| MY DS is taking Geometry at TJ in 9th. Much more complex than base school. They have finished the Geometry book, and are now doing Trig and Physics to finish out the year. The class goes very fast. I asked him if he was the dumb kid at TJ for taking Geometry. He said, NO. Are you kidding? TJ does build up confidence. he is glad he is not over his head in Math at TJ. |
| You should ask other TJ kids how Geometry kids are viewed. |
Thats nice to hear. Someone also mentioned how TJ kids are not judgmental....that is also refreshing to hear. I would assume the same about them since their focus is academics and not all the other drama. It is not easy to get into TJ to begin with. Even if you are taking geometry in 9th grade, you are still one of the brightest. |
True. I don't think it should matter. A child in geometry at TJ has an advantage over other kids....they don't have to take ridiculous amounts of higher level maths and they can maintain a decent GPA without burning themselves out. Not every child going to TJ wants to become a mathematician, so what's the point of taking anything higher than calculus? |
What's the point of going to TJ if you're not going to take anything higher than calculus? That's already offered at the base schools. You need a good two years of math beyond calculus for engineering and more for the pure sciences. |
For the environment and the thrill of learning STEM, small class sizes and/or like PP said, launching a satellite! You don't get these at a base school. Not everyone coming out of TJ is going to end up becoming an engineer. Maybe a doctor? They don't need hardcore math for that. |
and if they get in, why shouldn't they go? clearly they got in because they deserved it. |
Maybe because the FCPS school board revised the selection criteria few months ago to select students who are "Exceptionally skilled Quantitatively" as in : "To establish a high school for science and technology where students with exceptional quantitative skills and interest in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, can pursue higher levels of academic achievement in those subjects in preparation for the pursuit of a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics focused profession." |
??? What is the "M" in STEM for then? |
The admissions test is actually far too easy for the level of the classes offered and the rest of the application is incredibly subjective. That's how they've ended up with anywhere from a fifth to a third of the class struggling in math and therefore in science classes. It's a disservice to these kids and a waste of the system's resources. The school is meant to graduate future scientists and engineers, not to be a "reward" to some for being bright and getting good grades in MS. |
OR[u] being the operative word here. A child being placed in geometry in 9th grade does not mean that child can not be successful at TJ. Seriously, Geez. Clearly there are kids that have made it. Likewise, there are kids in higher level math at TJ that are complete failures. |
To add to this, I know some TJ grads who went off to college and became teachers! What 9th grader knows exactly what profession they want to get into 8 years ahead of time? The only kid that enters TJ knowing are the ones whose parents have determined it for them since birth. The only reason children want to go to TJ (without being forced by parents) are the ones that have a passion or interest in it NOT because they are 100% thats the field they want to get into 8 years down the road. |
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But they should have aptitude and interest in science and math to take a TJ spot not to move on to UVA after graduation to major in business or pre-law.
The school was designed for students who are interested in math and science with requisite advanced skills and aptitude not someone who will mirror the math/science sequence found at all base schools. |
So you want to tell them what not to major in? Punish those who stray into Humanities? |
| Those interested in Humanities should take advantage of the IB program. TJ will not be fun for those interested in Humanities. |