Algebra 1 in 9th grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't private schools provide resources so kids don't fall behind? I mean, isn't that why people pay 30-40k/year?? Even in public schools, Alg 1 is a 7th grade math for many kids.

Yeah, in the public schools the kids take these classes before they are ready to and receive a less than thorough understanding of the subject, the effects of which can last a lifetime. That's one reason we chose private.

At my DD's lady private all the kids who didn't master algebra I to the school's high standards had to take it again - it was not a small number of kids. All not math minded but they made sure they learned it thoroughly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most kids aren't strong in all areas. If the school isn't concerned, I wouldn't worry too much about it. There is no need to struggle and agonize in a class he isn't ready to take yet.

In fact, there are so many studies that show that very few kids are strong in every subject.
So acceleration is not necessarily beneficial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't private schools provide resources so kids don't fall behind? I mean, isn't that why people pay 30-40k/year?? Even in public schools, Alg 1 is a 7th grade math for many kids.

Well, obviously, you can't afford the tuition, so you just don't get to know why. Too bad for you.

it's okay. at least my kid is 2 years ahead of your kid in math.

But that A+ in algebra will be seen as the equivalent of a B- in algebra in my private .... and the college admissions offer won't come to your DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't private schools provide resources so kids don't fall behind? I mean, isn't that why people pay 30-40k/year?? Even in public schools, Alg 1 is a 7th grade math for many kids.

Yeah, in the public schools the kids take these classes before they are ready to and receive a less than thorough understanding of the subject, the effects of which can last a lifetime. That's one reason we chose private.

We sent our DC to public up to MS then private HS. I've heard this "fact" from many private school parents about how public school kids do not do well in math in the long run because rushing through the subject blah blah blah. From my DC's experience that can not be further from the truth! She spent a year learning Algebra I as a 7th grader and a year learning geometry as an 8th grader. ALL schools out there, public or private, spent the same amount of time teaching these subjects. How do you justify "rushing" through in public and not in private?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't private schools provide resources so kids don't fall behind? I mean, isn't that why people pay 30-40k/year?? Even in public schools, Alg 1 is a 7th grade math for many kids.

Yeah, in the public schools the kids take these classes before they are ready to and receive a less than thorough understanding of the subject, the effects of which can last a lifetime. That's one reason we chose private.

We sent our DC to public up to MS then private HS. I've heard this "fact" from many private school parents about how public school kids do not do well in math in the long run because rushing through the subject blah blah blah. From my DC's experience that can not be further from the truth! She spent a year learning Algebra I as a 7th grader and a year learning geometry as an 8th grader. ALL schools out there, public or private, spent the same amount of time teaching these subjects. How do you justify "rushing" through in public and not in private?

My DC in public followed similar path as yours -- 7th Algebra 1, 8 th Geo, 9 th Algebra ii, 10 th AP Stat/pre Calc, 11th, AP Calc BC, 12th Multi variable Calc. Got 5s on AP Stat/AP Calc BC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't private schools provide resources so kids don't fall behind? I mean, isn't that why people pay 30-40k/year?? Even in public schools, Alg 1 is a 7th grade math for many kids.

Yeah, in the public schools the kids take these classes before they are ready to and receive a less than thorough understanding of the subject, the effects of which can last a lifetime. That's one reason we chose private.

We sent our DC to public up to MS then private HS. I've heard this "fact" from many private school parents about how public school kids do not do well in math in the long run because rushing through the subject blah blah blah. From my DC's experience that can not be further from the truth! She spent a year learning Algebra I as a 7th grader and a year learning geometry as an 8th grader. ALL schools out there, public or private, spent the same amount of time teaching these subjects. How do you justify "rushing" through in public and not in private?

Rushing here means intellectual/developmental age, not length of time spent on material. Most children in the 6th and 7th grades could stand spending a little more time on number forms (fractions, decimals, percents), and proportional reasoning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a huge difference in math curriculum for public and private schools so in many respects this set of posts is comparing apples to oranges. I teach accelerated math (honors, TAG and super-TAG) in a Northern Virginia middle school. I also have taught high school math in a private school frequently mentioned in these forums.

In general, the Algebra I taught in private high schools for most 9th grade students encompasses the Alg I plus Alg II that is taught in public schools. A good rule of thumb is that the amount of material covered in a public school in a year is about 1/3 to 1/2 of what is covered in a good or acceptable private school.

Message to OP: many children entering private high schools, whether from private or public, are routed into Alg I after the results of their placement tests. If your child takes Alg I in 8th grade in public school, s/he still probably will end up taking it again in 9th grade at the private school. And chances are your son/daughter will see that many of the students in Alg I at the private also are re-taking the course, even if they took Alg I in 8th grade at a private. It won't hurt. It never hurts to have strong Algebra skills.

Also, don't panic at the breathless cries and hysterics of others that your child will be behind taking Alg I in 9th grade in a private school. Your child won't be behind and and those people don't know enough about the schools and curriculum to be able say much that could be helpful. As I said in my first paragraph, it is apples and oranges.

My DS and I have had 3 children progress through private elementary and secondary schools frequently mentioned in these forums. Over the years, for 9th grade, one was placed in Honors Algebra I, one in Honors Alg I/Geo, and one in Honors Geometry, based on the results of the schools' own placement tests. It all worked out. 2 of our children are now in Ivy schools and the third will be in the fall. For admissions, no one even blinked at the kid who was in Alg I in 9th grade.

But if most of the other kids at your child's school took Alg I in 8th, it seems that would place your child at a disadvantage with the admissions committee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a huge difference in math curriculum for public and private schools so in many respects this set of posts is comparing apples to oranges. I teach accelerated math (honors, TAG and super-TAG) in a Northern Virginia middle school. I also have taught high school math in a private school frequently mentioned in these forums.

In general, the Algebra I taught in private high schools for most 9th grade students encompasses the Alg I plus Alg II that is taught in public schools. A good rule of thumb is that the amount of material covered in a public school in a year is about 1/3 to 1/2 of what is covered in a good or acceptable private school.

Message to OP: many children entering private high schools, whether from private or public, are routed into Alg I after the results of their placement tests. If your child takes Alg I in 8th grade in public school, s/he still probably will end up taking it again in 9th grade at the private school. And chances are your son/daughter will see that many of the students in Alg I at the private also are re-taking the course, even if they took Alg I in 8th grade at a private. It won't hurt. It never hurts to have strong Algebra skills.

Also, don't panic at the breathless cries and hysterics of others that your child will be behind taking Alg I in 9th grade in a private school. Your child won't be behind and and those people don't know enough about the schools and curriculum to be able say much that could be helpful. As I said in my first paragraph, it is apples and oranges.

My DS and I have had 3 children progress through private elementary and secondary schools frequently mentioned in these forums. Over the years, for 9th grade, one was placed in Honors Algebra I, one in Honors Alg I/Geo, and one in Honors Geometry, based on the results of the schools' own placement tests. It all worked out. 2 of our children are now in Ivy schools and the third will be in the fall. For admissions, no one even blinked at the kid who was in Alg I in 9th grade.

But if most of the other kids at your child's school took Alg I in 8th, it seems that would place your child at a disadvantage with the admissions committee.

And also, yes it's great you DC got into an Ivy, but how do you know his math progression didn't make admissions blink?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't private schools provide resources so kids don't fall behind? I mean, isn't that why people pay 30-40k/year?? Even in public schools, Alg 1 is a 7th grade math for many kids.

Yeah, in the public schools the kids take these classes before they are ready to and receive a less than thorough understanding of the subject, the effects of which can last a lifetime. That's one reason we chose private.

Really? Because public school would have forced your child to take Alg. in 7th?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a huge difference in math curriculum for public and private schools so in many respects this set of posts is comparing apples to oranges. I teach accelerated math (honors, TAG and super-TAG) in a Northern Virginia middle school. I also have taught high school math in a private school frequently mentioned in these forums.

In general, the Algebra I taught in private high schools for most 9th grade students encompasses the Alg I plus Alg II that is taught in public schools. A good rule of thumb is that the amount of material covered in a public school in a year is about 1/3 to 1/2 of what is covered in a good or acceptable private school.

Message to OP: many children entering private high schools, whether from private or public, are routed into Alg I after the results of their placement tests. If your child takes Alg I in 8th grade in public school, s/he still probably will end up taking it again in 9th grade at the private school. And chances are your son/daughter will see that many of the students in Alg I at the private also are re-taking the course, even if they took Alg I in 8th grade at a private. It won't hurt. It never hurts to have strong Algebra skills.

Also, don't panic at the breathless cries and hysterics of others that your child will be behind taking Alg I in 9th grade in a private school. Your child won't be behind and and those people don't know enough about the schools and curriculum to be able say much that could be helpful. As I said in my first paragraph, it is apples and oranges.

My DS and I have had 3 children progress through private elementary and secondary schools frequently mentioned in these forums. Over the years, for 9th grade, one was placed in Honors Algebra I, one in Honors Alg I/Geo, and one in Honors Geometry, based on the results of the schools' own placement tests. It all worked out. 2 of our children are now in Ivy schools and the third will be in the fall. For admissions, no one even blinked at the kid who was in Alg I in 9th grade.

I teach high school math at what is regarded as one of the best non-TJ public high schools in Northern Virginia, have children in private, and wholeheartedly agree. Apples and oranges. And don't worry for a second about spending the time to firm up those Algebra skills in 8th or 9th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a huge difference in math curriculum for public and private schools so in many respects this set of posts is comparing apples to oranges. I teach accelerated math (honors, TAG and super-TAG) in a Northern Virginia middle school. I also have taught high school math in a private school frequently mentioned in these forums.

In general, the Algebra I taught in private high schools for most 9th grade students encompasses the Alg I plus Alg II that is taught in public schools. A good rule of thumb is that the amount of material covered in a public school in a year is about 1/3 to 1/2 of what is covered in a good or acceptable private school.

Message to OP: many children entering private high schools, whether from private or public, are routed into Alg I after the results of their placement tests. If your child takes Alg I in 8th grade in public school, s/he still probably will end up taking it again in 9th grade at the private school. And chances are your son/daughter will see that many of the students in Alg I at the private also are re-taking the course, even if they took Alg I in 8th grade at a private. It won't hurt. It never hurts to have strong Algebra skills.

Also, don't panic at the breathless cries and hysterics of others that your child will be behind taking Alg I in 9th grade in a private school. Your child won't be behind and and those people don't know enough about the schools and curriculum to be able say much that could be helpful. As I said in my first paragraph, it is apples and oranges.

My DS and I have had 3 children progress through private elementary and secondary schools frequently mentioned in these forums. Over the years, for 9th grade, one was placed in Honors Algebra I, one in Honors Alg I/Geo, and one in Honors Geometry, based on the results of the schools' own placement tests. It all worked out. 2 of our children are now in Ivy schools and the third will be in the fall. For admissions, no one even blinked at the kid who was in Alg I in 9th grade.

But if most of the other kids at your child's school took Alg I in 8th, it seems that would place your child at a disadvantage with the admissions committee.

And also, yes it's great you DC got into an Ivy, but how do you know his math progression didn't make admissions blink?

Because I've been at the school since our child matriculated there and have spoken with folks in the Admissions department fairly frequently about one of my students. During one of our conversations I raised the issue because I was curious. Our only connection with this school is our child; we are not legacies, etc, so I already knew we didn't get a boost there.

[Anonymous]

I have had 3 kids in big 3 schools. Two, boys, took algebra 1 in 9 th grade. They did well and all three have gone to Ivys and top LAC. All scored high on math SAT. I would not worry about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a huge difference in math curriculum for public and private schools so in many respects this set of posts is comparing apples to oranges. I teach accelerated math (honors, TAG and super-TAG) in a Northern Virginia middle school. I also have taught high school math in a private school frequently mentioned in these forums.

In general, the Algebra I taught in private high schools for most 9th grade students encompasses the Alg I plus Alg II that is taught in public schools. A good rule of thumb is that the amount of material covered in a public school in a year is about 1/3 to 1/2 of what is covered in a good or acceptable private school.

Message to OP: many children entering private high schools, whether from private or public, are routed into Alg I after the results of their placement tests. If your child takes Alg I in 8th grade in public school, s/he still probably will end up taking it again in 9th grade at the private school. And chances are your son/daughter will see that many of the students in Alg I at the private also are re-taking the course, even if they took Alg I in 8th grade at a private. It won't hurt. It never hurts to have strong Algebra skills.

Also, don't panic at the breathless cries and hysterics of others that your child will be behind taking Alg I in 9th grade in a private school. Your child won't be behind and and those people don't know enough about the schools and curriculum to be able say much that could be helpful. As I said in my first paragraph, it is apples and oranges.

My DS and I have had 3 children progress through private elementary and secondary schools frequently mentioned in these forums. Over the years, for 9th grade, one was placed in Honors Algebra I, one in Honors Alg I/Geo, and one in Honors Geometry, based on the results of the schools' own placement tests. It all worked out. 2 of our children are now in Ivy schools and the third will be in the fall. For admissions, no one even blinked at the kid who was in Alg I in 9th grade.

I teach high school math at what is regarded as one of the best non-TJ public high schools in Northern Virginia, have children in private, and wholeheartedly agree. Apples and oranges. And don't worry for a second about spending the time to firm up those Algebra skills in 8th or 9th grade.

Can you explain? I have seen this "apples and oranges" comment a lot but I don't really get it. How is private school math and public school math different? If a public kid and a private kid both get 800 on SAT, is private kid's score somehow better??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have had 3 kids in big 3 schools. Two, boys, took algebra 1 in 9 th grade. They did well and all three have gone to Ivys and top LAC. All scored high on math SAT. I would not worry about it.

+1. Showing acceleration IS important for students applying to college from public schools and not so much from private because colleges know students from Big 3 type schools are exceptionally well prepared and can write circles around the vast majority of public school kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have had 3 kids in big 3 schools. Two, boys, took algebra 1 in 9 th grade. They did well and all three have gone to Ivys and top LAC. All scored high on math SAT. I would not worry about it.

Then why do so many kids at big 3s even bother taking Algebra I in 8th?