Why do so few private schools offer accelerated math?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am looking at private schools for my older child and I feel like most of the time choosing private decreases the quality and level of math or science DC could be taking? Why is this the case for private schools. I know there are some exceptions but it seems like privates do better as a rule with writing, sometimes foreign language at younger ages, and critical thinking. It seems like strong math and science are things parents want so why are schools not providing it?

I will also say this is a long term issue, I left a big 3 for a public as a kid in part because the math and science at the public were so much better. I am totally happy about that in retrospect although I missed having the strong writing focus private gave.

Because private is all about "deep learning" and not simply about learning how to solve problems or scoring high on standarized tests. If you keep repeating this to yourself, you may actually become a believer.

[Anonymous]

The real question is why are so many obsessed with accelerated math? Harvard itself has said it’s not an indication of college success.

https://www.hks.harvard.edu/publications/early-math-coursework-and-college-readiness-evidence-targeted-middle-school-math

[Anonymous]

I have a "math" student who is now at MIT. He is a product of public school. Not a single private could accomidate him. He started calc BC AP in 9th grade. He was in AP Chem by 10th grade.

My younger son is in private. He hated math and absolutely loves the humanities. He will NEVER have a career in math so I'm not even remotely worried about it.

Even though I have a extremely successful, bright STEM child at MIT, I firmly belive the humanities are much more important. This is why my youngest is in private where he will stay. I did not force my oldest to switch because he truly loves math. Scaling him back 3 or so years in math and science in order to have a great humanities education would have ruined his entire educational experience.

We are also very lucky to be zoned to an excellent public high school with a large south Asian population. The parents in our public school have very high expectations for the sciences and apply a lot of pressure on the school. There are not many public schools in the area I'd be very thrilled to have had to send my son to, so your situation is very specific to your child. Sweeping generalizations are just silly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m curious if all these MIT students just did the school math program or also did outside math tutoring, camps, etc.

I currently have a kid at MIT. He went to public school as I stated. I compare him to how an elite athlete operates. He loves math. Be practices math, his identity is math.

Yes, he did camps in the summer. That's his idea of fun. This is alien to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The real question is why are so many obsessed with accelerated math? Harvard itself has said it’s not an indication of college success.

https://www.hks.harvard.edu/publications/early-math-coursework-and-college-readiness-evidence-targeted-middle-school-math

Yes, the “leaky pipeline” is the issue. If there weren’t so much pressure for high-achieving kids to all be on the highest track for college applications, then we wouldn’t have 2 or 3-year acceleration as the “norm” for bright kids. The vast majority of these kids are not best served by accelerating so much during critical foundation years.

We need much tighter criteria for accelerated paths. Or defer acceleration until 7th/8th when more brains are developmentally ready for algebra.

[Anonymous]

I am always confused by this question as private schools teach advanced math. I have two kids in private schools. Both schools offer multivariable calculus to seniors on the regular and one school has a select few taking number theory beyond that. I don't know of any private school that stops at regular calculus. How much more math do you want than that?

And AP Chem as a sophomore is the norm, I think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am always confused by this question as private schools teach advanced math. I have two kids in private schools. Both schools offer multivariable calculus to seniors on the regular and one school has a select few taking number theory beyond that. I don't know of any private school that stops at regular calculus. How much more math do you want than that?

And AP Chem as a sophomore is the norm, I think.

sounds like it's the fact that they don't put kids in algebra in 6th grade . . .

[Anonymous]

The maths in AP chem are not so difficult in and of themselves. It just that you have to keep your unit conversions straight and you’re often dealing with very big or very small numbers that are hard to conceptualize and relate to the “real world.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am always confused by this question as private schools teach advanced math. I have two kids in private schools. Both schools offer multivariable calculus to seniors on the regular and one school has a select few taking number theory beyond that. I don't know of any private school that stops at regular calculus. How much more math do you want than that?

And AP Chem as a sophomore is the norm, I think.

sounds like it's the fact that they don't put kids in algebra in 6th grade . . .

They don't need to or want to, so they don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am always confused by this question as private schools teach advanced math. I have two kids in private schools. Both schools offer multivariable calculus to seniors on the regular and one school has a select few taking number theory beyond that. I don't know of any private school that stops at regular calculus. How much more math do you want than that?

And AP Chem as a sophomore is the norm, I think.

sounds like it's the fact that they don't put kids in algebra in 6th grade . . .

The original question is “why do so few private schools offer accelerated math.” My point is they do offer advanced math and to say otherwise is false.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am always confused by this question as private schools teach advanced math. I have two kids in private schools. Both schools offer multivariable calculus to seniors on the regular and one school has a select few taking number theory beyond that. I don't know of any private school that stops at regular calculus. How much more math do you want than that?

And AP Chem as a sophomore is the norm, I think.

sounds like it's the fact that they don't put kids in algebra in 6th grade . . .

The original question is “why do so few private schools offer accelerated math.” My point is they do offer advanced math and to say otherwise is false.

accelerated means something different, though, doesn't it? yes, they have a path to end up in the same place by senior year, but if you want your kid in algebra by 6th grade so they finish calculus by 10th, and then can take multiple advanced courses, that isn't an established track at most private schools. it's happened at our kids' school but was more an exception (although an increasingly frequent one) for kids coming into the school with advanced coursework.

[Anonymous]

As someone involved in college admissions, anything past AB Calculus is considered advanced math (and we actually view AP Ab as rigorous). Many high schools around the country do not offer anything beyond that.

IMO, no need to take classes beyond multivariable in hs (we would prefer our students take those classes with us in college), and that is for a stem-minded kid.

[Anonymous]

Since when is algebra in 6th grade the standard? In the Takoma Park magnet program, with arguably the strongest middle school math students in the area, algebra is in 7th grade and geometry is in 8th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since when is algebra in 6th grade the standard? In the Takoma Park magnet program, with arguably the strongest middle school math students in the area, algebra is in 7th grade and geometry is in 8th.

It isn't standard, and it isn't a good idea for the vast majority of children.

[Anonymous]

Private schools don't want to afford to pay the STEM teachers.