How hard will Blair's Functions class be for a kid who currently finds Algebra 2 "easy"?

[Anonymous]

You have to be invited to take functions and about a quarter of the invited kids drop down to precalculus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It allows kids to take higher level science and math electives.

You mean they don't have those at college?

Students who are less advanced before college do not have enough time in 4 years to take more advanced classes in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It allows kids to take higher level science and math electives.

You mean they don't have those at college?

Students who are less advanced before college do not have enough time in 4 years to take more advanced classes in college.

Such definitive nonsense. I can’t believe people who actually went to college can say this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It allows kids to take higher level science and math electives.

You mean they don't have those at college?

Students who are less advanced before college do not have enough time in 4 years to take more advanced classes in college.

Um, no - colleges often make students take their own versions of certain courses anyway. And besides, what is the race headed towards? Higher salary? Grad school (when everyone works at their own pace anyway)? To what extent is speed sacrificing depth and mastery?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It allows kids to take higher level science and math electives.

You mean they don't have those at college?

Students who are less advanced before college do not have enough time in 4 years to take more advanced classes in college.

Um, no - colleges often make students take their own versions of certain courses anyway. And besides, what is the race headed towards? Higher salary? Grad school (when everyone works at their own pace anyway)? To what extent is speed sacrificing depth and mastery?

Functions is definitely a faster pace but I wouldn't describe it as sacrificing since it involve more work than all the other magnet classes combined.

[Anonymous]

I am confused by the functions class. If magnet precalc is an average of 45 minutes of class and 60 minutes of HW for 270 school days, that’s 472.5 hours of math. Then if functions is 45 minutes of class and 4 hours of HW for 180 days that’s 855 hours. Why so much more time? Is there additional content? Or are 14 year olds just really inefficient at HW? Or are people exaggerating?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to be invited to take functions and about a quarter of the invited kids drop down to precalculus

I am wondering how a student be invited to take functions? Will there be an assessment in the beginning of the school year? My DC is taking H. Geometry in their 8th grade. Without taking Algebra 2, I am wondering if they would be considered / tested at least? Thank you in advance!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to be invited to take functions and about a quarter of the invited kids drop down to precalculus

I am wondering how a student be invited to take functions? Will there be an assessment in the beginning of the school year? My DC is taking H. Geometry in their 8th grade. Without taking Algebra 2, I am wondering if they would be considered / tested at least? Thank you in advance!

There is a one week day camp over the summer, usually around the first week of break, for incoming Blair magnet students. Most math placements are determined then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It allows kids to take higher level science and math electives.

You mean they don't have those at college?

Students who are less advanced before college do not have enough time in 4 years to take more advanced classes in college.

Such definitive nonsense. I can’t believe people who actually went to college can say this.

DP. Thinking the same. Also functions parent. That idea is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair STEM parent here. What is the point of being in such a hurry with Math classes? Is it just to avoid taking these classes in college? I know it doesn’t really help in college admissions. I am just trying to understand this…no judgement.

Former Blair magnet parent here. It depends on the child. Our child took a lot of math but no extra bio and chem. It provided a strong foundation for college, and they enjoyed it. It may have helped college admissions to show a rigorous schedule, but one never knows. Most importantly, our child ENJOYED the classes.

When they got to college, they took AP credit for one year of calculus. Our child wanted to test out of multivariable and differential equations, also, but we strongly urged them to retake those classes. College was hard enough to adjust to after the pandemic without pushing the envelope on math!

DP. Ours was similar. Did test out of mvc/de in college, enrolled for linear, but then moved up to abstract because it was too redundant. Another functions/linear classmate did stick with linear in college. Worked well for mine to move ahead because she wants to double major, and it made sense in the problem sets. But, the key is loving the math you're in. What you do with it in college is a different thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to be invited to take functions and about a quarter of the invited kids drop down to precalculus

I am wondering how a student be invited to take functions? Will there be an assessment in the beginning of the school year? My DC is taking H. Geometry in their 8th grade. Without taking Algebra 2, I am wondering if they would be considered / tested at least? Thank you in advance!

Their teacher might recommend them. (That is the case at TPMS). Or, they may be recommended during the summer camp experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It allows kids to take higher level science and math electives.

You mean they don't have those at college?

Students who are less advanced before college do not have enough time in 4 years to take more advanced classes in college.

Um, no - colleges often make students take their own versions of certain courses anyway. And besides, what is the race headed towards? Higher salary? Grad school (when everyone works at their own pace anyway)? To what extent is speed sacrificing depth and mastery?

It actually goes (or went, mine's an alum) deeper than the 3 semester equivalent. So, this makes no sense. Also, any math dept, should be able to test kids. They usually break majors into pre reqs (Calc, mvc, Linear) and upper level, so even at schools that don't take APs, they should be able to test out of some pre reqs.

Kids need to do this for the love of math, though. Not any "get ahead" expectations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to be invited to take functions and about a quarter of the invited kids drop down to precalculus

I am wondering how a student be invited to take functions? Will there be an assessment in the beginning of the school year? My DC is taking H. Geometry in their 8th grade. Without taking Algebra 2, I am wondering if they would be considered / tested at least? Thank you in advance!

There is a one week day camp over the summer, usually around the first week of break, for incoming Blair magnet students. Most math placements are determined then.

It used to be mostly the test score unless you came from TP. I guess the math week is more important now...thought most functions kids do come from Takoma.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am confused by the functions class. If magnet precalc is an average of 45 minutes of class and 60 minutes of HW for 270 school days, that’s 472.5 hours of math. Then if functions is 45 minutes of class and 4 hours of HW for 180 days that’s 855 hours. Why so much more time? Is there additional content? Or are 14 year olds just really inefficient at HW? Or are people exaggerating?

It's for kids who want more of a challenge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to be invited to take functions and about a quarter of the invited kids drop down to precalculus

I am wondering how a student be invited to take functions? Will there be an assessment in the beginning of the school year? My DC is taking H. Geometry in their 8th grade. Without taking Algebra 2, I am wondering if they would be considered / tested at least? Thank you in advance!

Their teacher might recommend them. (That is the case at TPMS). Or, they may be recommended during the summer camp experience.

Presumably they also have to indicate that they want to do it when they register for courses? I think mine could be recommended but I encouraged him to select precalculus instead. Is there a chance he could be recommended regardless?