Hardy - extended day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there are 30-35 kids in geometry and 130ish kids in 8th grade, that's more than 20 percent of those kids. (basic math) The number of kids tracking with advanced math are also going up as the IB and feeder enrollment is going up proportionately. So, this year's 6th, which is more than 30% IB or feeder would logically start pushing that higher. But YES darn straight that parents from the feeders are going to expect the school will prepare these kids to be and stay on college track level math and other subjects. And Principal Pride does talk about trying to push all kids to a higher level. This would argue for better solutions for helping kids bridge that gap during MS.

Algebra in 8th grade is college track. In order to master pre-algebra in 5 months instead of 10 (and move to algebra in 7th and geometry in 8th), students need to have the ability and drive to do so. And that's not for everybody. Being IB , is not a necessary or sufficient condition for that.

Kids at other schools start pre algebra in the fall of 6th grade. Hardy does not follow the standard model and waits until the spring. Why does Hardy only give 6th graders 5 mos to master pre-algebra instead of the 10 mos kids get at other schools?

It starts in the second term. The school gives a chance to talented students from weaker school to prove their abilities during the first term and viceversa.

[Anonymous]

^at the expense of kids having enough time to master pre-algebra as well as kids from other schools.

The more I learn about Hardy, the worse it looks

[Anonymous]

The view that its a good idea to hold all the MS kids back for half a year so the kids who are behind can catch up is one of the reasons why DCPS is failing our kids

[Anonymous]

I'm not a Hardy parent but a Wilson parent.
Just wanted to add that while it is nice to have the option of advanced math in MS, you run out of math options by 11th grade. I don't think this is a DC public issue, other public school systems have the same problem. By 12th grade, you either have to switch to computer science or AP statistics which gets mixed reviews on how useful it is. I guess I am trying to say that while it is nice to have advanced math, you can be fine without it and still take AP Calculus BC in 12th rather than 11th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a Hardy parent but a Wilson parent.
Just wanted to add that while it is nice to have the option of advanced math in MS, you run out of math options by 11th grade. I don't think this is a DC public issue, other public school systems have the same problem. By 12th grade, you either have to switch to computer science or AP statistics which gets mixed reviews on how useful it is. I guess I am trying to say that while it is nice to have advanced math, you can be fine without it and still take AP Calculus BC in 12th rather than 11th grade.

But you need geometry for the SWW test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The view that its a good idea to hold all the MS kids back for half a year so the kids who are behind can catch up is one of the reasons why DCPS is failing our kids

Research shows that schools fail our children if they accelerate them when they are not ready for that. I appreciate Hardy math teachers do not rush to accelerate kids based on a 2 hour math test on day 1 of school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The view that its a good idea to hold all the MS kids back for half a year so the kids who are behind can catch up is one of the reasons why DCPS is failing our kids

Research shows that schools fail our children if they accelerate them when they are not ready for that. I appreciate Hardy math teachers do not rush to accelerate kids based on a 2 hour math test on day 1 of school.

They are screwing the prepared kids out of 1/2 year of pre-algebra that kids of other schools get. On what planet is that a good idea? Planet some-kids-are-slow-so-lets-screw-the-rest? (Planet DCPS, for short)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The view that its a good idea to hold all the MS kids back for half a year so the kids who are behind can catch up is one of the reasons why DCPS is failing our kids

Research shows that schools fail our children if they accelerate them when they are not ready for that. I appreciate Hardy math teachers do not rush to accelerate kids based on a 2 hour math test on day 1 of school.

They are screwing the prepared kids out of 1/2 year of pre-algebra that kids of other schools get. On what planet is that a good idea? Planet some-kids-are-slow-so-lets-screw-the-rest? (Planet DCPS, for short)

+1. Why educate the smart kids when it is so much more equitable to hold them below their potential?

[Anonymous]

Why do all kids need calculus to go to college? Why should more than 20% of students be in advanced math? I did calculus in HS and found it completely useless for me in life, and I went on to medical school. Don't assume that a bright kid can't be adequately prepared for life despite going through DCPS. Their future chances for success have more to do with many factors outside of school. And whether they go to Sidwell or Wilson, 99% don't get into Harvard (and yet, may succeed).

About 20% of Hardy 6th graders are in advanced math, but that is a rapidly increasing number because it is a rapidly changing school. Next year, probably 30% of 6th graders at Hardy will be in 7th grade math, and in a few years, it will be similar to the distribution at Deal. Those who choose to go to Hardy now have to be comfortable being the change we want (I am willing to do so).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do all kids need calculus to go to college? Why should more than 20% of students be in advanced math? I did calculus in HS and found it completely useless for me in life, and I went on to medical school. Don't assume that a bright kid can't be adequately prepared for life despite going through DCPS. Their future chances for success have more to do with many factors outside of school. And whether they go to Sidwell or Wilson, 99% don't get into Harvard (and yet, may succeed).

About 20% of Hardy 6th graders are in advanced math, but that is a rapidly increasing number because it is a rapidly changing school. Next year, probably 30% of 6th graders at Hardy will be in 7th grade math, and in a few years, it will be similar to the distribution at Deal. Those who choose to go to Hardy now have to be comfortable being the change we want (I am willing to do so).

At a very recent open house, the info we were given was that there were just twelve 8th graders in advanced math (= geometry, ready for algebra II at Wilson). That's less than 10% of the grade, not 20%. There was no indication that they saw this number as low or had a plan in place to increase it.

I don't know the numbers at Deal, but I assume they have a higher percentage in 8th grade geometry. Does anyone have that info from an open house or other direct source?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do all kids need calculus to go to college? Why should more than 20% of students be in advanced math? I did calculus in HS and found it completely useless for me in life, and I went on to medical school. Don't assume that a bright kid can't be adequately prepared for life despite going through DCPS. Their future chances for success have more to do with many factors outside of school. And whether they go to Sidwell or Wilson, 99% don't get into Harvard (and yet, may succeed).

About 20% of Hardy 6th graders are in advanced math, but that is a rapidly increasing number because it is a rapidly changing school. Next year, probably 30% of 6th graders at Hardy will be in 7th grade math, and in a few years, it will be similar to the distribution at Deal. Those who choose to go to Hardy now have to be comfortable being the change we want (I am willing to do so).

At a very recent open house, the info we were given was that there were just twelve 8th graders in advanced math (= geometry, ready for algebra II at Wilson). That's less than 10% of the grade, not 20%. There was no indication that they saw this number as low or had a plan in place to increase it.

I don't know the numbers at Deal, but I assume they have a higher percentage in 8th grade geometry. Does anyone have that info from an open house or other direct source?

Look up the PARCC scores for Deal -- and see how many took the geometry test last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do all kids need calculus to go to college? Why should more than 20% of students be in advanced math? I did calculus in HS and found it completely useless for me in life, and I went on to medical school. Don't assume that a bright kid can't be adequately prepared for life despite going through DCPS. Their future chances for success have more to do with many factors outside of school. And whether they go to Sidwell or Wilson, 99% don't get into Harvard (and yet, may succeed).

About 20% of Hardy 6th graders are in advanced math, but that is a rapidly increasing number because it is a rapidly changing school. Next year, probably 30% of 6th graders at Hardy will be in 7th grade math, and in a few years, it will be similar to the distribution at Deal. Those who choose to go to Hardy now have to be comfortable being the change we want (I am willing to do so).

At a very recent open house, the info we were given was that there were just twelve 8th graders in advanced math (= geometry, ready for algebra II at Wilson). That's less than 10% of the grade, not 20%. There was no indication that they saw this number as low or had a plan in place to increase it.

I don't know the numbers at Deal, but I assume they have a higher percentage in 8th grade geometry. Does anyone have that info from an open house or other direct source?

Look up the PARCC scores for Deal -- and see how many took the geometry test last year.

189 students from Deal took the PARCC geometry test in 2015-16.

1.6% scored 5
56.1% scored 4
38.1% scored 3
4.2% scored 2

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxRyVj1IhggyY0JKTnRXOHhUd0U/view

[Anonymous]

Deal messed with the math sequence.
My older kids had Algebra in 7th, geometry in 8th at deal.
My current 7th grader has "math 8" in 7th grade but will have Algebra in 8th.

They slowed down and complicated the system. The old path seemed to be fine. The new system seems full of complications and contradictions.

Now they have Math 6, 7 & 8, Algebra, Geometry. Very unclear how they decide who gets what. My solid kid says that there are students 2 years ahead of him in math!?
At a meeting last year, Deal administrators said that there were gaps in learning so they wanted to slow it down and teach math facts more solidly.
However, at the same meeting, they announced an online teach-yourself-a-year-of-math computer program for kids to move themselves up a rung. My then 6th grader (who is probably the best math kid of my 4 kids), tried but said that he preferred to "have a teacher teach it to me", so he won't be in geometry in 8th grade. All because he didn't want to teach himself a year of math over spring break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Deal messed with the math sequence.
My older kids had Algebra in 7th, geometry in 8th at deal.
My current 7th grader has "math 8" in 7th grade but will have Algebra in 8th.

They slowed down and complicated the system. The old path seemed to be fine. The new system seems full of complications and contradictions.

Now they have Math 6, 7 & 8, Algebra, Geometry. Very unclear how they decide who gets what. My solid kid says that there are students 2 years ahead of him in math!?
At a meeting last year, Deal administrators said that there were gaps in learning so they wanted to slow it down and teach math facts more solidly.
However, at the same meeting, they announced an online teach-yourself-a-year-of-math computer program for kids to move themselves up a rung. My then 6th grader (who is probably the best math kid of my 4 kids), tried but said that he preferred to "have a teacher teach it to me", so he won't be in geometry in 8th grade. All because he didn't want to teach himself a year of math over spring break.

Do they test them at the beginning of 6th?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Deal messed with the math sequence.
My older kids had Algebra in 7th, geometry in 8th at deal.
My current 7th grader has "math 8" in 7th grade but will have Algebra in 8th.

They slowed down and complicated the system. The old path seemed to be fine. The new system seems full of complications and contradictions.

Now they have Math 6, 7 & 8, Algebra, Geometry. Very unclear how they decide who gets what. My solid kid says that there are students 2 years ahead of him in math!?
At a meeting last year, Deal administrators said that there were gaps in learning so they wanted to slow it down and teach math facts more solidly.
However, at the same meeting, they announced an online teach-yourself-a-year-of-math computer program for kids to move themselves up a rung. My then 6th grader (who is probably the best math kid of my 4 kids), tried but said that he preferred to "have a teacher teach it to me", so he won't be in geometry in 8th grade. All because he didn't want to teach himself a year of math over spring break.

Wow, that's really crazy.