Applied Investigation into Mathematics 6

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone here know if Hoover is offering both IM and AIM? I had older DS's go through Hoover so didn't go to Parent night and was surprised when DD was recommended for AIM instead of IM. It seems like schools are handling the course differently so wondering if Hoover admins said anything about it.

My child takes AIM 6 which is the path for compacted math students in MS.My kid got As in 5th grade compact math too but was never the best math student, more middle of the pack. Yes, it goes fast. You don't touch on the topics long enough to get a deep understanding of it. She's a B student now but truthfully I do think she needs a tutor and sometimes I wonder if it will serve her better to go down a level. Also consider that this path is to take Algebra 1 by next year and that grade starts counting towards HS GPA. I would say that if your child doesn't need a lot of time to understand the topics, doesn't need extra help then absolutely go for it, otherwise really consider a supplementary math class over the summer and/or during the school year to help reinforce the topics learned. And no, there are no textbooks or workbooks in MS and to top it all off, your kid will be going to multiple classes daily and will really need to be organized in tracking when is homework due and when quizzes are given. Part of the struggle my daughter is experiencing too which has led to her not doing well in some of her math tests.

No textbooks in math? When DS was in 8th, he basically taught himself Honors Geometry from the book because the teacher was in and out on medical leave most of the year. It was fine for him (others struggled much more), but couldn’t have done it without the textbook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone here know if Hoover is offering both IM and AIM? I had older DS's go through Hoover so didn't go to Parent night and was surprised when DD was recommended for AIM instead of IM. It seems like schools are handling the course differently so wondering if Hoover admins said anything about it.

My child takes AIM 6 which is the path for compacted math students in MS.My kid got As in 5th grade compact math too but was never the best math student, more middle of the pack. Yes, it goes fast. You don't touch on the topics long enough to get a deep understanding of it. She's a B student now but truthfully I do think she needs a tutor and sometimes I wonder if it will serve her better to go down a level. Also consider that this path is to take Algebra 1 by next year and that grade starts counting towards HS GPA. I would say that if your child doesn't need a lot of time to understand the topics, doesn't need extra help then absolutely go for it, otherwise really consider a supplementary math class over the summer and/or during the school year to help reinforce the topics learned. And no, there are no textbooks or workbooks in MS and to top it all off, your kid will be going to multiple classes daily and will really need to be organized in tracking when is homework due and when quizzes are given. Part of the struggle my daughter is experiencing too which has led to her not doing well in some of her math tests.

The default sixth grade math course for students that finished compact 5/6 in in grade 5 is supposed to be IM - not AIM. Students are generally supposed to be selected for AIM through the magnet admissions process. Unfortunately some schools are replacing IM with AIM, but if your DD's school has IM, that might be a better fit. If not, you might want to bring this up with the math teachers or the principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone here know if Hoover is offering both IM and AIM? I had older DS's go through Hoover so didn't go to Parent night and was surprised when DD was recommended for AIM instead of IM. It seems like schools are handling the course differently so wondering if Hoover admins said anything about it.

My child takes AIM 6 which is the path for compacted math students in MS.My kid got As in 5th grade compact math too but was never the best math student, more middle of the pack. Yes, it goes fast. You don't touch on the topics long enough to get a deep understanding of it. She's a B student now but truthfully I do think she needs a tutor and sometimes I wonder if it will serve her better to go down a level. Also consider that this path is to take Algebra 1 by next year and that grade starts counting towards HS GPA. I would say that if your child doesn't need a lot of time to understand the topics, doesn't need extra help then absolutely go for it, otherwise really consider a supplementary math class over the summer and/or during the school year to help reinforce the topics learned. And no, there are no textbooks or workbooks in MS and to top it all off, your kid will be going to multiple classes daily and will really need to be organized in tracking when is homework due and when quizzes are given. Part of the struggle my daughter is experiencing too which has led to her not doing well in some of her math tests.

The default sixth grade math course for students that finished compact 5/6 in in grade 5 is supposed to be IM - not AIM. Students are generally supposed to be selected for AIM through the magnet admissions process. Unfortunately some schools are replacing IM with AIM, but if your DD's school has IM, that might be a better fit. If not, you might want to bring this up with the math teachers or the principal.

Our MS math teacher said that MCPS is giving up the IM/AIM distinction. As of next fall, all of the compact math kids will be on the same track (again). I’d be curious to hear if there are any schools where this is not true, as she indicated that this is a district-wide decision.

[Anonymous]

I got into aim but i don't know if it would be harder like I might do some 7th grade math but i am not 100% sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone here know if Hoover is offering both IM and AIM? I had older DS's go through Hoover so didn't go to Parent night and was surprised when DD was recommended for AIM instead of IM. It seems like schools are handling the course differently so wondering if Hoover admins said anything about it.

My child takes AIM 6 which is the path for compacted math students in MS.My kid got As in 5th grade compact math too but was never the best math student, more middle of the pack. Yes, it goes fast. You don't touch on the topics long enough to get a deep understanding of it. She's a B student now but truthfully I do think she needs a tutor and sometimes I wonder if it will serve her better to go down a level. Also consider that this path is to take Algebra 1 by next year and that grade starts counting towards HS GPA. I would say that if your child doesn't need a lot of time to understand the topics, doesn't need extra help then absolutely go for it, otherwise really consider a supplementary math class over the summer and/or during the school year to help reinforce the topics learned. And no, there are no textbooks or workbooks in MS and to top it all off, your kid will be going to multiple classes daily and will really need to be organized in tracking when is homework due and when quizzes are given. Part of the struggle my daughter is experiencing too which has led to her not doing well in some of her math tests.

No textbooks in math? When DS was in 8th, he basically taught himself Honors Geometry from the book because the teacher was in and out on medical leave most of the year. It was fine for him (others struggled much more), but couldn’t have done it without the textbook.

A lot of my kids' teachers are out all the time. It's the norm these days to take an extra day or two off each week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone here know if Hoover is offering both IM and AIM? I had older DS's go through Hoover so didn't go to Parent night and was surprised when DD was recommended for AIM instead of IM. It seems like schools are handling the course differently so wondering if Hoover admins said anything about it.

My child takes AIM 6 which is the path for compacted math students in MS.My kid got As in 5th grade compact math too but was never the best math student, more middle of the pack. Yes, it goes fast. You don't touch on the topics long enough to get a deep understanding of it. She's a B student now but truthfully I do think she needs a tutor and sometimes I wonder if it will serve her better to go down a level. Also consider that this path is to take Algebra 1 by next year and that grade starts counting towards HS GPA. I would say that if your child doesn't need a lot of time to understand the topics, doesn't need extra help then absolutely go for it, otherwise really consider a supplementary math class over the summer and/or during the school year to help reinforce the topics learned. And no, there are no textbooks or workbooks in MS and to top it all off, your kid will be going to multiple classes daily and will really need to be organized in tracking when is homework due and when quizzes are given. Part of the struggle my daughter is experiencing too which has led to her not doing well in some of her math tests.

My kid was fine w/o textbooks. That's very 19th century. If you need that sort of thing, try Kahn academy. It's like a textbook but much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone here know if Hoover is offering both IM and AIM? I had older DS's go through Hoover so didn't go to Parent night and was surprised when DD was recommended for AIM instead of IM. It seems like schools are handling the course differently so wondering if Hoover admins said anything about it.

My child takes AIM 6 which is the path for compacted math students in MS.My kid got As in 5th grade compact math too but was never the best math student, more middle of the pack. Yes, it goes fast. You don't touch on the topics long enough to get a deep understanding of it. She's a B student now but truthfully I do think she needs a tutor and sometimes I wonder if it will serve her better to go down a level. Also consider that this path is to take Algebra 1 by next year and that grade starts counting towards HS GPA. I would say that if your child doesn't need a lot of time to understand the topics, doesn't need extra help then absolutely go for it, otherwise really consider a supplementary math class over the summer and/or during the school year to help reinforce the topics learned. And no, there are no textbooks or workbooks in MS and to top it all off, your kid will be going to multiple classes daily and will really need to be organized in tracking when is homework due and when quizzes are given. Part of the struggle my daughter is experiencing too which has led to her not doing well in some of her math tests.

My kid was fine w/o textbooks. That's very 19th century. If you need that sort of thing, try Kahn academy. It's like a textbook but much better.

Yeah reading is dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got into aim but i don't know if it would be harder like I might do some 7th grade math but i am not 100% sure.

AIM will cover content of both 7th and 8th grade math, which finish up the important foundational Math concepts before taking Algebra. You'd take that the following year (7th grade), as long as you & your teacher felt you had progressed well in AIM.

You don't need to get As in every quarter or on all your tests, but you should feel comfortable with the material after the class has covered it. If not, you might take Math 8 in 7th grade, allowing you to cover the material again to get to that comfort level before taking Algebra in 8th.

That said, because it covers two grades of material in one year, AIM will be harder than the other typical 6th-grade options for someone like you who has been suggested for AIM. Those would be AMP 6+ or Math 7, depending on whether you are coming from Math 5 or Math 5/6. If you took Math 5, AMP 6+ would cover all of the 6th grade material and half of the 7th, leading to AMP 7+, which covers the other half of 7th plus 8th. If tou took Math 5/6, Math 7 in 6th grade still would leave you a year ahead of grade-level Math, leading to Math 8 in 7th grade, but with a single year's material to cover each year. Either way would have you taking Algebra in 8th grade.

Whatever year you take Algebra, you'll take the MD state test for that subject. Passing that is, in essence, required to graduate from high school. The typical sequence of courses after Algebra is Geometry and then Algebra 2, followed by Pre-Calculus and then, often, Calculus (AP for college credit or otherwise), although Statistics (also available as an AP class) might be chosen.

If you end up going with AIM -> Algebra -> Geometry in middle school, you'd probably be taking that Calculus course in your Junior year of high school. Since the state requires you to take a full credit of math in each year your enrolled, that means in your Senior year you'd choose from a second Calculus course (you can stretch that out over two years, essentially), the Statistics mentioned above or a more advanced college-level course.

There are other options, but these are the most common. As far as your decision right now, I wouldn't worry too much about effect during high school. Instead, ask yourself:

"Do I enjoy Math?" (as a subject -- not necessarily whether you liked your Math class this year, since that can be different based on your experience with your 5th-grade teacher or if you felt things went too slowly)

"Do I feel comfortable with the Math material I just learned during 5th grade?"

"Would I prefer more of a challenge (or to continue the challenge, if you enjoyed the pace of Math 4/5 & 5/6)?"

Even, "Do I want to keep learning with friends/classmates who also are going to take AIM?"

If you answer yes to some or all of these, you might want to take AIM. Be sure to discuss with your family, and you can always ask your teacher for their thoughts, too. Hope you enjoy whichever you choose!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our school they just renamed regular IM to this class. Everyone that would have been IM is in this class instead.

In terms of long term this path gets kids to calculus in 11th grade. Remains to be seen how that will all pan out. From talking to some HS math teachers sounds like not well....

+1
This is what happens at Pyle. There's no regular IM. It's just AIM. Class was not difficult for my non-math kid. It got harder in Algebra, Geometry and Algebra II

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC found it to be challenging and he sailed through compacted math in elementary school, although his teacher is weak so that could be part of the problem. The former magnet students were much better prepared.

I don't understand how this is correct, as the ES "magnet" program (CES) is only ELA.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the school. Some CESes have kids in their own separate math classes and they are all in compacted and they do extra challenge topics.

[Anonymous]

Folks, before replying to any of the particular posts, please note the date of the post to which you are replying. Until a student came by and asked a question this morning, presumably after having come here to search for info and finding this related thread, the last post was from over 3 years ago. Some of that isn't accurate anymore.

One person responded directly to the student, but others are posting responses to the old stuff. That is likely just to confuse at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school they just renamed regular IM to this class. Everyone that would have been IM is in this class instead.

In terms of long term this path gets kids to calculus in 11th grade. Remains to be seen how that will all pan out. From talking to some HS math teachers sounds like not well....

+1
This is what happens at Pyle. There's no regular IM. It's just AIM. Class was not difficult for my non-math kid. It got harder in Algebra, Geometry and Algebra II

MCPS is no longer offering IM as of next year. The three math pathways are:

Regular path (no compaction):
math 6 - math 7- math 8

Advanced path (compacting 6-8-8 into two years):
6+ - 7+ - alg

Extra advanced path (compacts 7-8 into one year - only for kids who have successfully completed math 6 in ES):
AIM - alg 1 - hon geo

Kids in 7th grade no longer have the option to compact 7 and 8, as they did when IM was offered; only 6th graders can take AIM. They can take 7+, which compacts half of 7th and all of 8th into one year, if they took 6+, which compacts all of 6th and half of 7th into a year).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got into aim but i don't know if it would be harder like I might do some 7th grade math but i am not 100% sure.

AIM will cover content of both 7th and 8th grade math, which finish up the important foundational Math concepts before taking Algebra. You'd take that the following year (7th grade), as long as you & your teacher felt you had progressed well in AIM.

You don't need to get As in every quarter or on all your tests, but you should feel comfortable with the material after the class has covered it. If not, you might take Math 8 in 7th grade, allowing you to cover the material again to get to that comfort level before taking Algebra in 8th.

That said, because it covers two grades of material in one year, AIM will be harder than the other typical 6th-grade options for someone like you who has been suggested for AIM. Those would be AMP 6+ or Math 7, depending on whether you are coming from Math 5 or Math 5/6. If you took Math 5, AMP 6+ would cover all of the 6th grade material and half of the 7th, leading to AMP 7+, which covers the other half of 7th plus 8th. If tou took Math 5/6, Math 7 in 6th grade still would leave you a year ahead of grade-level Math, leading to Math 8 in 7th grade, but with a single year's material to cover each year. Either way would have you taking Algebra in 8th grade.

Whatever year you take Algebra, you'll take the MD state test for that subject. Passing that is, in essence, required to graduate from high school. The typical sequence of courses after Algebra is Geometry and then Algebra 2, followed by Pre-Calculus and then, often, Calculus (AP for college credit or otherwise), although Statistics (also available as an AP class) might be chosen.

If you end up going with AIM -> Algebra -> Geometry in middle school, you'd probably be taking that Calculus course in your Junior year of high school. Since the state requires you to take a full credit of math in each year your enrolled, that means in your Senior year you'd choose from a second Calculus course (you can stretch that out over two years, essentially), the Statistics mentioned above or a more advanced college-level course.

There are other options, but these are the most common. As far as your decision right now, I wouldn't worry too much about effect during high school. Instead, ask yourself:

"Do I enjoy Math?" (as a subject -- not necessarily whether you liked your Math class this year, since that can be different based on your experience with your 5th-grade teacher or if you felt things went too slowly)

"Do I feel comfortable with the Math material I just learned during 5th grade?"

"Would I prefer more of a challenge (or to continue the challenge, if you enjoyed the pace of Math 4/5 & 5/6)?"

Even, "Do I want to keep learning with friends/classmates who also are going to take AIM?"

If you answer yes to some or all of these, you might want to take AIM. Be sure to discuss with your family, and you can always ask your teacher for their thoughts, too. Hope you enjoy whichever you choose!

The problem is they didn’t create a path that kept a similar pacing as compacted for those students. Instead they further accelerated them by taking all of 7th and 8th in a single year. Unfortunately this is not leading to a solid foundation for most and kids are struggling when they get to upper level math. Should have gone:
• 6th grade - All of Math 7 and 1/2 Math 8
•7th grade - 1/2 Math 8 and a Spiral of Alg 1/Geometry
•8th grade - Continue Spiral of Alg 1 / Geometry. Take Alg 1 exam.

This would ensure the kids have a good foundation for Honors Alg2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got into aim but i don't know if it would be harder like I might do some 7th grade math but i am not 100% sure.

AIM will cover content of both 7th and 8th grade math, which finish up the important foundational Math concepts before taking Algebra. You'd take that the following year (7th grade), as long as you & your teacher felt you had progressed well in AIM.

You don't need to get As in every quarter or on all your tests, but you should feel comfortable with the material after the class has covered it. If not, you might take Math 8 in 7th grade, allowing you to cover the material again to get to that comfort level before taking Algebra in 8th.

That said, because it covers two grades of material in one year, AIM will be harder than the other typical 6th-grade options for someone like you who has been suggested for AIM. Those would be AMP 6+ or Math 7, depending on whether you are coming from Math 5 or Math 5/6. If you took Math 5, AMP 6+ would cover all of the 6th grade material and half of the 7th, leading to AMP 7+, which covers the other half of 7th plus 8th. If tou took Math 5/6, Math 7 in 6th grade still would leave you a year ahead of grade-level Math, leading to Math 8 in 7th grade, but with a single year's material to cover each year. Either way would have you taking Algebra in 8th grade.

Whatever year you take Algebra, you'll take the MD state test for that subject. Passing that is, in essence, required to graduate from high school. The typical sequence of courses after Algebra is Geometry and then Algebra 2, followed by Pre-Calculus and then, often, Calculus (AP for college credit or otherwise), although Statistics (also available as an AP class) might be chosen.

If you end up going with AIM -> Algebra -> Geometry in middle school, you'd probably be taking that Calculus course in your Junior year of high school. Since the state requires you to take a full credit of math in each year your enrolled, that means in your Senior year you'd choose from a second Calculus course (you can stretch that out over two years, essentially), the Statistics mentioned above or a more advanced college-level course.

There are other options, but these are the most common. As far as your decision right now, I wouldn't worry too much about effect during high school. Instead, ask yourself:

"Do I enjoy Math?" (as a subject -- not necessarily whether you liked your Math class this year, since that can be different based on your experience with your 5th-grade teacher or if you felt things went too slowly)

"Do I feel comfortable with the Math material I just learned during 5th grade?"

"Would I prefer more of a challenge (or to continue the challenge, if you enjoyed the pace of Math 4/5 & 5/6)?"

Even, "Do I want to keep learning with friends/classmates who also are going to take AIM?"

If you answer yes to some or all of these, you might want to take AIM. Be sure to discuss with your family, and you can always ask your teacher for their thoughts, too. Hope you enjoy whichever you choose!

The problem is they didn’t create a path that kept a similar pacing as compacted for those students. Instead they further accelerated them by taking all of 7th and 8th in a single year. Unfortunately this is not leading to a solid foundation for most and kids are struggling when they get to upper level math. Should have gone:
• 6th grade - All of Math 7 and 1/2 Math 8
•7th grade - 1/2 Math 8 and a Spiral of Alg 1/Geometry
•8th grade - Continue Spiral of Alg 1 / Geometry. Take Alg 1 exam.

This would ensure the kids have a good foundation for Honors Alg2.

Interesting thought. They'd have to procure or create a curriculum that supported that path, and have it cleared with the state (or have state statute altered). MD requires taking the Algebra exam in the year Algebra is taken; they'd have to allow for it to be the year that Algebra content is completed. It also requires a year of aligned Geometry; they'd have to allow for that content to be split over two years.

For the student with the question, there aren't these options, though -- that would be years away -- so the questions posed previously are probably the relevant ones to ask.