TJ Math classes: How are they run?

[Anonymous]

My daughter loves TJ and all her teachers so much because she quickly made several good friends in her IBET class last year, and sometimes, she could not finish her assignments in time, her teachers permitted her to submit later. So my daughter thinks all her TJ teachers are so nice to students. She loves TJ, loves all her present teachers, also loves her TJ the greatest principal who is letting TJ becoming better!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In fact, TJ math is not too hard if the course learning speed is not so fast! So I think the semester course is harder than the yearly course, due to the faster speed, more learning contents, and more unit tests in semester course.

The TJ math courses are designed to move at a minimum pace to cover entire syllabus at sufficient depth within allotted course duration. But this requires students be well versed in prerequisite concepts at an indepth level as well. Math 3 & 4, for example, expects students to have in-depth proficiency in pre-algebra and algebra 1 coming out of middle school, even at the minimum pace they are taught. Additionally, teachers try to keep students engaged by gauging the class's overall understanding and occasionally ramping up the pace slightly, while occasionally sprinkling in challenge problems to keep things interesting and less boring.

[Anonymous]

To the question of HOW they are taught / DD said they basically were not in 9th grade. She had to learn it herself mainly. Her 10th grade teacher she says actually teaches the content so that’s a big improvement.

[Anonymous]

If you want to get a A grade at Algebra 2 at TJ, except for having a strong math knowledge learned at middle school, you must know how to finish the 20% challenge knowledges. In some topics, it will be very easy, if you use knowledges learned in precalculus to finish them. Same reason, it will be very easy to finish some questions in math 4 using calculus. For example, identify the interval of concave up /concave down given a graph. In a word, for the challenge questions at TJ math tests, you need more advanced knowledges.

[Anonymous]

To be successful in TJ's math program, a student must not only have "passion" for math but also be willing to put in the "effort" to become proficient. Then TJ Math journey is a smooth sail. TJ math teachers make huge assumptions on the effort part, and the grades more or less reflect any shortcomings on the effort side. Sure they can help iron out a kink here and there along the way in the 8th period, but student has to show the chops to master math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want to get a A grade at Algebra 2 at TJ, except for having a strong math knowledge learned at middle school, you must know how to finish the 20% challenge knowledges. In some topics, it will be very easy, if you use knowledges learned in precalculus to finish them. Same reason, it will be very easy to finish some questions in math 4 using calculus. For example, identify the interval of concave up /concave down given a graph. In a word, for the challenge questions at TJ math tests, you need more advanced knowledges.

Really? DD in Math 5 now has been getting As and has not outside math exposure so only knows what school teachers (except she did do the ALEKS practice during RS to brush up before math 3).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the Algebra 2 and RS1 class, there are 4 questions in 10 min. in a quiz check. In math 4, there are 10 trigonometry questions in 5 min in a quiz check. If you want to finish all 10 questions correctly in 5 minutes, you must practice them with extra lots of time. Just like you must practice how to eat a big full bowl rice in one minute.

The very limited time tells me each question is very easy, and these are drill type questions. This doesn't sound conceptually difficult or challenging for students as long as they make sure to study/drill before each quiz.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want to get a A grade at Algebra 2 at TJ, except for having a strong math knowledge learned at middle school, you must know how to finish the 20% challenge knowledges. In some topics, it will be very easy, if you use knowledges learned in precalculus to finish them. Same reason, it will be very easy to finish some questions in math 4 using calculus. For example, identify the interval of concave up /concave down given a graph. In a word, for the challenge questions at TJ math tests, you need more advanced knowledges.

(Bolding added)

This is… not true.

- Parent of TJ sophomore who got an A in Math 4 and currently has (they say) a solid A in Math 5 and most definitely has not self-studied calculus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to get a A grade at Algebra 2 at TJ, except for having a strong math knowledge learned at middle school, you must know how to finish the 20% challenge knowledges. In some topics, it will be very easy, if you use knowledges learned in precalculus to finish them. Same reason, it will be very easy to finish some questions in math 4 using calculus. For example, identify the interval of concave up /concave down given a graph. In a word, for the challenge questions at TJ math tests, you need more advanced knowledges.

Really? DD in Math 5 now has been getting As and has not outside math exposure so only knows what school teachers (except she did do the ALEKS practice during RS to brush up before math 3).

So they are evaluating all students using ALEKS? Is this to compensate for eliminating the math test from admissions process?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To be successful in TJ's math program, a student must not only have "passion" for math but also be willing to put in the "effort" to become proficient. Then TJ Math journey is a smooth sail. TJ math teachers make huge assumptions on the effort part, and the grades more or less reflect any shortcomings on the effort side. Sure they can help iron out a kink here and there along the way in the 8th period, but student has to show the chops to master math.

Regular math practice should be a consistent part of a student's daily/weekly schedule, regardless of school homework and quizzes, starting from Elementary grades. Then the habit naturally continues into middle, high school and beyond.