Anyone wavering on whether or not to do Algebra in 7th

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have a 7th grader, and agonized over that call last year. DD and all her classmates that qualified took it. A few that didn’t appealed and took it. They’re all doing fine. The material is not difficult.

I have a friend whose 8th grader is doing Algebra II. She’s going to take pre-calc and call it done because she has no interest in math (despite being very good at it). So if your child later wants to slow things down or not continue this path, there are certainly ways to do it.

The problem with calling it quits is that a lot of colleges frown upon that.

[Anonymous]

A novice parent with a future high school kid.

https://insys.fcps.edu/CourseCatOnline/reportPanel/1041/10/0/0/0/1;title=reportPanelSideNav

How to go from the above link. Its so confusing. IS there any website to comprehend the high school course selection system?

[Anonymous]

We chose to keep DS in math 7 honors even though he qualified. I felt that math instruction the last three years has not been great (not teachers’ fault but lots of learning time lost) and he has gaps even if one assessment didn’t capture that. (He has gotten 4s and advanced on all SOLs). I’m a HS math teacher and I see lots of kids who took higher level math earlier. As a PP said, algebra I itself isn’t that hard. But I find that an extra year makes kids more successful in later high school math courses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid very much wants to, and I personally wouldn’t encourage it. But like PP, I’m trying to let her steer the bus here, so I won’t stop her from taking it if she chooses.

Why wouldn’t you encourage it? It isn’t so far accelerated it will derail math options later on

Because my kid tends to be anxious and high strung and wants to do the hardest everything. I don’t necessarily find that healthy. MS is an adjustment and I don’t want her to bite off more than she can chew.

That said, won’t stop her, but I wouldn’t be the one pushing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have a 7th grader, and agonized over that call last year. DD and all her classmates that qualified took it. A few that didn’t appealed and took it. They’re all doing fine. The material is not difficult.

I have a friend whose 8th grader is doing Algebra II. She’s going to take pre-calc and call it done because she has no interest in math (despite being very good at it). So if your child later wants to slow things down or not continue this path, there are certainly ways to do it.

The problem with calling it quits is that a lot of colleges frown upon that.

She's planning to go into fine arts or performing arts. I don't think those programs care overly much about her math track.

[Anonymous]

Very specific to this child and her unique interests. You should mention this when you bring up that she didn't do any more math in your posts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC got 96% on IOWA, has routinely gotten pass advance on math SOLs (understanding that this years has not happened yet) and gets straight 4s on report cards, as well as interim exams and work projects in the classroom. I feel confident he can handle Algebra next year, and Geography the following year, but am concerned about the level of rigor beyond that (taking college level math by 11th grade!) Too early to tell if DC is even interested in pursuing a major or career in this area despite his competency. Some of his peers who are similarly situated are steering clear, whereas others (friends studying advanced levels outside of school; which he is not doing) are pursuing.

Would love to hear anecdotally what direction others are looking at. We have until July obviously, and there’s always the chance he bombs the SOL (although unlikely).

Keep in mind that what we in the U.S. call "college-level math" is really regular 11th/12th pre-university grade math everywhere else for those bound to attend higher education (depending on the country, from 10-25% of a cohort). This includes single-variable calculus, basic linear algebra, and the material covered in such courses as AP statistics. As an example, take a look at the Bavarian 2022 Abitur (the exam all university-bound 12th graders take) and what's required there. It's in German, but if you remember your calculus/stochastics/algebra you can probably make out what's being asked - if not, run it through ChatGPT. Part A, btw, is a 70min test without calculator.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC got 96% on IOWA, has routinely gotten pass advance on math SOLs (understanding that this years has not happened yet) and gets straight 4s on report cards, as well as interim exams and work projects in the classroom. I feel confident he can handle Algebra next year, and Geography the following year, but am concerned about the level of rigor beyond that (taking college level math by 11th grade!) Too early to tell if DC is even interested in pursuing a major or career in this area despite his competency. Some of his peers who are similarly situated are steering clear, whereas others (friends studying advanced levels outside of school; which he is not doing) are pursuing.

Would love to hear anecdotally what direction others are looking at. We have until July obviously, and there’s always the chance he bombs the SOL (although unlikely).

Go for it. My DC who does not like math (but still did well in advanced math) is taking Honors 7th grade math and says it's her easiest class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take it in 6th if possible.

DC is in 6th grade now. Algebra is not offered to 6th graders in FCPS.

It is! If you know the rules, which are not advertised or transparent.

Not disclosing these options is theft.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC got 96% on IOWA, has routinely gotten pass advance on math SOLs (understanding that this years has not happened yet) and gets straight 4s on report cards, as well as interim exams and work projects in the classroom. I feel confident he can handle Algebra next year, and Geography the following year, but am concerned about the level of rigor beyond that (taking college level math by 11th grade!) Too early to tell if DC is even interested in pursuing a major or career in this area despite his competency. Some of his peers who are similarly situated are steering clear, whereas others (friends studying advanced levels outside of school; which he is not doing) are pursuing.

Would love to hear anecdotally what direction others are looking at. We have until July obviously, and there’s always the chance he bombs the SOL (although unlikely).

Keep in mind that what we in the U.S. call "college-level math" is really regular 11th/12th pre-university grade math everywhere else for those bound to attend higher education (depending on the country, from 10-25% of a cohort). This includes single-variable calculus, basic linear algebra, and the material covered in such courses as AP statistics. As an example, take a look at the Bavarian 2022 Abitur (the exam all university-bound 12th graders take) and what's required there. It's in German, but if you remember your calculus/stochastics/algebra you can probably make out what's being asked - if not, run it through ChatGPT. Part A, btw, is a 70min test without calculator.

Keep in mind that the top 10-25% of US students all take 'college-level math' in high school.

[Anonymous]

OP, I have the same concerns and am also wavering. My daughter WANTS to take it and got a 96 percentile on her IOWA but I'm not convinced that she's a hard enough worker to make it through those higher level math classes later. The reason she's doing well now is because she has great number sense and a fairly innate math ability when it comes to some of this stuff they're learning in 7th grade. Once it gets to some of the more abstract concepts of math, I'm not sure how well she'll do. Algebra will be fine. Geometry will be harder because that's her weakest area overall. And I think she'll do fine in Algebra II. But we're at an IB school so the options after that are kind of murky and unfamiliar to me and I'm worried they'll be too challenging. I expect her to take math all four years of high school so what kind of upper level math are we talking about here that she'd be setting herself up to take?

Half of me says to just let her chill and take Math 7H and save Algebra for 8th grade. The other half says to let her challenge herself. Still unsure. And most of these responses aren't addressing your question of what comes next (later half of high school). I did get some responses to that question when I asked it on a previous thread but can't remember which one. You may be able to search for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take it in 6th if possible.

DC is in 6th grade now. Algebra is not offered to 6th graders in FCPS.

It is! If you know the rules, which are not advertised or transparent.

Not disclosing these options is theft.

Two kids at our AAP center took Algebra in 6th. They went to the middle school center for first period. They are now taking Geometry in 7th. Another kid who went to our ES and then left for private (DS does not know where) is taking Algebra II in 7th grade at his middle school.

[Anonymous]

Different district altogether, but also an option of algebra 1 in 7th and geometry in 8th. I pushed him, he struggled somewhat in 6th, I thought about bringing him down a level but he did well on the end of year exams and lo and behold, in 7th he is doing much better! Little help needed from me, he has As and Bs mostly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have the same concerns and am also wavering. My daughter WANTS to take it and got a 96 percentile on her IOWA but I'm not convinced that she's a hard enough worker to make it through those higher level math classes later. The reason she's doing well now is because she has great number sense and a fairly innate math ability when it comes to some of this stuff they're learning in 7th grade. Once it gets to some of the more abstract concepts of math, I'm not sure how well she'll do. Algebra will be fine. Geometry will be harder because that's her weakest area overall. And I think she'll do fine in Algebra II. But we're at an IB school so the options after that are kind of murky and unfamiliar to me and I'm worried they'll be too challenging. I expect her to take math all four years of high school so what kind of upper level math are we talking about here that she'd be setting herself up to take?

Half of me says to just let her chill and take Math 7H and save Algebra for 8th grade. The other half says to let her challenge herself. Still unsure. And most of these responses aren't addressing your question of what comes next (later half of high school). I did get some responses to that question when I asked it on a previous thread but can't remember which one. You may be able to search for it.

She can always take calculus and then AP statistics or an even easier class like computer math(seems like she would enjoy this).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We chose to keep DS in math 7 honors even though he qualified. I felt that math instruction the last three years has not been great (not teachers’ fault but lots of learning time lost) and he has gaps even if one assessment didn’t capture that. (He has gotten 4s and advanced on all SOLs). I’m a HS math teacher and I see lots of kids who took higher level math earlier. As a PP said, algebra I itself isn’t that hard. But I find that an extra year makes kids more successful in later high school math courses.

Agree this race to calculus seems misguided.