HS sophomore decision that may affect college acceptance

[Anonymous]

Alg I and ALg II mostly deal with converting word problems into equations and solving them. These two courses are somewhat different from Geometry and Trig. Over Summer, your son just needs to practice how to express word situations into equations and apply methods to solve the equations. Math and Programming are very similar in that they both are methodical and logical.

What a mature, smart son you have. He will have a great future. Continue to encourage him to learn his best in every course he takes, regardless of the grades. Grades not always reflect the level of understanding a student has. As your son already demonstrated through his extensive programming outside of the school, not all programming courses even in CS major need and use heavy math (some courses naturally do need).

You are doing well as a caring and loving mom in supporting your son. Every thing will be alright and fall in place when the time comes for college admission. Your son will have a bright future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lord help these poor kids.

+1000

Best of luck to your son, Op. He sounds like a really great kid! Hopefully, pre-cal will come easier to him.

[Anonymous]

This is why classes are designed in an order... for a reason!

So many people think going from Alg I to Alg II is NBD, but it really is. There are topics covered in Geo that are pertinent to skills in Alg II.

Not sure of the grade scale where you are, but an 80 where I'm at is a B- and 1 point from being a C+. Plus, you said he'd be lucky to finish with an 80 which implies it's very likely he'll finish with a middle to lower C.

Earning a C is NOT good enough. Yes, you certainly do pass, but it does not show that you've grasped enough of the material to be successful in the next class. Many majors in college require an 80 or above for the course to even count for your major. I think it's a good rule of thumb to start following by sophomore year in HS.

He should 100% retake Alg II next year as a Jr and then pre-calc as a senior. There is no shame in going to college without having taken Calc. I'd strongly advise against doing any math class in the summer unless it is needed to pass the school year or graduate. The summer version of math classes are very condensed and rapid paced.

[Anonymous]

In Op's son's case I would NOT try to do a summer school class. In my own kid's case, he got an A in Algebra II but when he took a placement test at the community college it indicated that his Algebra 2 needed some shoring up. He simply did not get everything that he needed to get from his regular Algebra 2 (non-honors) class to progress to the next math level in college. And the HS required honors Algebra 2 to progress to precal....

So summer school it was. It was a very compressed course which expanded on his already solid knowledge of the subject. I would NOT recommend that same approach for a kid with a more shaky grasp.

[Anonymous]

Before worrying about college or what he wants to do in college, you should worry about your child actually learning the math.

I think it is great you are looking to solve this over the summer. Come fall, if you and the tutor think he is ready for precalc, great. If not, let your kid take Alg 2 again or success in Calculus or physics will never happen regardless.

I'm sorry they tracked him out of access to so much stuff.

[Anonymous]

OP again - you guys have been amazing, honest and a healthy dose of snark (which I personally appreciate). And yes, it will be a solid C as of now, still a few more unit tests which may make it worse.

DS just sent me a text that he met with his counselor (I didn't know he had a meeting). He said she will call other school districts to see if they offer a summer class. He also said he didn't decide because he wants to read this thread first (I told him I'd get advice from DCUM). He sent a second text that he is leaning towards repeating Alg 2 in junior year. He's worried he won't pass regents and he doesn't feel as confident as earlier in the year

So all driven by him.

[Anonymous]

Your school, their advisors, and you as a parent suck. It is an 80. Good God people. Move on. He will be fine. Have him review Algebra 2 over the summer and continue with the tutor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Before worrying about college or what he wants to do in college, you should worry about your child actually learning the math.

I think it is great you are looking to solve this over the summer. Come fall, if you and the tutor think he is ready for precalc, great. If not, let your kid take Alg 2 again or success in Calculus or physics will never happen regardless.

I'm sorry they tracked him out of access to so much stuff.

I don’t think this sounds like a kid who is being held back by tracking. He is struggling in the class he is in and luckily has the opportunity to retake it. My own kid was fine to coast in school until he became interested in a field that required a solid stem background. That lit a fire under him and inspired him to work his butt off to get in the courses he needed. When he was 12 he was far more interested in chatting with friends and playing air hockey.....kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again - you guys have been amazing, honest and a healthy dose of snark (which I personally appreciate). And yes, it will be a solid C as of now, still a few more unit tests which may make it worse.

DS just sent me a text that he met with his counselor (I didn't know he had a meeting). He said she will call other school districts to see if they offer a summer class. He also said he didn't decide because he wants to read this thread first (I told him I'd get advice from DCUM). He sent a second text that he is leaning towards repeating Alg 2 in junior year. He's worried he won't pass regents and he doesn't feel as confident as earlier in the year

So all driven by him.

You are welcome.

I have a story for you -- my friend's kid repeated chemistry after a debacle. She wanted to be a premed in college so this was a blow. She worked her ass off and solved whatever the problem was. She's a chem major now and killing it. Sometimes it take a little longer. I like that your kid is focussed on the learning.

[Anonymous]

OP, if the counselor is willing to let him withdrawal without it showing up on his transcript, let him withdraw and continue auditing the class until the end of the year. His teacher seems to think he needs a better foundation to move forward. If your DC really wants to take calc in 12th, maybe he can take Algebra 2 this summer and you can keep the tutor through the summer. I normally wouldn't recommend Algebra 2 over the summer, but as he already had a full year of the class and you can afford a tutor, I think it's doable as the only summer class. I'd take that route I stead of taking the B and moving forward to pre calc next year without the proper foundation, which his teacher indicated would be the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your school, their advisors, and you as a parent suck. It is an 80. Good God people. Move on. He will be fine. Have him review Algebra 2 over the summer and continue with the tutor.

It's a 76 average currently, I just checked and he didn't do well on last week's test. I tend to agree with you, but it's his decision. - OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before worrying about college or what he wants to do in college, you should worry about your child actually learning the math.

I think it is great you are looking to solve this over the summer. Come fall, if you and the tutor think he is ready for precalc, great. If not, let your kid take Alg 2 again or success in Calculus or physics will never happen regardless.

I'm sorry they tracked him out of access to so much stuff.

I don’t think this sounds like a kid who is being held back by tracking. He is struggling in the class he is in and luckily has the opportunity to retake it. My own kid was fine to coast in school until he became interested in a field that required a solid stem background. That lit a fire under him and inspired him to work his butt off to get in the courses he needed. When he was 12 he was far more interested in chatting with friends and playing air hockey.....kids!

If he hadn't been tracked on a slower math path, he wouldn't be taking two math classes st the same time. Maybe if he he weren't taking two math classes together he wouldn't have struggled to Algebra 2. I took Algebra 1 and Geometry together in high school and hot As, but I would never have allowed my strong math kid to do both geometry and algebra 2 together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your school, their advisors, and you as a parent suck. It is an 80. Good God people. Move on. He will be fine. Have him review Algebra 2 over the summer and continue with the tutor.

It's a 76 average currently, I just checked and he didn't do well on last week's test. I tend to agree with you, but it's his decision. - OP

The teacher thinks he needs a better foundation and that he should retake the class (or at least I thought that's what your previous post says). Why would you agree with a random internet person over the teacher

[Anonymous]

OP, my daughter received a 78 in honors physics freshman year and a 79 in Spanish. She took AP Physics this year and got a 93. If she stopped to retake honors physics, she would have never gotten to AP. She is going to a top 50 school for engineering.

Grades aren't anything. He can use it as an essay. Talk about how he overcame it, could of withdrew, but wanted to be honest and accept it and move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your school, their advisors, and you as a parent suck. It is an 80. Good God people. Move on. He will be fine. Have him review Algebra 2 over the summer and continue with the tutor.

It's a 76 average currently, I just checked and he didn't do well on last week's test. I tend to agree with you, but it's his decision. - OP

The teacher thinks he needs a better foundation and that he should retake the class (or at least I thought that's what your previous post says). Why would you agree with a random internet person over the teacher

I hear what you're saying and yes the teacher feels that he should withdraw and retake. I agreed with PP because if his overall grade was an 80 (not 76), a few more tests/quizzes this quarter while working with his tutor might bring it up to an 85. He would be ok with an 85 plus continued work over summer. Last week's test shows he's not on an upward swing.