Is a good performance in 7th grade a good predictor for HS performance?
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Anonymous
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Kennedy Center closed?
White House needs a new ballroom? USA is doomed but at least it's lands and resources can be used by whichever lucky superpower can rule it next. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
Why should I? 
This country is ripe for the taking and all its institutions and safeguards are failing. Why would I not enrich, accelerate and expand their knowledge and skills outside of the school day on my own so that my kids are better positioned to exploit the opportunities that will come from the Fall of the American Supremacy? Or, only the global billionaires should benefit? |
Anonymous
This was true in the past but now depending your school, it may not be. If you are in a public school system with low performers and have one of the curriculums like IM etc 100% is an indication of basic executive function. Homework is stamped for completion not accuracy, tests/quizzes are open book and done in groups, finals are projects, and any test questions are intentionally easy. Do a screening at Russian Math or Mathnasium and you’ll see where your kid is actually at AND keep up with math instruction outside the school. It can be Khan academy or something else but chances are very high that the gaps in the poor curriculum will catch up by Calculas. The second thing that has changed is mental health, anxiety, disruptive classroom and bad teaching, social media fosters anxiety and depression in kids which tanks their performance. Schools are a mess now with disruptive students and bad or overwhelmed teachers. The combination means smart kids that stumble get knocked back down or left to fend for themselves. No one is going to bat an eye in school if a high A student drops to being a B-/C+ student, The school will not care because they have plenty of other A students and for the rest they just want them graduating. |
Anonymous
Do whatever you want, but let’s not pretend Mali provides its citizens exemplary education. That’s laughable |
Anonymous
They are probably on par with the top students in the US, I would guess that the top students in the US are stronger then the top students in Mali. And I doubt that a citizen of Mali is better positioned then an average student without Calculus in the US. The reality is, a very small percentage of the world population will attend, never mind graduate from college, about 7% of the global population. About 2.5% of the population of Mali holds a college degree. Maybe think before scoffing at 30% of US White Men holding a degree, that is far above the global percentage. 32% of Europeans hold a college degree or the EU equivalent. 20% of China's population hold a college degree. No offense, the US is doing just fine. Most jobs don't require a college degree. Jobs in the trades don't require one. Service jobs don't require one. So pardon me for not being impressed that the select few in Mali who are able to attend school take advanced classes. Talk to the US when Mali attempts to educate all of it's kids and not just the few who can afford it. The biggest educational difference in the US vs the rest of the world, even Europe, is that the US believes it should provide an education for all of its citizens AND has extended that to non-citizens. There are major areas for improvement but I'll put the top 25% of American students up against the top students of other countries and bet the US would do just fine. The comparisons between the US and the rest of the world look badly because the US includes all of its test scores, not just the kids who test in and can afford an education. That is the real difference. |
Anonymous
Ridiculous statement. First, it’s not easy for everyone, second, 7th graders take 7th grade math. A tiny amount of students whose parents are obsessed with math have been in extra classes, tutors, math camps, math books at home will be ahead by a couple of grades. But most 7th graders are taking 7th grade classes. |
Anonymous
+1. I graduated with a degree in Pure Math from Stony Brook University. In 7th grade I took 7th grade math. Thankfully my parents were not obsessed with math because I struggled a lot with 7th grade math. My late dad encouraged me, taught me and didn't feel the need that he had to hire an army of Math nerds to rescue me. |
Anonymous
I agree with this. I was educated in Africa and while it's true that we do have access to a lot of advanced courses at even the worst public schools, the quality of instruction is a disaster. The US as you correctly pointed out can provide an education to EVERYONE. Sadly that's not the case in Africa. African countries are poor and find it challenging to provide an education to EVERYONE. The best American Students are better than the best African students not because they are smarter, but because they have access to better teaching, more resources, and a much much comprehensive education. While the best American student can equally solve a double integration with ease and at the same time play a musical instrument, the same cannot be said for the typical best African student. Often in Africa, kids are specialized way too early. If you have aptitude in math/science, the education system instead of using this opportunity to give you a well rounded education, it instead dump on you more advanced classes that you barely get anything out of. |
Anonymous
I think that depends on where you are. DS is at Carson, I promise you that it is more then a tiny amount of kids doing extra math work. DS attends RSM. A lot of his friends attend a program like RSM. Some are in the grade level math, some are doing the math competition program. Around 120 students try out for the 30 spots in the MATHCOUNTS club. A large number of kids are taking Algebra 1H in 7th grade, pretty much everyone else is taking it in 8th grade. Those numbers are going to shift because of the number of kids taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade now. About 20% of FCPS students take A1H in 6th or 7th grade, that is not an insignificant number. That said, there are plenty of kids who struggle with math and are in Math 7. There are kids who will struggle with Algebra 1 in 8th grade. Math is not easy for a lot of kids. I struggled with math due to learning issues and only took three years of math in HS. I earned a PhD in a Humanities field. Surprisingly enough, I taught statistics to undergrads. I understood the concepts and usage, I could not derive the proofs and struggled to solve problems by hand because numbers moved on me. And there are plenty of kids living around the world with similar experiences. They are weeded out of college prep programs at an early age because of their struggles in many countries. When you are testing kids to enter MS you are likely removing the kids who are capable of doing well in school but whose math skills are not great for a variety of reasons. The countries that people love to tout with kids doing Algebra in 7th grade because it is easy are the countries that don't provide support for kids with learning disabilities or similar issues. The early testing weeds those kids out. |
Anonymous
It’s not 1990. Majority of middle schools, especially ones in wealthier areas or solid middle class areas have math options beyond 7th grade math. There’s 7th grade honors math and Alg I at all of these schools. Kids are given placement tests and math tracked at least by end of 5th/6th grade at the latest. Some middle schools have geometry available. Fewer, but still some, have Alg II and pre calc available. |
Anonymous
High school is no different. |
Anonymous
Depends. It seem middle schools across the board (public) offer many opportunities to correct or get extra credit. In high school, this becomes much more school dependent. My teen has gone to two public high schools- one large and mediocre, one smaller competitive magnet. The large mediocre one was pretty easy to get As. The magnet one is very hard to get A. Even with admission criteria (all the kids are smart), only about 10% get all As at the end of 4 yrs. They print their names in the final newsletter of the year. |
Anonymous
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Absolutely. My daughter had straight As all throughout middle school. She now has a 4.7UW GPA, and committed to HYPSM, for this fall.
She didn’t do as good in elementary, grade wise, due to lack of effort/interest, executive function, but she grew up a little in middle school, and matured and since she’s smart, has done great. |
Anonymous
What percentage of the kids do you think take advantage of this? I'll be shocked if it's higher than 50%. So those kids who do are showing early signs of future success |