Math acceleration?

[Anonymous]

Not "watered down"?

Question is whether you are from STEM background or not. Have you observed the intensive competition in the STEM field?

Note that NIH/FDA/NIST has their main sites in MoCo, these institutions do employ top notch people who are top 1% or even 0.1%. Have you talked to any of parents in those institutions?

How about finance? IMF, World Bank and Federal reserve are in DC. Have you talked to parents in those institutions?

Math is so essential for technology/economic growth now. GPS, data mining, cloud computing, electric cars, gene analysis, etc. Do you have any idea that math models are used in simulating chemistry/biology experiments?

If kids in this area do not get advanced math knowledge, they will be basically deprived the opportunity to be part of the future.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that even though people are saying it is watered down..kids are still ending up in mostly the same place by high school. Most kids have taken algebra and a good number geometry. If that is where your son would have been in your old school then he is probably fine in MoCo.

I agree. On-grade-level children will take Algebra I in 8th grade and an AP math class in 12th grade. Above-grade level children will take Algebra I in 7th grade and AP math classes in 11th and 12th grades. I don't consider this "watered down".

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/math/math-curriculum-plan.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not "watered down"?

Question is whether you are from STEM background or not. Have you observed the intensive competition in the STEM field?

Note that NIH/FDA/NIST has their main sites in MoCo, these institutions do employ top notch people who are top 1% or even 0.1%. Have you talked to any of parents in those institutions?

How about finance? IMF, World Bank and Federal reserve are in DC. Have you talked to parents in those institutions?

Math is so essential for technology/economic growth now. GPS, data mining, cloud computing, electric cars, gene analysis, etc. Do you have any idea that math models are used in simulating chemistry/biology experiments?

If kids in this area do not get advanced math knowledge, they will be basically deprived the opportunity to be part of the future.

Why yes, I do work in a STEM field -- since you ask.

If you consider Algebra I in seventh grade and two years of AP calculus in high school "watered down", then what, specifically, would you find acceptable? What proportion of high school students would have to take how many college-level math classes in high school for you to be satisfied? And in which countries in the world is this currently a reality?

[Anonymous]

PP here.

I am afraid that you have dodged the question on whether you have consulted parents from those institutions. In addition, you have mixed a few things altogether based my knowledge.
1) Algebra I at 7.
2) two years of AP.
3) college level math classes.
4) STEM requirement.

Let me try to break all these for you and see whether you can get the big picture right.

Algebra I at 7th:
- There were kids having Algebra I at 6th in this area. There used to be a good number of students who got Algebra I at 7th. Under Curriculum 2.0, no Algebra I at 6th.
- Algebra I at 7th is pretty much on grade in a couple of countries that I know. Example, Singapore, Hongkong, China, etc. They may not have an Algebra I course. However, the content are there.

Two years of AP:
- Does Algebra I at 7th lead to two years of AP for every participant?
- Do we really have any guarantee of the roadmap in terms of homework, assessment, textbooks, etc?

College level math classes:
- Common core math was defined as "college ready". However, it turns out that the common core math is only ready for non-selective college.

STEM requirement:
- There are a huge number of STEM college graduates in US. However, are they all qualified for STEM field? The answer is no.
- In US top graduate schools, majority of students are from abroad including computer science.

Overall, everyone on this forum is passionate on educating the future generation. If you want to voice for improving math education in MoCo, (textbook, K-3 enrichment, etc), I will agree with you 100%. If you voice for defining a sky for students, I have to respectfully disagree. It is too sad to see any kid to be capped regardless of their age/gender/race.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not "watered down"?

Question is whether you are from STEM background or not. Have you observed the intensive competition in the STEM field?

Note that NIH/FDA/NIST has their main sites in MoCo, these institutions do employ top notch people who are top 1% or even 0.1%. Have you talked to any of parents in those institutions?

How about finance? IMF, World Bank and Federal reserve are in DC. Have you talked to parents in those institutions?

Math is so essential for technology/economic growth now. GPS, data mining, cloud computing, electric cars, gene analysis, etc. Do you have any idea that math models are used in simulating chemistry/biology experiments?

If kids in this area do not get advanced math knowledge, they will be basically deprived the opportunity to be part of the future.

Why yes, I do work in a STEM field -- since you ask.

If you consider Algebra I in seventh grade and two years of AP calculus in high school "watered down", then what, specifically, would you find acceptable? What proportion of high school students would have to take how many college-level math classes in high school for you to be satisfied? And in which countries in the world is this currently a reality?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Agree - if you want good math you have to move to Fairfax - much better system - at least until some PC ex-MCPS superintendent comes in and starts copying Maryland - but I think that won't happen for at least 5-10 years since they are still keeping the current AAP advanced academic system in place with this superintendent.

+1000

The "deeper" on grade level is a pile of shit. Only fools are falling for this.

Another +1000. Fools or folks with agendas. It is absolutely ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should try to live in the Takoma Park Middle School boundary area. The Math & Science Magnet at the school is a county-wide program and is highly competitive as the PP said. However, there are about 20 seats reserved for in-boundary kids, so the odds shift into your favor.

No, not the best advice. I would suggest live in Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase area (rent an apartment, if your cannot afford a house). Make sure that your HS is one of the following (and here you may have a chance to get slightly away from Bethesda, Potomac or Chevy Chase area -

Walt Whitman
Thomas S. Wootton
Bethesda-Chevy Chase
Walter Johnson

Then try for Takoma Park Middle School Magnet Program. If you do not get in, you will still have a fair chance of doing well in these clusters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

No, not the best advice. I would suggest live in Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase area (rent an apartment, if your cannot afford a house). Make sure that your HS is one of the following (and here you may have a chance to get slightly away from Bethesda, Potomac or Chevy Chase area -

Walt Whitman
Thomas S. Wootton
Bethesda-Chevy Chase
Walter Johnson

Then try for Takoma Park Middle School Magnet Program. If you do not get in, you will still have a fair chance of doing well in these clusters.

But PP! You left out Churchill! How sad they will be!

(OP, this PP is one of the people who believes that it is only possible to get a good education if you pay a lot of extra money to live somewhere zoned for Whitman, Wootton, Walter Johnson, or B-CC -- although usually the list is Whitman, Wootton, Walter Johnson, and Churchill.)