How is your school's MS/US math program?

[Anonymous]

Kudos to another poster who planted this seed. Tell us what you like and dislike about your school's math program.

[Anonymous]

Would I seem too ignorant if I asked what MS and US were? Also, how are you evaluating? I have a child who just finished 4th grade. Seemed to me like he made progress (from 3rd grade) in terms of concepts and skill building, but all I could really offer you is where he left off in the math curriculum. I have no idea how that compares to other schools. Is that what you were thinking about? In any event, I'm all for doing some objective comparisons without all the usual rancor. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Sorry - Middle School and Upper School. Seems those are the years where parents get strong opinions and programs start to differentiate themselves from one another.

[Anonymous]

I'm impressed that GDS's upper school math curriculum goes through a second year of college level courses. I think that the same is true of Sidwell.

I went to a public school and had exhausted its math curriculum by the end of my sophomore year (and I'm not a math prodigy or anything -- just good at math), so I know that it's not a huge reach to assume that there'd be demand for such classes if they existed.

That said, I'm actually glad I ran out of math -- it gave me an excuse to take college classes earlier and once I had the chance, lots of other stuff looked more interesting to me than calculus, LOL!

[Anonymous]

It is good to distinguish between middle school and upper school curricula. Some MSs will offer geometry to top students, others will not. That is about as far as most private MSs are willing to differentiate. Public schools, at least Mont Co, will do more at MS level, and of course have the magnets. GDS and Sidwell try very hard not to differentiate much in MS math, for better or worse. At the HS level, though, things change dramatically, and there is a lot of exciting stuff done.

[Anonymous]

All this makes me realize I know NOTHING about my kid's math program. When should I start obsessing?

[Anonymous]

Our K-8 has 3 levels of math per grade starting in 4th. For middle school,, the top group does pre-algebra in 6th, Algebra in 7th and Geometry in 8th. The middle group ends at Algebra and the lowest ends at pre-algebra. For those who are anti-Everyday Math (which I'm not), the top group does something else starting in 4th. I have a middle group kid and I don't know if the "something else" is a textbook or not but they definitely don't have the EDM journals.

[Anonymous]

Everyday Math seems to be a lightning rod at many schools and inspires much parent unhappiness. OK at a LS level but many schools have been dumping it for MS and HS. I attended an admissions discussion at Potomac's MS where they were very direct about how ineffective it was. Given the fact that Potomac's Head founded Thomas Jefferson, I think they have real merit in dissing this program.

Wondering if it is true that progressive schools tend to focus on Everyday while non-progressives tend to develop programs that incorporate a number of styles.

[Anonymous]

Wow, 6:32 - can you tell us which school? Our K-8 has only two levels and they dump a variety of levels into the last one so many of the kids complain of being bored (my son being one of them). And the MS doesn't even teach geometry at all - even to the top kids.

Oh, to live in Mont. Co where I hear the math programs in the public schools are outstanding.

[Anonymous]

6:32 here, Grace in Kensington.

[Anonymous]

Everyday Math is a K-6 curriculum. So not applicable to most of MS or any of HS..

[Anonymous]

Math is such a lightning rod topic for parents and administrators, w/ latter often having to defend against former. About Everyday vs. other types, different kids benefit from different kinds. My impression is that Everyday, and the circular curriculum based ones that come back to the same topic again and again (at higher level each time, is the theory - I think this is Chicago) are good for some kids who need more repetition. Other kids get it the first time, and are ready to move on. So kids really are different, and some schools recognize this and others don't. A kid in the wrong group can get really turned off, which is a pity.
A couple of other issues that folks may want to pick up on:
(a) how to negotiate without being dismissed as a pushy parent
(b) Schools are often citing research that MS students can't think "abstractly," so algebra - or harder algebraic concepts - should not introduced until later. They cite latest brain research. My feeling is this may be right about some kids but clearly wrong about others, and the question is how to deal w/ kids for whom this abstract thinking isn't a problem.

[Anonymous]

"Chicago" and "Everyday" math are the same thing. The curriculum was developed at the University of Chicago but it's called Everyday Mathematics.

[Anonymous]

Holton has a truly outstanding math and science program. DD's friend who graduated last year qualified out of three levels of college math - the ones required for a science major. Teachers from all over the country came to visit last year - it's a national model for teaching girls math and science.

[Anonymous]

So far, a couple of schools named that offer a strong math program. Would love to add to the list - and why.

We left our K-8 school before entering MS because of controversy over the MS math program. Parents universally unhappy with both teachers combined with geometry not being taught. I was horrified to hear parents speak of their older childen who were behind in math when they entered 9th grade. Even in the large public high schools.