Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have a 7th grader taking Algebra and I was already worried about high school math options. Even crazier for 6th grade start. Can someone lay out the math class options through high school?

Can do AP AB Calculus, AP BC Calculus and AP Stats.

That is one possibility but I doubt most kids taking A1H in 6th grade are going to go that route. Most of these kids are going to take AP Calc BC, without taking AB. They might take AP Stats but it will be an elective. The parents pushing for their kids to be in this class are pushing for their kids to take the most rigorous class with an eye towards a top 10 school. There could be kids who were strong at math and end up in A1H at 6th grade and decide it is not their thing and step off the accelerated path.

There are kids ready for this path, more than 30 that were allowed it but the 500-700 that I am reading about in the pilot seems to be far too many.

No one is pushing. Our kids were automatically placed in the class. The only pushing is pushing to get them out.

You can only be placed if you qualify - and I bet most of the qualifying applicants do some kind of math enrichment outside of school - think AoPs or RSM. All those teslas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have a 7th grader taking Algebra and I was already worried about high school math options. Even crazier for 6th grade start. Can someone lay out the math class options through high school?

Can do AP AB Calculus, AP BC Calculus and AP Stats.

That is one possibility but I doubt most kids taking A1H in 6th grade are going to go that route. Most of these kids are going to take AP Calc BC, without taking AB. They might take AP Stats but it will be an elective. The parents pushing for their kids to be in this class are pushing for their kids to take the most rigorous class with an eye towards a top 10 school. There could be kids who were strong at math and end up in A1H at 6th grade and decide it is not their thing and step off the accelerated path.

There are kids ready for this path, more than 30 that were allowed it but the 500-700 that I am reading about in the pilot seems to be far too many.

No one is pushing. Our kids were automatically placed in the class. The only pushing is pushing to get them out.

You can only be placed if you qualify - and I bet most of the qualifying applicants do some kind of math enrichment outside of school - think AoPs or RSM. All those teslas.

I don't know why you want to believe this so badly. My child and 4 of his close friends are in the class, and none of the families have ever done math enrichment with our kids. (We all talked in depth when deciding whether to keep the kids in the class or not) Is it so hard to believe some kids are just quick/good/strong in math?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have a 7th grader taking Algebra and I was already worried about high school math options. Even crazier for 6th grade start. Can someone lay out the math class options through high school?

Can do AP AB Calculus, AP BC Calculus and AP Stats.

That is one possibility but I doubt most kids taking A1H in 6th grade are going to go that route. Most of these kids are going to take AP Calc BC, without taking AB. They might take AP Stats but it will be an elective. The parents pushing for their kids to be in this class are pushing for their kids to take the most rigorous class with an eye towards a top 10 school. There could be kids who were strong at math and end up in A1H at 6th grade and decide it is not their thing and step off the accelerated path.

There are kids ready for this path, more than 30 that were allowed it but the 500-700 that I am reading about in the pilot seems to be far too many.

No one is pushing. Our kids were automatically placed in the class. The only pushing is pushing to get them out.

You can only be placed if you qualify - and I bet most of the qualifying applicants do some kind of math enrichment outside of school - think AoPs or RSM. All those teslas.

I don't know why you want to believe this so badly. My child and 4 of his close friends are in the class, and none of the families have ever done math enrichment with our kids. (We all talked in depth when deciding whether to keep the kids in the class or not) Is it so hard to believe some kids are just quick/good/strong in math?

Yes it is . But notice I said most, not all. It’s rare to be truly ready for real Algebra in 6th. This is some sort of experiment that is going to end up badly.

Have you considered they (the schools) don’t have the appropriate testing to determine placement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have a 7th grader taking Algebra and I was already worried about high school math options. Even crazier for 6th grade start. Can someone lay out the math class options through high school?

Can do AP AB Calculus, AP BC Calculus and AP Stats.

That is one possibility but I doubt most kids taking A1H in 6th grade are going to go that route. Most of these kids are going to take AP Calc BC, without taking AB. They might take AP Stats but it will be an elective. The parents pushing for their kids to be in this class are pushing for their kids to take the most rigorous class with an eye towards a top 10 school. There could be kids who were strong at math and end up in A1H at 6th grade and decide it is not their thing and step off the accelerated path.

There are kids ready for this path, more than 30 that were allowed it but the 500-700 that I am reading about in the pilot seems to be far too many.

No one is pushing. Our kids were automatically placed in the class. The only pushing is pushing to get them out.

Except that there is at least one school where kids are being principal placed, which means someone is asking to place kids in the class. And the one that everyone knows about is Navy, the parents were actively complaining that the "good math teacher" was assigned Algebra and the bad math teacher was assigned 6th grade AAP. So yes, there are schools where kids are being placed who were not identified by the County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have a 7th grader taking Algebra and I was already worried about high school math options. Even crazier for 6th grade start. Can someone lay out the math class options through high school?

Can do AP AB Calculus, AP BC Calculus and AP Stats.

That is one possibility but I doubt most kids taking A1H in 6th grade are going to go that route. Most of these kids are going to take AP Calc BC, without taking AB. They might take AP Stats but it will be an elective. The parents pushing for their kids to be in this class are pushing for their kids to take the most rigorous class with an eye towards a top 10 school. There could be kids who were strong at math and end up in A1H at 6th grade and decide it is not their thing and step off the accelerated path.

There are kids ready for this path, more than 30 that were allowed it but the 500-700 that I am reading about in the pilot seems to be far too many.

No one is pushing. Our kids were automatically placed in the class. The only pushing is pushing to get them out.

You can only be placed if you qualify - and I bet most of the qualifying applicants do some kind of math enrichment outside of school - think AoPs or RSM. All those teslas.

I don't know why you want to believe this so badly. My child and 4 of his close friends are in the class, and none of the families have ever done math enrichment with our kids. (We all talked in depth when deciding whether to keep the kids in the class or not) Is it so hard to believe some kids are just quick/good/strong in math?

Yes it is . But notice I said most, not all. It’s rare to be truly ready for real Algebra in 6th. This is some sort of experiment that is going to end up badly.

Have you considered they (the schools) don’t have the appropriate testing to determine placement?

Yes. Believe me, I have considered backwards and forwards and every which way because I don't know who my kid is going to be 5 years from now and the thought of messing up my 11 year old's math career and confidence is terrifying. But I have 4 data points at this point.

1) Math 6 SOL score
2) Iready Quantile score
3) Algebra pre-assessment written by the county
4) MAP math score

When the Math 6 SOL is nearly perfect and the remaining 3 data points very clearly show "high readiness for algebra" on whatever scales they use, at what point is it enough to allow the kid to try algebra?

And when the 5th data point is a kid who used to absolutely hate school because it is so "slow" and so "boring" and "just review" who is now excited about math...isn't it worth the attempt?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have a 7th grader taking Algebra and I was already worried about high school math options. Even crazier for 6th grade start. Can someone lay out the math class options through high school?

Can do AP AB Calculus, AP BC Calculus and AP Stats.

That is one possibility but I doubt most kids taking A1H in 6th grade are going to go that route. Most of these kids are going to take AP Calc BC, without taking AB. They might take AP Stats but it will be an elective. The parents pushing for their kids to be in this class are pushing for their kids to take the most rigorous class with an eye towards a top 10 school. There could be kids who were strong at math and end up in A1H at 6th grade and decide it is not their thing and step off the accelerated path.

There are kids ready for this path, more than 30 that were allowed it but the 500-700 that I am reading about in the pilot seems to be far too many.

No one is pushing. Our kids were automatically placed in the class. The only pushing is pushing to get them out.

You can only be placed if you qualify - and I bet most of the qualifying applicants do some kind of math enrichment outside of school - think AoPs or RSM. All those teslas.

I don't know why you want to believe this so badly. My child and 4 of his close friends are in the class, and none of the families have ever done math enrichment with our kids. (We all talked in depth when deciding whether to keep the kids in the class or not) Is it so hard to believe some kids are just quick/good/strong in math?

Yes it is . But notice I said most, not all. It’s rare to be truly ready for real Algebra in 6th. This is some sort of experiment that is going to end up badly.

Have you considered they (the schools) don’t have the appropriate testing to determine placement?

Yes. Believe me, I have considered backwards and forwards and every which way because I don't know who my kid is going to be 5 years from now and the thought of messing up my 11 year old's math career and confidence is terrifying. But I have 4 data points at this point.

1) Math 6 SOL score
2) Iready Quantile score
3) Algebra pre-assessment written by the county
4) MAP math score

When the Math 6 SOL is nearly perfect and the remaining 3 data points very clearly show "high readiness for algebra" on whatever scales they use, at what point is it enough to allow the kid to try algebra?

And when the 5th data point is a kid who used to absolutely hate school because it is so "slow" and so "boring" and "just review" who is now excited about math...isn't it worth the attempt?

I don’t know. They used to use the IOWA for Algebra readiness - kids had to score a 92 or higher.

I don’t see how the math 6 SOL shows readiness for algebra at all as it’s literally just 6th grade math. I also don’t think iready is a good measure either.

[Anonymous]

Anyone here ever cram for a test in order to pass? I did. And, how much do you remember afterwards?

Acceleration may not be a good thing, in this case.

[Anonymous]

Have you all looked at the M7 standards? There is very little that actually helps with algebra readiness. There’s a lot of things that have been spiraled for years that continue to spiral. I’m not sure that doing M7 really helps bright kids other than buying them another year of brain maturity for abstract concepts, because they aren’t learning much new content. The kids scoring high enough on multiple assessments to place into algebra don’t need another whole unit on comparing and ordering fractions/decimals/percents. They got it the first time.

Scientific notation
Ordering and comparing rational numbers
Relate square roots and perfect squares
Add/subtract/multiply/divide fractions and decimals in word problems
Use proportions to solve word problems
Volume and surface area of cylinders and rectangular prisms
Identify similar figures for rectangles and triangles
Classify quadrilaterals
Dilate polygons on a coordinate plane
Theoretical vs experimental probability
Data collection strategies
Graph lines in the form y=mx
Evaluate expressions with the order of operations
Combine like terms
2 step equations

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/48941/638741652059670000

The last 4 can be taught to very bright kids in a week (but they’ve already seen order of ops last year, so it’s really just 3 things)

[Anonymous]

The above is why we put our younger kid in Algebra in 7th. We learned from watching our older son take Math 7 Honors in 7th (even though he qualified for Algebra) that he could have just done Algebra in 7th and would have been great. So when our current 7th grader qualified for Algebra in 7th, we let him do it.

I know that's different than algebra in 6th, but I bet there are some kids who are ready.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone here ever cram for a test in order to pass? I did. And, how much do you remember afterwards?

Acceleration may not be a good thing, in this case.

I don't understand the analogy.

Instead of spending 9 years (K-8) on ordering numbers, classifying polygons, and doing operations with decimals and fractions, the kids are spending 6 years (K-5, but covering K-6 standards). I don't think that's analogous to cramming. They're just skipping the 3rd and 4th go around of content.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have a 7th grader taking Algebra and I was already worried about high school math options. Even crazier for 6th grade start. Can someone lay out the math class options through high school?

Can do AP AB Calculus, AP BC Calculus and AP Stats.

That is one possibility but I doubt most kids taking A1H in 6th grade are going to go that route. Most of these kids are going to take AP Calc BC, without taking AB. They might take AP Stats but it will be an elective. The parents pushing for their kids to be in this class are pushing for their kids to take the most rigorous class with an eye towards a top 10 school. There could be kids who were strong at math and end up in A1H at 6th grade and decide it is not their thing and step off the accelerated path.

There are kids ready for this path, more than 30 that were allowed it but the 500-700 that I am reading about in the pilot seems to be far too many.

No one is pushing. Our kids were automatically placed in the class. The only pushing is pushing to get them out.

You can only be placed if you qualify - and I bet most of the qualifying applicants do some kind of math enrichment outside of school - think AoPs or RSM. All those teslas.

There are no specific criteria that have to be met to qualify. Many are in and not ready.

MS Teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have a 7th grader taking Algebra and I was already worried about high school math options. Even crazier for 6th grade start. Can someone lay out the math class options through high school?

Can do AP AB Calculus, AP BC Calculus and AP Stats.

That is one possibility but I doubt most kids taking A1H in 6th grade are going to go that route. Most of these kids are going to take AP Calc BC, without taking AB. They might take AP Stats but it will be an elective. The parents pushing for their kids to be in this class are pushing for their kids to take the most rigorous class with an eye towards a top 10 school. There could be kids who were strong at math and end up in A1H at 6th grade and decide it is not their thing and step off the accelerated path.

There are kids ready for this path, more than 30 that were allowed it but the 500-700 that I am reading about in the pilot seems to be far too many.

No one is pushing. Our kids were automatically placed in the class. The only pushing is pushing to get them out.

You can only be placed if you qualify - and I bet most of the qualifying applicants do some kind of math enrichment outside of school - think AoPs or RSM. All those teslas.

There are no specific criteria that have to be met to qualify. Many are in and not ready.

MS Teacher

For 6th grade, there absolutely is. Pass advance on M6 SOL in 5th grade, and 1125Q on the Iready. (Except at one school with an inept principal, apparently)

7th grade algebra is admittedly now a free for all, open enrollment opportunity the way 8th grade algebra always has been. I had so many kids in my 8th grade algebra classes who failed the M7 SOL with scores of 380/390 but skipped M8 and took Algebra 1 anyway. We had double blocked sections of algebra 1 in 8th grade to hold them all, because some years there would be 30+ who fit that profile. Pretty soon we'll have to create double blocked algebra 1 in 7th grade.

I have no issue with opening the opportunity earlier (assuming we find ways to support these kids in high level courses in 4-5 years), but I absolutely have an issue with lowering the threshold for entry. If you can't pass the prerequisite course's EOC exam, you shouldn't get to skip more math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have a 7th grader taking Algebra and I was already worried about high school math options. Even crazier for 6th grade start. Can someone lay out the math class options through high school?

Can do AP AB Calculus, AP BC Calculus and AP Stats.

That is one possibility but I doubt most kids taking A1H in 6th grade are going to go that route. Most of these kids are going to take AP Calc BC, without taking AB. They might take AP Stats but it will be an elective. The parents pushing for their kids to be in this class are pushing for their kids to take the most rigorous class with an eye towards a top 10 school. There could be kids who were strong at math and end up in A1H at 6th grade and decide it is not their thing and step off the accelerated path.

There are kids ready for this path, more than 30 that were allowed it but the 500-700 that I am reading about in the pilot seems to be far too many.

No one is pushing. Our kids were automatically placed in the class. The only pushing is pushing to get them out.

You can only be placed if you qualify - and I bet most of the qualifying applicants do some kind of math enrichment outside of school - think AoPs or RSM. All those teslas.

There are no specific criteria that have to be met to qualify. Many are in and not ready.

MS Teacher

For 6th grade, there absolutely is. Pass advance on M6 SOL in 5th grade, and 1125Q on the Iready. (Except at one school with an inept principal, apparently)

7th grade algebra is admittedly now a free for all, open enrollment opportunity the way 8th grade algebra always has been. I had so many kids in my 8th grade algebra classes who failed the M7 SOL with scores of 380/390 but skipped M8 and took Algebra 1 anyway. We had double blocked sections of algebra 1 in 8th grade to hold them all, because some years there would be 30+ who fit that profile. Pretty soon we'll have to create double blocked algebra 1 in 7th grade.

I have no issue with opening the opportunity earlier (assuming we find ways to support these kids in high level courses in 4-5 years), but I absolutely have an issue with lowering the threshold for entry. If you can't pass the prerequisite course's EOC exam, you shouldn't get to skip more math.

Yep. And we’ve been told next year all 8th graders will be in Algebra 1, but that’s basically where we are this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have a 7th grader taking Algebra and I was already worried about high school math options. Even crazier for 6th grade start. Can someone lay out the math class options through high school?

Can do AP AB Calculus, AP BC Calculus and AP Stats.

That is one possibility but I doubt most kids taking A1H in 6th grade are going to go that route. Most of these kids are going to take AP Calc BC, without taking AB. They might take AP Stats but it will be an elective. The parents pushing for their kids to be in this class are pushing for their kids to take the most rigorous class with an eye towards a top 10 school. There could be kids who were strong at math and end up in A1H at 6th grade and decide it is not their thing and step off the accelerated path.

There are kids ready for this path, more than 30 that were allowed it but the 500-700 that I am reading about in the pilot seems to be far too many.

No one is pushing. Our kids were automatically placed in the class. The only pushing is pushing to get them out.

You can only be placed if you qualify - and I bet most of the qualifying applicants do some kind of math enrichment outside of school - think AoPs or RSM. All those teslas.

There are no specific criteria that have to be met to qualify. Many are in and not ready.

MS Teacher

For 6th grade, there absolutely is. Pass advance on M6 SOL in 5th grade, and 1125Q on the Iready. (Except at one school with an inept principal, apparently)

7th grade algebra is admittedly now a free for all, open enrollment opportunity the way 8th grade algebra always has been. I had so many kids in my 8th grade algebra classes who failed the M7 SOL with scores of 380/390 but skipped M8 and took Algebra 1 anyway. We had double blocked sections of algebra 1 in 8th grade to hold them all, because some years there would be 30+ who fit that profile. Pretty soon we'll have to create double blocked algebra 1 in 7th grade.

I have no issue with opening the opportunity earlier (assuming we find ways to support these kids in high level courses in 4-5 years), but I absolutely have an issue with lowering the threshold for entry. If you can't pass the prerequisite course's EOC exam, you shouldn't get to skip more math.

Kindly give a hint as to which school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I have a 7th grader taking Algebra and I was already worried about high school math options. Even crazier for 6th grade start. Can someone lay out the math class options through high school?

Can do AP AB Calculus, AP BC Calculus and AP Stats.

That is one possibility but I doubt most kids taking A1H in 6th grade are going to go that route. Most of these kids are going to take AP Calc BC, without taking AB. They might take AP Stats but it will be an elective. The parents pushing for their kids to be in this class are pushing for their kids to take the most rigorous class with an eye towards a top 10 school. There could be kids who were strong at math and end up in A1H at 6th grade and decide it is not their thing and step off the accelerated path.

There are kids ready for this path, more than 30 that were allowed it but the 500-700 that I am reading about in the pilot seems to be far too many.

No one is pushing. Our kids were automatically placed in the class. The only pushing is pushing to get them out.

You can only be placed if you qualify - and I bet most of the qualifying applicants do some kind of math enrichment outside of school - think AoPs or RSM. All those teslas.

There are no specific criteria that have to be met to qualify. Many are in and not ready.

MS Teacher

For 6th grade, there absolutely is. Pass advance on M6 SOL in 5th grade, and 1125Q on the Iready. (Except at one school with an inept principal, apparently)

7th grade algebra is admittedly now a free for all, open enrollment opportunity the way 8th grade algebra always has been. I had so many kids in my 8th grade algebra classes who failed the M7 SOL with scores of 380/390 but skipped M8 and took Algebra 1 anyway. We had double blocked sections of algebra 1 in 8th grade to hold them all, because some years there would be 30+ who fit that profile. Pretty soon we'll have to create double blocked algebra 1 in 7th grade.

I have no issue with opening the opportunity earlier (assuming we find ways to support these kids in high level courses in 4-5 years), but I absolutely have an issue with lowering the threshold for entry. If you can't pass the prerequisite course's EOC exam, you shouldn't get to skip more math.

Yep. And we’ve been told next year all 8th graders will be in Algebra 1, but that’s basically where we are this year.

So many of these future 8th graders are not ready for algebra…