algebra 1 - which year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think part of Dr. Reid’s strategic plan has everyone taking algebra 1 in 8th grade.

Too little, too late. That is the problem.

[Anonymous]

My oldest kid wasn't in AAP and wasn't in a school that offered accelerated math to non-AAP students (they since changed that policy). Started out in Math 7, but moved to Math 7 honors (with outside assistance for the skills he'd not been taught in ES), then Algebra 1 H in 8th, etc. Finished with AP Calc in 12th and is going to a T20 school (but not in a math related field).

The one thing I would recommend considering is that once a kid hits Algebra 1, the grade follows you, so don't rush the math if your kid can't earn an A. It shouldn't be a big deal if a MS student gets a B in an accelerated class, AOs would say the same, but the facts are - if your kid is likely to earn As in HS, that B will pull down their GPA and for some colleges (looking at you UVA), being in the Top X% of your class GPA wise matters.

[Anonymous]

5th grade is ideal if child has proper math education prior to then. But the will require parent participation to accomplish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My oldest kid wasn't in AAP and wasn't in a school that offered accelerated math to non-AAP students (they since changed that policy). Started out in Math 7, but moved to Math 7 honors (with outside assistance for the skills he'd not been taught in ES), then Algebra 1 H in 8th, etc. Finished with AP Calc in 12th and is going to a T20 school (but not in a math related field).

The one thing I would recommend considering is that once a kid hits Algebra 1, the grade follows you, so don't rush the math if your kid can't earn an A. It shouldn't be a big deal if a MS student gets a B in an accelerated class, AOs would say the same, but the facts are - if your kid is likely to earn As in HS, that B will pull down their GPA and for some colleges (looking at you UVA), being in the Top X% of your class GPA wise matters.

Yeah I have a different philosophy about this. I figure if my kid wants to try algebra 1 in 7th I’m going to let him do it. Especially since the school is recommending that level for him. Of all the mistakes out there, this is one I will let him make. He is 12 and should be allowed a mistake. If a 12 year old got a c and had to retake algebra and then got all As and Bs a college should allow that mistake. If they don’t oh well- my kid learned something about taking on more than you can handle. Maybe he won’t be so stressed in college because he learned to not to rush at 12.
This is small stuff in comparison to what else is out there for teens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My oldest kid wasn't in AAP and wasn't in a school that offered accelerated math to non-AAP students (they since changed that policy). Started out in Math 7, but moved to Math 7 honors (with outside assistance for the skills he'd not been taught in ES), then Algebra 1 H in 8th, etc. Finished with AP Calc in 12th and is going to a T20 school (but not in a math related field).

The one thing I would recommend considering is that once a kid hits Algebra 1, the grade follows you, so don't rush the math if your kid can't earn an A. It shouldn't be a big deal if a MS student gets a B in an accelerated class, AOs would say the same, but the facts are - if your kid is likely to earn As in HS, that B will pull down their GPA and for some colleges (looking at you UVA), being in the Top X% of your class GPA wise matters.

If my DC's B+ in Algebra sinks his chances at UVA, so be it. The unpredictability of today's college admissions doesn't show that though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

It depends on what you child is going to pursue in college and what level of school you wish them to attend. If STEM then 7th, if not STEM then either 8th or 9th is fine, unless seeking a top 30-40 college then the answer is back to 7th.

This is not true. It's an opinion. My kid went from "Gen Ed" math in ES, to Math 7 HN, to ALG 1 HN. Kid is in 11th this year. She's taking AP Pre-Calc/Trig. She's doing STEM and will be FINE.

Some parents (and maybe their kids, but lbh, it's the parents) push advanced math way to soon. I know lots of kids that failed doing this and had to take Alg 1 over or flamed out of math. Sure, I know a few geniuses doing well but they are well overshadowed by those that did not.

What class will she take next year? This looks like a bad course selection. AP Precalculus should be limited to 12th grade, because it is intended for students who take it as their last math class in high school. It is not a proper prerequisite for calculus. Loudoun will not let you take Calculus BC after this class, but does allow AB(but shouldn't).

Her course selection is fine. She'll take Calculus next year, not sure which one. And it will be fine. She has straight As in her math sequence and, even better, has developed a wonderful math sense overall. So we are comfortable with where she is, her options, etc. But thanks for the "Concern."

I am not suggesting the class is too hard, but too easy. I am not sure what Fairfax offers, but AP precalculus is not a good class to take before calculus in high school. Despite the AP name, it does not cover enough curriculum. This is why Loudoun is not letting kids take calculus BC afterwards.

[Anonymous]

I have 2 boys in AAP. All of their friends took Algebra in 7th. My younger son is starting 7th grade tomorrow and he and all his friends are taking algebra.

My older son is starting 9th and will be in algebra 2. There definitely were kids taking algebra 2 in middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest kid wasn't in AAP and wasn't in a school that offered accelerated math to non-AAP students (they since changed that policy). Started out in Math 7, but moved to Math 7 honors (with outside assistance for the skills he'd not been taught in ES), then Algebra 1 H in 8th, etc. Finished with AP Calc in 12th and is going to a T20 school (but not in a math related field).

The one thing I would recommend considering is that once a kid hits Algebra 1, the grade follows you, so don't rush the math if your kid can't earn an A. It shouldn't be a big deal if a MS student gets a B in an accelerated class, AOs would say the same, but the facts are - if your kid is likely to earn As in HS, that B will pull down their GPA and for some colleges (looking at you UVA), being in the Top X% of your class GPA wise matters.

Yeah I have a different philosophy about this. I figure if my kid wants to try algebra 1 in 7th I’m going to let him do it. Especially since the school is recommending that level for him. Of all the mistakes out there, this is one I will let him make. He is 12 and should be allowed a mistake. If a 12 year old got a c and had to retake algebra and then got all As and Bs a college should allow that mistake. If they don’t oh well- my kid learned something about taking on more than you can handle. Maybe he won’t be so stressed in college because he learned to not to rush at 12.
This is small stuff in comparison to what else is out there for teens.

In theory, I would agree. Kids can make mistakes and shouldn’t be penalized for it. But in reality, I know my kid (and many others) who would hate a class they did badly in and had to retake. It would turn him completely off math. No one likes repeating a class. I’m more worried about the mindset. No thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:5th grade is ideal if child has proper math education prior to then. But the will require parent participation to accomplish.

Lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5th grade is ideal if child has proper math education prior to then. But the will require parent participation to accomplish.

Lol

Why by 5th grade the kid has solid abstract thinking skills and can easily work to manipulate equations and solve for x. Math is really just a different language and we all know the earlier you start with a language the easier it is.

It is why the rest of the world speaks English and are way ahead of American students in math.

Laugh if you want but it the reality of the situation, just look at where the US ranks worldwide in math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5th grade is ideal if child has proper math education prior to then. But the will require parent participation to accomplish.

Lol

Why by 5th grade the kid has solid abstract thinking skills and can easily work to manipulate equations and solve for x. Math is really just a different language and we all know the earlier you start with a language the easier it is.

It is why the rest of the world speaks English and are way ahead of American students in math.

Laugh if you want but it the reality of the situation, just look at where the US ranks worldwide in math.

That's a generalization which is very optimistic. Are you sure you know what your talking about?

And kids doing well in algebra in 7th don't have to worry about the rest of the world. They'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5th grade is ideal if child has proper math education prior to then. But the will require parent participation to accomplish.

Lol

Why by 5th grade the kid has solid abstract thinking skills and can easily work to manipulate equations and solve for x. Math is really just a different language and we all know the earlier you start with a language the easier it is.

It is why the rest of the world speaks English and are way ahead of American students in math.

Laugh if you want but it the reality of the situation, just look at where the US ranks worldwide in math.

The biggest problem with US math scores at 15 (when the PISA test is taken) is that it occurs when we do the dumbest thing-- we have the "geometry sandwich" between Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. Most sensible countries do a more integrative approach so they are not teaching algebra and then -- hold on you need to know geometry for the next part so let's take a whole year doing just that and then --gee, I hope you remember your Algebra for Algebra 2. So much time is wasted doing it this way-and many educators know it, but any attempt to have more integrative math is thought of by parents as "dumbing down" so the status quo persists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5th grade is ideal if child has proper math education prior to then. But the will require parent participation to accomplish.

Lol

Why by 5th grade the kid has solid abstract thinking skills and can easily work to manipulate equations and solve for x. Math is really just a different language and we all know the earlier you start with a language the easier it is.

It is why the rest of the world speaks English and are way ahead of American students in math.

Laugh if you want but it the reality of the situation, just look at where the US ranks worldwide in math.

The biggest problem with US math scores at 15 (when the PISA test is taken) is that it occurs when we do the dumbest thing-- we have the "geometry sandwich" between Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. Most sensible countries do a more integrative approach so they are not teaching algebra and then -- hold on you need to know geometry for the next part so let's take a whole year doing just that and then --gee, I hope you remember your Algebra for Algebra 2. So much time is wasted doing it this way-and many educators know it, but any attempt to have more integrative math is thought of by parents as "dumbing down" so the status quo persists.

Because it is frequently combined with a dumbing down approach of eliminating tracking and pushing algebra 1 to 8th grade. By calling it integrated math 1,2,3, parents won't realize that the classes have been dumbed down. See VMPI. My school district considered this switch decades ago. They would not have dumbed anything down, but they decided against adopting this because it would be hard to handle people who moved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5th grade is ideal if child has proper math education prior to then. But the will require parent participation to accomplish.

Lol

Why by 5th grade the kid has solid abstract thinking skills and can easily work to manipulate equations and solve for x. Math is really just a different language and we all know the earlier you start with a language the easier it is.

It is why the rest of the world speaks English and are way ahead of American students in math.

Laugh if you want but it the reality of the situation, just look at where the US ranks worldwide in math.

That's a generalization which is very optimistic. Are you sure you know what your talking about?

And kids doing well in algebra in 7th don't have to worry about the rest of the world. They'll be fine.

Yes, most people develop abstract thinking skills at 8 or 9 years of age.

No. Kids doing Algebra 1 in 7th grade are behind the rest of the world.

As other posters have touched on, the US concept of math branch based education of doing Algebra 1 - Geometry - Algebra 2 is stupid. Math should be taught as an integrated whole.

Again it is just like a language. Kids don’t take Spanish 1 - German 1 - Spanish 2. But that is the equivalent of
what the US does with math.

[Anonymous]

Even if a 5th grader can handle Algebra I, as sixth graders they will struggle with Geometry (proofs, less so the math), and it gets progressively harder from there. On that track, all the 10th graders will be taking AP Calc BC, Multivariable in 11th, and then what?

I doubt there is a school system on earth where it is common for kids to take calculus in 10th grade, and higher level math thereafter.