Struggling in Honors Algebra 2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How’s everyone doing at end of Q1?

I am one of the PP’s. My child ended up with an A after retaking the exam. I still think the lack of textbooks and opportunities to practice math problems outside of class is a problem. My child also claims that the teacher doesn’t actively teach in class but I’m not sure that is true.

I believe it is true. I have heard this about other teachers at my kid’s school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child barely got a 70 so yes, I’m worried. Are they stuck in Honors for the second marking period? For the year? Would it negatively impact them to move to regular honors for Semester 2 or even the second half of this semester? Meanwhile, off to find a tutor.

If you can get the MCPS math tutors list you'll be best placed. Your kid's current math teacher should have it - and can email it to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How’s everyone doing at end of Q1?

I am one of the PP’s. My child ended up with an A after retaking the exam. I still think the lack of textbooks and opportunities to practice math problems outside of class is a problem. My child also claims that the teacher doesn’t actively teach in class but I’m not sure that is true.

I believe it is true. I have heard this about other teachers at my kid’s school.

This was definitely true for my dd's algebra 2 class a few years ago. She said the teacher told them that they were in an 'honors' section so were expected to be self directed. DD claimed she wouldn't even really answer questions, but would tell them to figure it out. (I still remember dd's frustration vividly because she would then 'figure it out' herself and when she took the quiz, she ended up with the correct answer but the teacher took off because she didn't show her work the way the teacher wanted... but the teacher never taught them how she wanted it...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child barely got a 70 so yes, I’m worried. Are they stuck in Honors for the second marking period? For the year? Would it negatively impact them to move to regular honors for Semester 2 or even the second half of this semester? Meanwhile, off to find a tutor.

This is also my DC’s almost exact situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How’s everyone doing at end of Q1?

I am one of the PP’s. My child ended up with an A after retaking the exam. I still think the lack of textbooks and opportunities to practice math problems outside of class is a problem. My child also claims that the teacher doesn’t actively teach in class but I’m not sure that is true.

I believe it is true. I have heard this about other teachers at my kid’s school.

This was definitely true for my dd's algebra 2 class a few years ago. She said the teacher told them that they were in an 'honors' section so were expected to be self directed. DD claimed she wouldn't even really answer questions, but would tell them to figure it out. (I still remember dd's frustration vividly because she would then 'figure it out' herself and when she took the quiz, she ended up with the correct answer but the teacher took off because she didn't show her work the way the teacher wanted... but the teacher never taught them how she wanted it...

this is so MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child barely got a 70 so yes, I’m worried. Are they stuck in Honors for the second marking period? For the year? Would it negatively impact them to move to regular honors for Semester 2 or even the second half of this semester? Meanwhile, off to find a tutor.

If you can get the MCPS math tutors list you'll be best placed. Your kid's current math teacher should have it - and can email it to you.

Do you have the link ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child barely got a 70 so yes, I’m worried. Are they stuck in Honors for the second marking period? For the year? Would it negatively impact them to move to regular honors for Semester 2 or even the second half of this semester? Meanwhile, off to find a tutor.

Have you had a conversation with the guidance counselor to answer your questions about how long you´re stuck in Hon Alg II?

[Anonymous]

With 18 months of online learning, MCPS told the Board of Ed that students would receive pre-assessments to check for learning loss. Not happening at our school. No attempt by teacher to fill in gaps for material that was dropped from prior courses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child barely got a 70 so yes, I’m worried. Are they stuck in Honors for the second marking period? For the year? Would it negatively impact them to move to regular honors for Semester 2 or even the second half of this semester? Meanwhile, off to find a tutor.

If you can get the MCPS math tutors list you'll be best placed. Your kid's current math teacher should have it - and can email it to you.

Do you have the link ?

I have an excel file that was emailed to me by an MCPS math teacher. They all have access to it and can email it to you. I'd prefer to remain anonymous and not email files around if that's ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With 18 months of online learning, MCPS told the Board of Ed that students would receive pre-assessments to check for learning loss. Not happening at our school. No attempt by teacher to fill in gaps for material that was dropped from prior courses.

This would require math teachers to pay attention to students and teach where the students are at. Most teachers just pull out the same lesson plans that they have used for years so they are not prepared to fill in gaps created when curriculum was dropped from the FY20 and FY21 curriculums.

For teachers who are used to being spoon fed the curriculum from Central Office, there has been no guidance on how to fill in gaps for math curriculum that was dropped from prior courses. Math is a complete sh$t show in MCPS.

Those with financial means will hire tutors. I am fundamentally against hiring MCPS teachers as tutors because why hire staff for their side-hustle when they are ignoring the students in their classes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With 18 months of online learning, MCPS told the Board of Ed that students would receive pre-assessments to check for learning loss. Not happening at our school. No attempt by teacher to fill in gaps for material that was dropped from prior courses.

This would require math teachers to pay attention to students and teach where the students are at. Most teachers just pull out the same lesson plans that they have used for years so they are not prepared to fill in gaps created when curriculum was dropped from the FY20 and FY21 curriculums.

For teachers who are used to being spoon fed the curriculum from Central Office, there has been no guidance on how to fill in gaps for math curriculum that was dropped from prior courses. Math is a complete sh$t show in MCPS.

Those with financial means will hire tutors. I am fundamentally against hiring MCPS teachers as tutors because why hire staff for their side-hustle when they are ignoring the students in their classes?

Some of those teachers are incredibly conscientious and are doing their best with the students in their class and with those they tutor privately. They know the curriculum, they are aware of the current versions, not versions from the 1980s that no one uses any more and are useless to spend time on. We've had MCPS tutors and independent tutors. The MCPS tutors charge about half the rate of the independent tutors and are 200 times more effective.

[Anonymous]

I just wanted to add that my kid loves his Hon Algebra 2 teacher. She gave just one retake this quarter and that was only done for a small portion of one test. She is very available for check-ins.

For us, this has been a huge relief after having Geometry via zoom.

[Anonymous]

My DD switched after a month to regular Algebra 2 and loves it. Her biggest comment is the difference in teaching styles. She felt the honors teacher just lectured and didn’t care if the kid’s understood or not while the regular teacher seemed ready to support and answer questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD switched after a month to regular Algebra 2 and loves it. Her biggest comment is the difference in teaching styles. She felt the honors teacher just lectured and didn’t care if the kid’s understood or not while the regular teacher seemed ready to support and answer questions.

This is simply a comparison between two individual teachers, on the grander scale of things it is not a particularly helpful observation because every teacher is going to be different, regardless of the version of Algebra 2 they are teaching. You know that, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD switched after a month to regular Algebra 2 and loves it. Her biggest comment is the difference in teaching styles. She felt the honors teacher just lectured and didn’t care if the kid’s understood or not while the regular teacher seemed ready to support and answer questions.

This is simply a comparison between two individual teachers, on the grander scale of things it is not a particularly helpful observation because every teacher is going to be different, regardless of the version of Algebra 2 they are teaching. You know that, right?

Not true. Non honors teachers go slow and ensure students are following and doing well. Honors classes move faster and students are responsible for making sure they are following and get the concepts. Big difference!