Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an update, the pilot seems to be going well at Haycock; the teacher appears (early on) to be sticking to the honors curriculum. The kids seem excited and engaged in the work. They took two weeks to get into the algebra content; but now it’s moving along well.

What makes you assess it's going well? Just wondering ... I have a kid in the program at Haycock also.

Are they posting formative and summative grades to parentvue grade book?

[Anonymous]

I have been talking with my child regularly about the experience and reviewing the homework. I also have been talking to several of my child's friends who also are in the class. First real test is this week, but so far my child understands the concepts well, and is able to extend learning to novel problems. I know that algebra gets more intense and complex as the year goes on, so many cracks will start to show then; but preliminarily I am more optimistic about success then when this was announced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been talking with my child regularly about the experience and reviewing the homework. I also have been talking to several of my child's friends who also are in the class. First real test is this week, but so far my child understands the concepts well, and is able to extend learning to novel problems. I know that algebra gets more intense and complex as the year goes on, so many cracks will start to show then; but preliminarily I am more optimistic about success then when this was announced.

With FCPS all about being equity, how is it fair that your school has started the class whereas our school which is a center school is still waiting for a teacher. How will they ever bridge this gap?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been talking with my child regularly about the experience and reviewing the homework. I also have been talking to several of my child's friends who also are in the class. First real test is this week, but so far my child understands the concepts well, and is able to extend learning to novel problems. I know that algebra gets more intense and complex as the year goes on, so many cracks will start to show then; but preliminarily I am more optimistic about success then when this was announced.

With FCPS all about being equity, how is it fair that your school has started the class whereas our school which is a center school is still waiting for a teacher. How will they ever bridge this gap?

Please be sarcasm. Please be sarcasm. Please be sarcasm.

[Anonymous]

I have a slightly different take with all of this. What about course prerequisites (for HS courses). I thought that a student had to complete Mathematics 7 before taking Algebra 1. Is that not the case now? I believe Advanced Math 5 is just grade 6 math. What about students who are in Grade 6 math now, will they be able to take Algebra 1 in grade 7?

Also, why is all this acceleration only with mathematics. Why can't students/parents request to take let's say the high school course of Biology in grade 6 if a student's passion is Science? What about Chemistry in grade 7? What about World History in grade 6 if a student has a passion for Social Studies?

My point is - where does all the crazy stop?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a slightly different take with all of this. What about course prerequisites (for HS courses). I thought that a student had to complete Mathematics 7 before taking Algebra 1. Is that not the case now? I believe Advanced Math 5 is just grade 6 math. What about students who are in Grade 6 math now, will they be able to take Algebra 1 in grade 7?

Also, why is all this acceleration only with mathematics. Why can't students/parents request to take let's say the high school course of Biology in grade 6 if a student's passion is Science? What about Chemistry in grade 7? What about World History in grade 6 if a student has a passion for Social Studies?

My point is - where does all the crazy stop?

When AP Physics, AP Chemistry, AP Biology and AP Literature are offered from K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary school sent an email saying they were midway through the “rational numbers” unit in algebra 1…but there is no rational numbers unit in algebra 1. I think they’re just doing math 7. Curious when they will switch. Are they just killing time until they get more settled or is this intentional?

Algebra: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/curriculum/secondary-7-12/algebra-1-and-algebra-1-honors

Math 7: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/middle/mathematics/grade-7

Our school started with Data Analysis (Linear regression etc) last week and they will move on to linear equations this week.

This is the correct pacing from the pacing guide.

[Anonymous]

So math path is:
6:Algebra
7: Geometry
8: Algebra 2
9: pre Calc
10: Calc BC
11: AP stats or multivar/linear algebra.
What do they take in 12th?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So math path is:
6:Algebra
7: Geometry
8: Algebra 2
9: pre Calc
10: Calc BC
11: AP stats or multivar/linear algebra.
What do they take in 12th?

AP Stats or multivariate/linear algebra is one option, take the class they didn't take as juniors. There are dual enrollment options. There are different options at TJ.

[Anonymous]

Keene Mill still hasn’t started algebra. They’re doing M7 (distributive property, combining like terms). The stated plan is to start linear functions next week, so I guess they are skipping the whole data unit?

Not giving me warm fuzzies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a slightly different take with all of this. What about course prerequisites (for HS courses). I thought that a student had to complete Mathematics 7 before taking Algebra 1. Is that not the case now? I believe Advanced Math 5 is just grade 6 math. What about students who are in Grade 6 math now, will they be able to take Algebra 1 in grade 7?

Also, why is all this acceleration only with mathematics. Why can't students/parents request to take let's say the high school course of Biology in grade 6 if a student's passion is Science? What about Chemistry in grade 7? What about World History in grade 6 if a student has a passion for Social Studies?

My point is - where does all the crazy stop?

There are kids who are taking HS classes in ES, they are few and far between, but they are out there. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few in FCPS every year.

Algebra 1H has been available to 6th graders at about 20 ES in the county for a while. When you look at the SOL numbers, there were between 20-30 students each year and no school had more than 9 kids taking the class.

Math is different than many subjects because it is more skills based then other subjects. Sciences require a certain level of reading skill and comprehension to grasp. Not many 6th graders will have the reading ability and comprehension to read a bilogy textbook and grasp the material well enough to take biology. The same is going to be true for the other sciences, history, and LA. All of those classes require a constellation of skill sets to be able to succeed in the classes.

Math requires the ability to understand mathematical concepts and have the foundational math skills. Those are more specialized skills that are less reliant on reading comprehension and retention. Some kids pick up mathematical concepts and can apply them properly far faster than other kids. If the student can demonstrate that they understand the skill and how to apply it, why hold them back from moving to the next set of skills? Make sure that the student understand the material and can apply it. Honors classes should be doing that because the problems they are giving the students should be multi step and demonstrate an understanding of application. Why not offer classes that challenge students when they are ready for them instead of delaying them to be offered at a specific grade level?

The pilot program is a crazy response to what was a basic question, what metrics are used to select kids for Algebra 1H in 6th grade and can we please apply those metrics across the county. The metrics should be known, and parents should be given the option when exists. Instead, FCPS decided to change the metrics and open the class up to a far larger number of kids based on more lenient metrics. We will see how it works out. I hope that the selected students are ready for the material and do well but I am concerned that the selection process was haphazard. It sounds like it was scoring in the 99th percentile on the iReady and passing advanced on the Grade 6 SOL.

I am not excited that they dropped the IAAT for 7th grade A1H, I think it was a good tool. I think it should be used for 6th grade A1H. I understand that they want more students in A1 by 8th grade, I am not sure why increasing the acceleration of kids in 6th and 7th grade has been targeted, but it has been. The 6th graders in A1H today would have been in A1H in 7th grade. The effort should have been on providing services to kids struggling with math so that they could be ready for A1 in 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a slightly different take with all of this. What about course prerequisites (for HS courses). I thought that a student had to complete Mathematics 7 before taking Algebra 1. Is that not the case now? I believe Advanced Math 5 is just grade 6 math. What about students who are in Grade 6 math now, will they be able to take Algebra 1 in grade 7?

Also, why is all this acceleration only with mathematics. Why can't students/parents request to take let's say the high school course of Biology in grade 6 if a student's passion is Science? What about Chemistry in grade 7? What about World History in grade 6 if a student has a passion for Social Studies?

My point is - where does all the crazy stop?

There are kids who are taking HS classes in ES, they are few and far between, but they are out there. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few in FCPS every year.

Algebra 1H has been available to 6th graders at about 20 ES in the county for a while. When you look at the SOL numbers, there were between 20-30 students each year and no school had more than 9 kids taking the class.

Math is different than many subjects because it is more skills based then other subjects. Sciences require a certain level of reading skill and comprehension to grasp. Not many 6th graders will have the reading ability and comprehension to read a bilogy textbook and grasp the material well enough to take biology. The same is going to be true for the other sciences, history, and LA. All of those classes require a constellation of skill sets to be able to succeed in the classes.

Math requires the ability to understand mathematical concepts and have the foundational math skills. Those are more specialized skills that are less reliant on reading comprehension and retention. Some kids pick up mathematical concepts and can apply them properly far faster than other kids. If the student can demonstrate that they understand the skill and how to apply it, why hold them back from moving to the next set of skills? Make sure that the student understand the material and can apply it. Honors classes should be doing that because the problems they are giving the students should be multi step and demonstrate an understanding of application. Why not offer classes that challenge students when they are ready for them instead of delaying them to be offered at a specific grade level?

The pilot program is a crazy response to what was a basic question, what metrics are used to select kids for Algebra 1H in 6th grade and can we please apply those metrics across the county. The metrics should be known, and parents should be given the option when exists. Instead, FCPS decided to change the metrics and open the class up to a far larger number of kids based on more lenient metrics. We will see how it works out. I hope that the selected students are ready for the material and do well but I am concerned that the selection process was haphazard. It sounds like it was scoring in the 99th percentile on the iReady and passing advanced on the Grade 6 SOL.

I am not excited that they dropped the IAAT for 7th grade A1H, I think it was a good tool. I think it should be used for 6th grade A1H. I understand that they want more students in A1 by 8th grade, I am not sure why increasing the acceleration of kids in 6th and 7th grade has been targeted, but it has been. The 6th graders in A1H today would have been in A1H in 7th grade. The effort should have been on providing services to kids struggling with math so that they could be ready for A1 in 8th grade.

Our Principal noted during a special meeting on Alg 1 HN that there are about 30 kids each year who end up taking Alg 1 HN in middle school. (Not specifically from our school but overall in FCPS.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a slightly different take with all of this. What about course prerequisites (for HS courses). I thought that a student had to complete Mathematics 7 before taking Algebra 1. Is that not the case now? I believe Advanced Math 5 is just grade 6 math. What about students who are in Grade 6 math now, will they be able to take Algebra 1 in grade 7?

Also, why is all this acceleration only with mathematics. Why can't students/parents request to take let's say the high school course of Biology in grade 6 if a student's passion is Science? What about Chemistry in grade 7? What about World History in grade 6 if a student has a passion for Social Studies?

My point is - where does all the crazy stop?

There are kids who are taking HS classes in ES, they are few and far between, but they are out there. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few in FCPS every year.

Algebra 1H has been available to 6th graders at about 20 ES in the county for a while. When you look at the SOL numbers, there were between 20-30 students each year and no school had more than 9 kids taking the class.

Math is different than many subjects because it is more skills based then other subjects. Sciences require a certain level of reading skill and comprehension to grasp. Not many 6th graders will have the reading ability and comprehension to read a bilogy textbook and grasp the material well enough to take biology. The same is going to be true for the other sciences, history, and LA. All of those classes require a constellation of skill sets to be able to succeed in the classes.

Math requires the ability to understand mathematical concepts and have the foundational math skills. Those are more specialized skills that are less reliant on reading comprehension and retention. Some kids pick up mathematical concepts and can apply them properly far faster than other kids. If the student can demonstrate that they understand the skill and how to apply it, why hold them back from moving to the next set of skills? Make sure that the student understand the material and can apply it. Honors classes should be doing that because the problems they are giving the students should be multi step and demonstrate an understanding of application. Why not offer classes that challenge students when they are ready for them instead of delaying them to be offered at a specific grade level?

The pilot program is a crazy response to what was a basic question, what metrics are used to select kids for Algebra 1H in 6th grade and can we please apply those metrics across the county. The metrics should be known, and parents should be given the option when exists. Instead, FCPS decided to change the metrics and open the class up to a far larger number of kids based on more lenient metrics. We will see how it works out. I hope that the selected students are ready for the material and do well but I am concerned that the selection process was haphazard. It sounds like it was scoring in the 99th percentile on the iReady and passing advanced on the Grade 6 SOL.

I am not excited that they dropped the IAAT for 7th grade A1H, I think it was a good tool. I think it should be used for 6th grade A1H. I understand that they want more students in A1 by 8th grade, I am not sure why increasing the acceleration of kids in 6th and 7th grade has been targeted, but it has been. The 6th graders in A1H today would have been in A1H in 7th grade. The effort should have been on providing services to kids struggling with math so that they could be ready for A1 in 8th grade.

Exactly if the goal was to increase the number of students taking Algebra 1 in 8th grade, why are they pushing AAP students who are already on the path to take Algebra 1 in 7th grade? Or was the goal to increase the number of students taking Algebra 2 in 8th grade. Then this approach would make sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So math path is:
6:Algebra
7: Geometry
8: Algebra 2
9: pre Calc
10: Calc BC
11: AP stats or multivar/linear algebra.
What do they take in 12th?

They go to TJ or take math at a local college.

[Anonymous]

If they are at McLean or Fairfax they take diffeq