What are you supposed to take in 9th?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PE
Hon Algebra 2
Hon English
APUSH
AP Physics
AP CS Principles
Hon FL4

3 AP classes as a 9th grader is nuts. And I don’t think you can take AP physics without pre-calc at least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PE
Hon Algebra 2
Hon English
APUSH
AP Physics
AP CS Principles
Hon FL4

Do not do this schedule unless your kid is great at time management, study skills, and really ready to buckle down.

AP USH, AP Physics, and Hn FL4 are in no way easy classes. And both Hn Alg 2 and AP CS principles will require some time even though they will be easier than the first three I named.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PE
Hon Algebra 2
Hon English
APUSH
AP Physics
AP CS Principles
Hon FL4

3 AP classes as a 9th grader is nuts. And I don’t think you can take AP physics without pre-calc at least.

Our school does not allow physics till 11 even with precal in ninth. 1-2 so, not 3

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In math, your child is well beyond what they're supposed to take.

Traditional on-level 9th grade classes is typically:

- Alg 1
- Bio
- US History
- English 9

More advanced kids will take:

- Geometry (instead of Alg 1 since that would've been completed in 8th)

And the most advanced kids, like yours:

- Alg 2 (this is typically taken in 10th for advanced kids or 11th for on-level kids)

Also, some schools flip the order of NSL and US History. I think has to do with kids who take the AP versions of those courses, since AP NSL GOV is an easier starter AP class than AP US History, which is quite challenging.

I don’t even know one child who takes algebra in 9th grade in our schools. In the slowest track they take at 8th. Most take at 7th. A few takes at 6th.

Why do folks keep saying this when it’s fact and MCPS data backs it up that the slowest math track has kids take Alg 1 in 9th or 10th. It’s fine. It’s not a race. Kids should take the math the are ready for and seek to do well in that class. There is no prize for getting to AP Calculus or Multi-Variable first.

Lots start algebra later. Big issue starting algebra in 6 or 7th is not all schools have multi variable. If kid is able starting young is great but not all are math kids. Many start algebra in 7 or 8 though.

[Anonymous]

1. Honors English
2. Honors Alg 2
3. Honors FL 3
4. AP NSL
5. Honors Biology
6. PE
7. Arts elective or tech

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh OP here - unfortunately we don't have the ability to take summer school the next 2 summers. We have to go back to see our families (out of the country) and that will cut into 4 weeks of the summer. Unless these things are virtual??

My kids never took summer school classes and they never had issues getting all of their classes in.

One thing to look at is what programs/electives they want to take. One of mine was in dance and that has a trajectory starting in 9th. Another went to vo-tech so had to get everything like PE, Tech and Health done ASAP to free up the hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my child's school your child cannot just sign up for AP NSL. It's by recommendation only and DD did not know of a single child who was recommend from their cohorted honors history class in 8th grade. There were definitely some but not among the 20 or more people who were talking about it.

+1

Our DS was not recommended for freshman AP Gov after getting all “A’s” in the ”magnet style” history path in our home MS, nor was our DD that came from the humanities magnet and literally won a national award creating a documentary on the role of the government and also got straight “A’s”. I am utterly perplexed on who gets recommended for AP gov as freshman. It was especially infuriating when both of our kids Honors History teachers told them freshman year that they should be in AP Gov and were in the wrong class.

I think we weren’t quite aware enough as parents to fight the system since our kids are twins. Also the advising at our HS is terrible. Like egregiously bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At my child's school your child cannot just sign up for AP NSL. It's by recommendation only and DD did not know of a single child who was recommend from their cohorted honors history class in 8th grade. There were definitely some but not among the 20 or more people who were talking about it.

+1

Our DS was not recommended for freshman AP Gov after getting all “A’s” in the ”magnet style” history path in our home MS, nor was our DD that came from the humanities magnet and literally won a national award creating a documentary on the role of the government and also got straight “A’s”. I am utterly perplexed on who gets recommended for AP gov as freshman. It was especially infuriating when both of our kids Honors History teachers told them freshman year that they should be in AP Gov and were in the wrong class.

I think we weren’t quite aware enough as parents to fight the system since our kids are twins. Also the advising at our HS is terrible. Like egregiously bad.

Our school has kids do AP Gov as freshman. We didn't have the choice but it worked out well. It was a struggle first quarter but we had a fantastic teacher who taught the kids study skills, note taking and how to take tests and its been really good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh OP here - unfortunately we don't have the ability to take summer school the next 2 summers. We have to go back to see our families (out of the country) and that will cut into 4 weeks of the summer. Unless these things are virtual??

My kids never took summer school classes and they never had issues getting all of their classes in.

One thing to look at is what programs/electives they want to take. One of mine was in dance and that has a trajectory starting in 9th. Another went to vo-tech so had to get everything like PE, Tech and Health done ASAP to free up the hours.

I don't see how you a fit everything in without doing health over the summer. Mine did the tech credit in MS. You only get one elective freshman year so the best way to do more electives if you kid has interests is to get them done early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PE
Hon Algebra 2
Hon English
APUSH
AP Physics
AP CS Principles
Hon FL4

Do not do this schedule unless your kid is great at time management, study skills, and really ready to buckle down.

AP USH, AP Physics, and Hn FL4 are in no way easy classes. And both Hn Alg 2 and AP CS principles will require some time even though they will be easier than the first three I named.

They need to learn time management. This is the best way/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PE
Hon Algebra 2
Hon English
APUSH
AP Physics
AP CS Principles
Hon FL4

Do not do this schedule unless your kid is great at time management, study skills, and really ready to buckle down.

AP USH, AP Physics, and Hn FL4 are in no way easy classes. And both Hn Alg 2 and AP CS principles will require some time even though they will be easier than the first three I named.

My SMCS kid did something similar with 4 magnet classes, APUSH and FL4. It wasn't that bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Honors English
2. Honors Alg 2
3. Honors FL 3
4. AP NSL
5. Honors Biology
6. PE
7. Arts elective or tech

This is what my kid did. She also took Health A the summer after her freshman year.

[Anonymous]

Similar to other posters, my child is taking

1. Honors English
2. Honors Alg 2
3. Honors FL 3
4. AP NSL
5. Honors Biology
6. PE
7. Concert band

Seems challenging but doable

[Anonymous]

My very middle of the road DS is taking:
Hon English 9
Algebra 2 (not honors)
Hon Spanish 3 (struggling, not taking language in 10th)
AP Comp Sci (tech credit, loves it)
Hon Biology
PE
Hon US History
FWIW, best decision ever (for my kid) not to push for honors Alg 2. Will take Health this summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My very middle of the road DS is taking:
Hon English 9
Algebra 2 (not honors)
Hon Spanish 3 (struggling, not taking language in 10th)
AP Comp Sci (tech credit, loves it)
Hon Biology
PE
Hon US History
FWIW, best decision ever (for my kid) not to push for honors Alg 2. Will take Health this summer.

Good call. You know what you are talking about, PreviousPoster.