Struggling in Hon Precalculus

[Anonymous]

Ignore the if you need a tutor you are in the wrong class people.

MCPS math is notoriously weak and this cohort of 10th graders and 11th graders were taught with C2.0 which the auditors said was inadequate. Combine that with covid and it's no wonder many kids don't have a solid foundation.

I think you should consider moving to regular Pre-cal but if you want to try with a tutor in honors that would probably work out okay too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ignore the if you need a tutor you are in the wrong class people.

MCPS math is notoriously weak and this cohort of 10th graders and 11th graders were taught with C2.0 which the auditors said was inadequate. Combine that with covid and it's no wonder many kids don't have a solid foundation.

I think you should consider moving to regular Pre-cal but if you want to try with a tutor in honors that would probably work out okay too.

This is DCUMland! Every kid is above average, and every kid gets a tutor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ignore the if you need a tutor you are in the wrong class people.

MCPS math is notoriously weak and this cohort of 10th graders and 11th graders were taught with C2.0 which the auditors said was inadequate. Combine that with covid and it's no wonder many kids don't have a solid foundation.

I think you should consider moving to regular Pre-cal but if you want to try with a tutor in honors that would probably work out okay too.

This is DCUMland! Every kid is above average, and every kid gets a tutor.

You get a tutor, you get a tutor, and you get a tutor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interested in this thread as it sounds similar to my kid in the Blair magnet, except they so far have an A, but expect that to change. Home work seems to average 2 hours a night or more. Kid is working really hard. But there isn’t enough time in class to take the quizzes. They had end of unit tests this week and it sounds like kid was able to complete less than half the quiz in time available (30 mins). Expecting their grade to tank. And, it turns out this was the same for most of the other kids, with some not even fully completing a single question! Teacher doesn’t teach in class so the kids are just relying on their hours of homework as practice. They can get it right but not under conditions of speed.

My kid too, PP. Your kid is not alone.

[Anonymous]

Both my kids had tutors in MCPS for math from 3rd grade onwards. Their 3rd grade teacher suggested it and said that more than 80% of the kids in her class worked with extra math groups / tutors to keep up.

[Anonymous]

OP back. He is in 9th. 8th grade MapM was 282. I am honestly in a new territory here because I have never had to worry about anything school related. We have always been very hands off with school with all of our kids. Older sibling took regular precalculus in 10th but in a different district. Never had any tutors for math or any of the AP courses. Older sibling is in an engineering program at UMD. This DS, middle child, also wants to be a physicist. He is worried that moving down to regular precalculus will be counted against him during college admissions. He wanted to take Calculus AB in 10th, BC in 11th and AP stats in 12th. He took Algebra 1 in 6th during COVID years but did AoPS Algebra 1 concurrently, so if he has gaps they have to be from Algebra 2. I will try to persuade him to take regular precalculus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP back. He is in 9th. 8th grade MapM was 282. I am honestly in a new territory here because I have never had to worry about anything school related. We have always been very hands off with school with all of our kids. Older sibling took regular precalculus in 10th but in a different district. Never had any tutors for math or any of the AP courses. Older sibling is in an engineering program at UMD. This DS, middle child, also wants to be a physicist. He is worried that moving down to regular precalculus will be counted against him during college admissions. He wanted to take Calculus AB in 10th, BC in 11th and AP stats in 12th. He took Algebra 1 in 6th during COVID years but did AoPS Algebra 1 concurrently, so if he has gaps they have to be from Algebra 2. I will try to persuade him to take regular precalculus.

Okay, OP, now you are really going to be hated on DCUM. Just kidding. DCUM hates advanced kids like yours and loves to see them struggle. It sounds like your kid is very motivated. I would have him to talk to the teacher and obtain his/her thoughts. Also, if your kid is willing to do summer school (and it sounds like he might be), he can always retake the class this summer if he is unhappy with his grade. Just a thought - this is only if he is really determined to stay in Honors Precalc.

[Anonymous]

We are at Wootton in Honors PreCalc as well. The teacher is very intimidating and explained at BTS night that this will be a hard class. She said real math starts now and everything prior to this did not count. I was scared leaving BTS night. We have a tutor now once a week via Zoom. Not sure if it will help as we just started. NHS and advisory period can be used for help as well. Or before school this particular teacher is there for visits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP back. He is in 9th. 8th grade MapM was 282. I am honestly in a new territory here because I have never had to worry about anything school related. We have always been very hands off with school with all of our kids. Older sibling took regular precalculus in 10th but in a different district. Never had any tutors for math or any of the AP courses. Older sibling is in an engineering program at UMD. This DS, middle child, also wants to be a physicist. He is worried that moving down to regular precalculus will be counted against him during college admissions. He wanted to take Calculus AB in 10th, BC in 11th and AP stats in 12th. He took Algebra 1 in 6th during COVID years but did AoPS Algebra 1 concurrently, so if he has gaps they have to be from Algebra 2. I will try to persuade him to take regular precalculus.

I don't get being a hands off parent. Can you help him? If not get a tutor. Pre-cal is far harder than any other math. Our pre-cal teacher is very good and it's a very different teaching style with a textbook and a lot more homework. We are very hands on and a parent helps and reviews it with our child. I would not have him drop down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP back. He is in 9th. 8th grade MapM was 282. I am honestly in a new territory here because I have never had to worry about anything school related. We have always been very hands off with school with all of our kids. Older sibling took regular precalculus in 10th but in a different district. Never had any tutors for math or any of the AP courses. Older sibling is in an engineering program at UMD. This DS, middle child, also wants to be a physicist. He is worried that moving down to regular precalculus will be counted against him during college admissions. He wanted to take Calculus AB in 10th, BC in 11th and AP stats in 12th. He took Algebra 1 in 6th during COVID years but did AoPS Algebra 1 concurrently, so if he has gaps they have to be from Algebra 2. I will try to persuade him to take regular precalculus.

I don't get being a hands off parent. Can you help him? If not get a tutor. Pre-cal is far harder than any other math. Our pre-cal teacher is very good and it's a very different teaching style with a textbook and a lot more homework. We are very hands on and a parent helps and reviews it with our child. I would not have him drop down.

Op here. I took precalculus in 11th grade 30 years ago. I cannot help at all with math. Our teacher uses a textbook and gives a lot of homework. I am willing to get him a tutor I was just asking if it makes more sense to just step down to regular precalculus. He is a 9th grader so he is still going to be able to take higher level maths.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are at Wootton in Honors PreCalc as well. The teacher is very intimidating and explained at BTS night that this will be a hard class. She said real math starts now and everything prior to this did not count. I was scared leaving BTS night. We have a tutor now once a week via Zoom. Not sure if it will help as we just started. NHS and advisory period can be used for help as well. Or before school this particular teacher is there for visits.

Is your child complaining that assessments are very short like 20 minutes for 10 problems? This has been one of my son’s issues. That said I do not want to blame the teacher in any way, although I was scared too leaving BTS night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP back. He is in 9th. 8th grade MapM was 282. I am honestly in a new territory here because I have never had to worry about anything school related. We have always been very hands off with school with all of our kids. Older sibling took regular precalculus in 10th but in a different district. Never had any tutors for math or any of the AP courses. Older sibling is in an engineering program at UMD. This DS, middle child, also wants to be a physicist. He is worried that moving down to regular precalculus will be counted against him during college admissions. He wanted to take Calculus AB in 10th, BC in 11th and AP stats in 12th. He took Algebra 1 in 6th during COVID years but did AoPS Algebra 1 concurrently, so if he has gaps they have to be from Algebra 2. I will try to persuade him to take regular precalculus.

I don't get being a hands off parent. Can you help him? If not get a tutor. Pre-cal is far harder than any other math. Our pre-cal teacher is very good and it's a very different teaching style with a textbook and a lot more homework. We are very hands on and a parent helps and reviews it with our child. I would not have him drop down.

Wait, a textbook!?! Please share the name and author. My child's teacher doesn’t use a textbook instead uses Delta Math which according to my child the problem set in Delta Math are easier than what shows up on tests/quizzes.

If you can share a textbook I would really appreciate it. I don't mind refreshing my mind on these materials and teaching it to my child. I love Math and have no problem re-learning pre-cal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP back. He is in 9th. 8th grade MapM was 282. I am honestly in a new territory here because I have never had to worry about anything school related. We have always been very hands off with school with all of our kids. Older sibling took regular precalculus in 10th but in a different district. Never had any tutors for math or any of the AP courses. Older sibling is in an engineering program at UMD. This DS, middle child, also wants to be a physicist. He is worried that moving down to regular precalculus will be counted against him during college admissions. He wanted to take Calculus AB in 10th, BC in 11th and AP stats in 12th. He took Algebra 1 in 6th during COVID years but did AoPS Algebra 1 concurrently, so if he has gaps they have to be from Algebra 2. I will try to persuade him to take regular precalculus.

I don't get being a hands off parent. Can you help him? If not get a tutor. Pre-cal is far harder than any other math. Our pre-cal teacher is very good and it's a very different teaching style with a textbook and a lot more homework. We are very hands on and a parent helps and reviews it with our child. I would not have him drop down.

Op here. I took precalculus in 11th grade 30 years ago. I cannot help at all with math. Our teacher uses a textbook and gives a lot of homework. I am willing to get him a tutor I was just asking if it makes more sense to just step down to regular precalculus. He is a 9th grader so he is still going to be able to take higher level maths.

Tutor. The answer key to the book is online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP back. He is in 9th. 8th grade MapM was 282. I am honestly in a new territory here because I have never had to worry about anything school related. We have always been very hands off with school with all of our kids. Older sibling took regular precalculus in 10th but in a different district. Never had any tutors for math or any of the AP courses. Older sibling is in an engineering program at UMD. This DS, middle child, also wants to be a physicist. He is worried that moving down to regular precalculus will be counted against him during college admissions. He wanted to take Calculus AB in 10th, BC in 11th and AP stats in 12th. He took Algebra 1 in 6th during COVID years but did AoPS Algebra 1 concurrently, so if he has gaps they have to be from Algebra 2. I will try to persuade him to take regular precalculus.

I don't get being a hands off parent. Can you help him? If not get a tutor. Pre-cal is far harder than any other math. Our pre-cal teacher is very good and it's a very different teaching style with a textbook and a lot more homework. We are very hands on and a parent helps and reviews it with our child. I would not have him drop down.

Wait, a textbook!?! Please share the name and author. My child's teacher doesn’t use a textbook instead uses Delta Math which according to my child the problem set in Delta Math are easier than what shows up on tests/quizzes.

If you can share a textbook I would really appreciate it. I don't mind refreshing my mind on these materials and teaching it to my child. I love Math and have no problem re-learning pre-cal.

Our school only has a classroom copy but they gave use the name to buy it. Search around as prices vary - the editions are pretty similar and the answer guide is online. A bunch of places have it between $10-30 used.

Precalculus: Graphical, Numerical, Algebraic (8th Edition)
Franklin D. Demana

Here is an online version: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=Zmhwcy5uZXR8bXJzdGVmfGd4OjIwMDU1MDUyMDczMTJlOA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP back. He is in 9th. 8th grade MapM was 282. I am honestly in a new territory here because I have never had to worry about anything school related. We have always been very hands off with school with all of our kids. Older sibling took regular precalculus in 10th but in a different district. Never had any tutors for math or any of the AP courses. Older sibling is in an engineering program at UMD. This DS, middle child, also wants to be a physicist. He is worried that moving down to regular precalculus will be counted against him during college admissions. He wanted to take Calculus AB in 10th, BC in 11th and AP stats in 12th. He took Algebra 1 in 6th during COVID years but did AoPS Algebra 1 concurrently, so if he has gaps they have to be from Algebra 2. I will try to persuade him to take regular precalculus.

I don't get being a hands off parent. Can you help him? If not get a tutor. Pre-cal is far harder than any other math. Our pre-cal teacher is very good and it's a very different teaching style with a textbook and a lot more homework. We are very hands on and a parent helps and reviews it with our child. I would not have him drop down.

Wait, a textbook!?! Please share the name and author. My child's teacher doesn’t use a textbook instead uses Delta Math which according to my child the problem set in Delta Math are easier than what shows up on tests/quizzes.

If you can share a textbook I would really appreciate it. I don't mind refreshing my mind on these materials and teaching it to my child. I love Math and have no problem re-learning pre-cal.

You can also get AP pre-cal books as well if that is better.