Sidwell Advanced Math - Tutor?

[Anonymous]

Who getting As or A-s doesn't tutor or get substantial parental tutoring at SFS US?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Talk to the teacher and the head of the math department. They will be able to put this in context. In Sidwell 9 th grade really pushes kids in every respect, so some kids, like my son, after talking it over with the school decided to do the regular math track. That way he could spend more time on other subjects. If your worried about college, my son had no problem gaining admission to several excellent colleges, and is a science major.

name them

with the regular math track he was admitted to Amherst, Bowdoin, University of Maryland Honors, Dartmouth, Brown, Colgate, and several safety schools. The regular math track at Sidwell leads to calculus in 12th grade. that is all you need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Sidwell alum and have been a math teacher in the DC area for the past 5 years. Just transitioned to full-time tutoring, and have several students from Sidwell (everything from 7th grade advanced math to BC Calc). Happy to share my thoughts, help out, etc. if you are still interested.

Hi - contact info please?

www.linkedin.com/in/clarion-heard-6bba9846
(email available through profile)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell advanced MS Math curriculum, especially in 7th grade, has a manic, desultory, quality to it. Teachers do NOT lay down foundations and building upon them slowly. Rather, it is one topic after the next, with the class going and back and forth on topics until presumably some learning is achieved. Curriculum and coverage not properly discussed in advance.

I did not appreciate this style much at all. DC did quite well but wasn't especially happy with this approach either. Perhaps this could work with a very good instructor. DC wasn't so lucky. Got solid grades but felt shaky about DCs own knowledge by the end of it. Things settled down in 8th into a more consistent textbook style approach.

If you feel uncertain about foundations by 9th, a tutor may help anchor the mind.

This made me laugh. As the parent of a Sidwell grad and a current student, I would agree that there can be a manic, desultory quality to life at SFS -- sometimes both at once, but that wasn't my kid's experience with with advanced math. The curriculum goes into some depth beyond simply working an algorithm. For kids who truly love math, that can be really interesting and challenging, but it's not for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who getting As or A-s doesn't tutor or get substantial parental tutoring at SFS US?

There are plenty of kids who are just really good at math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who getting As or A-s doesn't tutor or get substantial parental tutoring at SFS US?

There are plenty of kids who are just really good at math.

Yes, many. And the 9th grade this year is especially strong in math (saying this based on what 8th grade teachers said last year about this particular class). And nothing desultory at all about Math 1. DS loves the emphasis on problem-solving and group work.