Geometry in Summer before 8th grade

[Anonymous]

My DC's math teacher told her students that anyone who has a 100% or close in Algebra 1 in 7th grade can consider taking geometry in summer and then Algebra 2 in 8th grade. My DC would fall in this category. I am wondering about the pros and cons of doing so. The obvious con is that nothing beats learning a concept a full year versus over a summer but wondering are there any pros that would make this choice worth it for DC. Do TJ|AOS frown upon on such fast tracks? Please advise if your child had to go through this decision and what they chose and why. Thanks a lot.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t let my child do this. IMO, geometry is much harder than algebra 1. The only high school math course I’d consider this for is algebra 2.
-TJ grad who’s pretty good at math and took algebra 2 during the summer in high school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t let my child do this. IMO, geometry is much harder than algebra 1. The only high school math course I’d consider this for is algebra 2.
-TJ grad who’s pretty good at math and took algebra 2 during the summer in high school

My kid who took math in 8th felt that Geometry was the easiest of all of the math classes. He thought is was fun and breezed through it. I guess it depends on how your brain works.

Still, OP I think that is a terrible idea. What is the end game? Do you really want to push your kid into calculus in 1pth grade? Look at the math sequence in its entirety, not just in 7th or 8th grade.

You might disagree with this, but your kid has so few summers left and the summer after 7th is the last one as a kid. Why would you want your kid to spend hours inside glued to the computer the entire summer doing a math course most kids take during 9th grade?

The maybe teacher seems irresponsible and fcps should not allow 7th graders to take geometry online over the summer.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the thoughtful responses. Very helpful.

[Anonymous]

Bad idea. Geometry will be covered on the SAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t let my child do this. IMO, geometry is much harder than algebra 1. The only high school math course I’d consider this for is algebra 2.
-TJ grad who’s pretty good at math and took algebra 2 during the summer in high school

My kid who took math in 8th felt that Geometry was the easiest of all of the math classes. He thought is was fun and breezed through it. I guess it depends on how your brain works.

Still, OP I think that is a terrible idea. What is the end game? Do you really want to push your kid into calculus in 1pth grade? Look at the math sequence in its entirety, not just in 7th or 8th grade.

You might disagree with this, but your kid has so few summers left and the summer after 7th is the last one as a kid. Why would you want your kid to spend hours inside glued to the computer the entire summer doing a math course most kids take during 9th grade?

The maybe teacher seems irresponsible and fcps should not allow 7th graders to take geometry online over the summer.

This is totally unrelated but I'm a mom of a 2nd grader who is my oldest and was struck but that comment above in bold. Why is this so? This makes me sad.

[Anonymous]

I've taught the course before. Expect to spend 6-8 hours a day on it, and still feel rushed through the material. It is crammed. Your mastery of it will never be as high as if you took it over a year. I don't encourage my students to do it.

That said, if you are going to accelerate any course, geometry is really the only possibility.

[Anonymous]

What would your child gain by racing ahead one more year? Your child is already on track to take Calculus BC as a junior in high school. The only time I've heard of kids doing this is because they're really gunning for TJ and assume that taking Algebra II in 8th grade will look better on their application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t let my child do this. IMO, geometry is much harder than algebra 1. The only high school math course I’d consider this for is algebra 2.
-TJ grad who’s pretty good at math and took algebra 2 during the summer in high school

No way would I have my kid take Algebra 2 during the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t let my child do this. IMO, geometry is much harder than algebra 1. The only high school math course I’d consider this for is algebra 2.
-TJ grad who’s pretty good at math and took algebra 2 during the summer in high school

No way would I have my kid take Algebra 2 during the summer.

+1 and I have TJ kid. It set a kid up to go ddirectly into math 4/5 (pre-Calc) which are some of the toughest classes at TJ. Without an foundation of TJ Algebra II.

[Anonymous]

There is literally no good reason to do this.

-TJ parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've taught the course before. Expect to spend 6-8 hours a day on it, and still feel rushed through the material. It is crammed. Your mastery of it will never be as high as if you took it over a year. I don't encourage my students to do it.

That said, if you are going to accelerate any course, geometry is really the only possibility.

Wow! Spending 6-8 hrs a day on math(geometry) sounds incredibly awful. This cannot be a good idea. It makes me sad that anyone would do this.... even if your kid likes math, or loves math... 6-8 hrs day in and day out.... why put a kid in such a grind?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t let my child do this. IMO, geometry is much harder than algebra 1. The only high school math course I’d consider this for is algebra 2.
-TJ grad who’s pretty good at math and took algebra 2 during the summer in high school

Geometry is better,if you are going to take math course inthe summer. Algebra is foundational for the rest of math and it needs more than a summer to master and have it sink in and stay there.

[Anonymous]

Is there any reason at all that it would be better to take calculus as a high school sophomore rather than a junior? Why cram a math class into your summer if it doesn't really help you in any substantial way?

[Anonymous]

Our DD takes both geometry and algebra 2 in 8th grade. If she doesn't get into TJ (semifinalist so far), she'll be taking both pre-Calc and AP statistics in 9th grade of our base high school. The school told her she can take AP statistics in 9th, if she wants to.