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Every ES is different, our school actively fought adding LLIV and was one of the last schools to add the program, they went with the cluster method. They were surprised when we asked about additional differentiation in 2nd grade and did nothing with it. There is a reason we enrolled in RSM.
We also chose to balance our kids social needs with their academic needs. We did not want a virtual math class, that would have been isolating and lonely. DC wanted to stay at the base in their LI program with their friends. The Advanced Math group was great and they were happy there. We chose supplementing because it was what our child needed. They were bored in math but the choice to not fight for hyper acceleration was an active choice on our part. They don’t need to be in Calc 3 in HS. They do great in math competitions, not AIME in 5th grade but we are happy with HR in AMC 10 as a 7th and 8th grader. We know that is a great result since so few kids get that score, even in 10th grade. RSM scratches the need for more challenging work and math competitions are a great outlet. You can find ways to engage your kid in math without hyper accelerating in school. If you chose that path, great. But some people take it knowingly because it works for their kid for other reasons. |
That's not a failure, unless students who were accelerated end up where they would have been had they not been accelerated AND perform no better in the non-accelerated course than they would have had they not been accelerated. |
How is your kid engaged in prealgebra? I don't think you've really explained that. |
I actually did, my post said he was in Geometry now and that our school would not have thought of allowing Algebra 1 in 6th grade. He was not engaged in the class, nor was he really engaged in Algebra. Geometry has had a few moments where he learned something new. His Math Competition Program covers all of the topics that the school covers and started doing so in 4th grade. I would be surprised in he was engaged in math at school until Calculus hits. Kids who are ahead and pick up concepts easily are not likely to be engaged in math at school. The pacing is not likely to work for them because it is going to be at the level of their classmates, most of whom are capable of doing well in the class but will need more repetition to unerstand the material. Pushing your kid ahead hoping for engagement is not likely to work. That is why we supplement. |
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For the more experienced parents, please help a newbie mom understand what is the sequence of math courses in FCPS if a student starts with Algebra 1 in 6th grade - if the student is STEM bound in college?
| Grade | Course | | ----- | ------------------------------------------------------- | | 6 | Algebra 1 (Honors) | | 7 | Geometry (Honors) | | 8 | Algebra 2 (Honors) | | 9 | Precalculus (Honors) | | 10 | AP Calculus BC | | 11 | Multivariable Calculus + Linear Algebra | | 12 | AP Statistics + advanced electives (CS / ?) | |
Kids at TJ will have additional options. It could be that 12th grade math space could be used for an AP Computer Science or Science, like AP Physics C. Or they are going to need to add additional math classes for kids to take because very few students have been on this path before. And it could be that some HS have more options then others because you end up with more kids in their feeder ES taking A1H as 6th grade so there is a larger demand. |
Can you share a link to this? Or is this internal info only? |
| I would absolutely not, I've heard it's a giant clusterf*** this year. Little brains aren't wired for Algebra in 6th grade. We are waiting. |
The data is internal, but I am sure it can be acquired through FOIA. Decisions are being made in FCPS without taking this data into account. |
What happened to AP Precalc (AB or BC)? |
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I have a child in the pilot, and I teacher upper level math in the high school.
Every school is different. The schools with <15 kids qualifying will do it online, and it is SO BASIC if they continue using edmentum. It is the bare minimum, no higher level thinking or application, just straight repetitive calculations. If that's the only option, I'd hold off until middle school. Edmentum is what our homebound students use when they are missing months of school for health reasons and can't keep up with the regular pace of classroom learning. It's not honors level, it's actually below a gen ed level of difficulty. If it's an in person class, it can be taught at all different levels, because no curriculum is provided and every school only has one teacher teaching the class--so there's no real accountability. My child's algebra 1 honors teacher has regularly been pulling in algebra 2 content, which is cool...but not even part of the algebra 1 honors extensions. Every school has to certify a teacher to be licensed with the algebra endorsement. The county is currently running classes to teach the elementary school teachers the algebra 1 standards so they can pass the praxis. One is being taught at my school. It's messy. The math skills of the average teacher in the class are very weak. If you're at a school that is doing it this year and feedback is positive, enroll! The kids love it. If you're going to do it online or it's the first time your school is offering it...I'd hesitate. You don't want weak foundations for the next 6 years of math. The issue is M7 is basically a waste of a year that doesn't actually teach any real algebra foundations. If they were offering M7H/M8/Prealgebra whatever you want to call it, I'd recommend taking that course, but M7 isn't all that valuable for a middle of the road AAP kid. |
That's the 9th grade year, no? Most schools do AP precalc, but i think some still do regular |
Yeah, but it says Precalc Honors not AP. Currently, there is AP Precalc AB and AP Precalc BC. I would think the kids would take one of those to get to AP Calc (as is the current requirement). |
I don't believe every school is offering AP Precalc. This is the first year Robinson is doing so, and they are only offering AB. |
Robinson offers a hybrid AP/IB program so it doesn't have the full AP load out. It is better thenonly offering IB, so kids have options, but it is not the full AP load out. |