clearly indicated how they expect teachers to engage all levels of math aptitude in the same classroom without just ignoring the bright students, there would be much less angst about this program. People are rightfully assuming that since their bright kids are already being ignored in their heterogeneous language arts, science, and social studies classes, the exact same thing will happen in the new math program.

Second bolded point: We have trust in educators. We don't have trust in the politicians pushing this program. Actual, in-the-classroom educators have expressed concerns that they would be unable to engage the full spectrum of math abilities in one classroom. Many have said that they would end up teaching to the lower-middle. The top kids would be ignored and the bottom would flounder without the proper supports. Why aren't the politicians listening to and trusting the teachers?

Who do you think is pushing this whole movement? Educators.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
"Let me totally clear we are talking about taking algebra 1 geometry algebra 2, those three courses that we've known and loved for 150 years, and removing them from our HS mathematics programs and replacing them with essential concepts for grade 8, 9, 10."

Chill, people.

That still doesn't explain how the teacher is going to engage all levels of learners and ensure that both the top kids are engaged with the material and the bottom kids aren't being left behind. Many of the VMPI cheerleaders are acting as if all of the concerned parents are people clutching their pearls that their kids won't be allowed to take post-AP classes. Many of the concerned parents are also those with below-average or struggling students who are worried that their kids will no longer receive the support they need to be successful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's a Virginia-wide thing. The posters on here who are against this change are just making things up at this point, making huge assumptions, and just being ignorant. They have no trust in educators and think they no better than everyone else.

+1

+1

Irrational and premature.

The next info session addresses a lot of these misconceptions.

Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - Advanced Pathways in Grades 11 - 12
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrbxl9wHScrWKWIEoUWNIfQ

Wait - so they think they can push students who currently are start the Algebra 1 - Geometry - Algebra 2 path in 9th grade into learning everything a year earlier, but also including the people who need an extra year to take Algebra 1 part 1, and at least some of students currently in the special-needs oriented Individual Mathematics?

Which orifice did you pull that out of?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Second bolded point: We have trust in educators. We don't have trust in the politicians pushing this program. Actual, in-the-classroom educators have expressed concerns that they would be unable to engage the full spectrum of math abilities in one classroom. Many have said that they would end up teaching to the lower-middle. The top kids would be ignored and the bottom would flounder without the proper supports. Why aren't the politicians listening to and trusting the teachers?

Who do you think is pushing this whole movement? Educators.

VDOE bureaucrats don't count as educators. I want to see a lot of real classroom teachers endorsing this plan before I would agree that it might be a good idea. None of the teachers I've spoken with are enthused at all about this. None of them even think the idea is feasible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"Let me totally clear we are talking about taking algebra 1 geometry algebra 2, those three courses that we've known and loved for 150 years, and removing them from our HS mathematics programs and replacing them with essential concepts for grade 8, 9, 10."

Chill, people.

That still doesn't explain how the teacher is going to engage all levels of learners and ensure that both the top kids are engaged with the material and the bottom kids aren't being left behind. Many of the VMPI cheerleaders are acting as if all of the concerned parents are people clutching their pearls that their kids won't be allowed to take post-AP classes. Many of the concerned parents are also those with below-average or struggling students who are worried that their kids will no longer receive the support they need to be successful.

Clustering works today to differentiate and provide additional challenge/supports for ELA, ES math, etc. Not sure why you think that won't work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Clustering works today to differentiate and provide additional challenge/supports for ELA, ES math, etc. Not sure why you think that won't work.

It actually doesn't work. The top groups only meet with the teacher like 15 minutes/week or even less, and then get warehoused on computers for the rest of class time. The lowest groups get all of the teacher's time and attention. For this program, since the kids who normally would take Algebra in 9th are going to start doing it in 8th, they'll need even more of the teacher's time and support in the early grades. Ignoring the top kids does not equal differentiating for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"Let me totally clear we are talking about taking algebra 1 geometry algebra 2, those three courses that we've known and loved for 150 years, and removing them from our HS mathematics programs and replacing them with essential concepts for grade 8, 9, 10."

Chill, people.

That still doesn't explain how the teacher is going to engage all levels of learners and ensure that both the top kids are engaged with the material and the bottom kids aren't being left behind. Many of the VMPI cheerleaders are acting as if all of the concerned parents are people clutching their pearls that their kids won't be allowed to take post-AP classes. Many of the concerned parents are also those with below-average or struggling students who are worried that their kids will no longer receive the support they need to be successful.

Clustering works today to differentiate and provide additional challenge/supports for ELA, ES math, etc. Not sure why you think that won't work.

Clustering can work (although in my and my kids' experience it means a lot of independent work and not much real enrichment for the kids at the top) but the VMPI explicitly has said they oppose ability grouping. What is clustering if not ability grouping?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How can you argue it’s offering multiple pathways when every kid, regardless of level, is in the exact same math class (the Bobby one offered) until 11th grade? That is the opposite of multiple pathways.

Also, please explain in detail how this “levels the playing field.”
And I fail to see how families hiring tutors or not, or helping their kids or not, should have anything to do with what math classes are offered. Multiple levels need to be offered by 9th grade at the very latest. At the end of the day, WHY a kid is behind or ahead or on grade level matters left than meeting that student’s current needs.

Why? Why do multiple levels of math need to be offered? There aren't multiple levels of any other subjects offered. There will still be AP courses. That is all the differentiation your kid will need. It is going to be so much better for kids to be able to relate and apply math to real scenarios than to memorize and regurgitate formulas. This change will make math more interesting and engaging, both for kids who are math whizzes and kids who are a bit behind their peers.

Yes there are. It's called honors. Honors English, Honors Science, Honors History, and Honors Math are often offered at the Middle/HS level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT VMPI:

So I have been writing(profusely) to Tina Mazzacone and to my IB school k-12 math coordinator in NOVA regarding this catastrophe. I have a brief meeting with the two of them next week online.

I will concentrate on : the fact that all three levels of IB MATH in grade 11 and 12 (mandatory for the IB diploma), require precalculus (for the HL course) or algebra 2/trig in grade 10(for the SL courses)!!!
As a reminder VMPI does NOT teach algebra 2 nor trig nor precal . SO no one can access algebra 2 until 11th grade per VMPI.

So I want her to chew on that and explain how can VA IB schools continue offering the IB diploma as NO kids will have the knowledge ready for any IB level math--even the one for lib art majors . And as a reminder the IB program is not US based but rather global -not just through Europe but I believe on all continents-so its not like they will have the world participate in this VMPI -we at least not for the next 10-12 years).
-------------------------------------------------------------
SO please write here if you have any other concrete questions that I can ask and so on

thanks

As a Virginia middle school math teacher, I would love if you could encourage her to drop the SOLs and move to the Common Core like me the rest of the nation. Math should be standardized throughout the country. Virginia going its own way, makes this very difficult for teachers since essentially all math resources are designed for Common Core. Virginia math teachers have to spend their nights and weekends developing materials for teaching the SOLs. It sounds like they now want to put us even more out of step with everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's a Virginia-wide thing. The posters on here who are against this change are just making things up at this point, making huge assumptions, and just being ignorant. They have no trust in educators and think they no better than everyone else.

First bolded point: True, but that's because VDOE is being deliberately vague about the program. If VDOE clearly stated that every child would effectively take Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II in 8th-10th grade, and if they clearly indicated how they expect teachers to engage all levels of math aptitude in the same classroom without just ignoring the bright students, there would be much less angst about this program. People are rightfully assuming that since their bright kids are already being ignored in their heterogeneous language arts, science, and social studies classes, the exact same thing will happen in the new math program.

Second bolded point: We have trust in educators. We don't have trust in the politicians pushing this program. Actual, in-the-classroom educators have expressed concerns that they would be unable to engage the full spectrum of math abilities in one classroom. Many have said that they would end up teaching to the lower-middle. The top kids would be ignored and the bottom would flounder without the proper supports. Why aren't the politicians listening to and trusting the teachers?

Who do you think is pushing this whole movement? Educators.

Not classroom teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's a Virginia-wide thing. The posters on here who are against this change are just making things up at this point, making huge assumptions, and just being ignorant. They have no trust in educators and think they no better than everyone else.

I take it you didn't watch the meeting when Tina Mazzacone tried unsuccessfully to sell this plan to a bunch of math teachers.