VA math changes - ways to speak out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From my experience, the pressure isn't coming from LCPS, but from fellow parents. If you aren't a few grades ahead, you are considered behind. This is not limited to LCPS, but any place with high concentration of Indians in America.

I was at an algebra for 6th graders meeting where the principal was emphasizing, 'Don't worry about what your neighbors are doing, just focus on what's best for your kid.' I didn't get the point at the time, but have noticed it more lately.

As a MS math teacher, I can tell you that about 1/3 of those 7th graders in Algebra probably aren't ready.

so we should be placing more appropriately not taking away the opportunity for all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
As a MS math teacher, I can tell you that about 1/3 of those 7th graders in Algebra probably aren't ready.

So 2/3 of the 7th graders in Algebra are ready? That sounds like a good reason to continue offering Algebra to 7th graders, but perhaps with a higher cutoff to get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
As a MS math teacher, I can tell you that about 1/3 of those 7th graders in Algebra probably aren't ready.

So 2/3 of the 7th graders in Algebra are ready? That sounds like a good reason to continue offering Algebra to 7th graders, but perhaps with a higher cutoff to get in.

+1. Some schools and admins have rolled over and let parents place their 7th graders in Algebra without supporting test scores AND demonstration of aptitude. There needs to be a hard line on this, as well as a mandatory policy on switching the student to Math 7 Honors after the first quarter if they can't hack it.

[Anonymous]

Under the new guidelines, there won't be a Math 7 Honors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Under the new guidelines, there won't be a Math 7 Honors.

...which is exactly why people are upset. There won’t be Algebra in 7th either, even if you qualify across all measures. Up until now, I’ve thought private school was a waste at the secondary level if you have a bright kid. There used to be plenty of opportunities for differentiation. If public schools get rid of that, they have no right to act surprised when people go private from 7-12 in order to get their kid into a halfway decent college.

[Anonymous]

Where is the rest of the state on this? I have a hard time believing most of VA wants this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From my experience, the pressure isn't coming from LCPS, but from fellow parents. If you aren't a few grades ahead, you are considered behind. This is not limited to LCPS, but any place with high concentration of Indians in America.

I was at an algebra for 6th graders meeting where the principal was emphasizing, 'Don't worry about what your neighbors are doing, just focus on what's best for your kid.' I didn't get the point at the time, but have noticed it more lately.

As a MS math teacher, I can tell you that about 1/3 of those 7th graders in Algebra probably aren't ready.

so we should be placing more appropriately not taking away the opportunity for all

How well do the kids do who take Math 7 and then Algebra? Is it just that Algebra is hard or that Math 7 actually prepares them better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Under the new guidelines, there won't be a Math 7 Honors.

...which is exactly why people are upset. There won’t be Algebra in 7th either, even if you qualify across all measures. Up until now, I’ve thought private school was a waste at the secondary level if you have a bright kid. There used to be plenty of opportunities for differentiation. If public schools get rid of that, they have no right to act surprised when people go private from 7-12 in order to get their kid into a halfway decent college.

Exactly. I actually agree too many kids are placed in Algebra in 7th. But the obvious solution is to place fewer there in 7th and have them wait until 8th. Not 9th!! Also, strangely, LCPS does not offer “honors” level in math at all. The difficulty is simply determined by the class. As a parent I find this strange but it has true as long as we have been here at least.

[Anonymous]

Under the new guidelines, there won't be a Math 7 Honors.


...which is exactly why people are upset. There won’t be Algebra in 7th either, even if you qualify across all measures. Up until now, I’ve thought private school was a waste at the secondary level if you have a bright kid. There used to be plenty of opportunities for differentiation. If public schools get rid of that, they have no right to act surprised when people go private from 7-12 in order to get their kid into a halfway decent college.


Exactly. I actually agree too many kids are placed in Algebra in 7th. But the obvious solution is to place fewer there in 7th and have them wait until 8th. Not 9th!! Also, strangely, LCPS does not offer “honors” level in math at all. The difficulty is simply determined by the class. As a parent I find this strange but it has true as long as we have been here at least.

Yeah, could be, but that doesn't mean that there aren't some kids that are ready, and if so, why not offer an appropriate program for them?

[Anonymous]

How well do the kids do who take Math 7 and then Algebra? Is it just that Algebra is hard or that Math 7 actually prepares them better?

Hard for who? My son finds it easy, but he struggles in language arts. It's all relative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How well do the kids do who take Math 7 and then Algebra? Is it just that Algebra is hard or that Math 7 actually prepares them better?

When I was going through FCPS, Math 7 was a repeat of Math 6, which was a repeat of Math 5. Except for a one-week unit on 'how to use a checkbook', there was no new content in the course.

It provides an extra year of prealgebra instruction, which is helpful if A) your elementary school was somehow behind and never taught you requisite concepts, or B) you're a kid that just needs an extra year for your brain to mature in order to 'get it'.

But if we're putting huge swaths of kids through Algebra in 7th, and 2/3 of them are doing fine, then I think that speaks to the fact that it's not just a niche thing for one or two kids... there's a genuine need, and forcing everyone to wait until 9th grade to cover these concepts is a horrible idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How well do the kids do who take Math 7 and then Algebra? Is it just that Algebra is hard or that Math 7 actually prepares them better?

Hard for who? My son finds it easy, but he struggles in language arts. It's all relative.

of course there is no differentiation in LA like in math so struggling in LA really doesn't effect the track a kid is on for highschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Under the new guidelines, there won't be a Math 7 Honors.


...which is exactly why people are upset. There won’t be Algebra in 7th either, even if you qualify across all measures. Up until now, I’ve thought private school was a waste at the secondary level if you have a bright kid. There used to be plenty of opportunities for differentiation. If public schools get rid of that, they have no right to act surprised when people go private from 7-12 in order to get their kid into a halfway decent college.


Exactly. I actually agree too many kids are placed in Algebra in 7th. But the obvious solution is to place fewer there in 7th and have them wait until 8th. Not 9th!! Also, strangely, LCPS does not offer “honors” level in math at all. The difficulty is simply determined by the class. As a parent I find this strange but it has true as long as we have been here at least.

Yeah, could be, but that doesn't mean that there aren't some kids that are ready, and if so, why not offer an appropriate program for them?

Oh I agree. (Pp here.) This is a great example of a “problem” that did not need fixing. If they want to raise the bar to get into 7th grade Algebra that’s fine with me, but I don’t see the issue with the rest of the track. You don’t hold everyone back to make the behind kids feel less behind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How well do the kids do who take Math 7 and then Algebra? Is it just that Algebra is hard or that Math 7 actually prepares them better?

When I was going through FCPS, Math 7 was a repeat of Math 6, which was a repeat of Math 5. Except for a one-week unit on 'how to use a checkbook', there was no new content in the course.

It provides an extra year of prealgebra instruction, which is helpful if A) your elementary school was somehow behind and never taught you requisite concepts, or B) you're a kid that just needs an extra year for your brain to mature in order to 'get it'.

But if we're putting huge swaths of kids through Algebra in 7th, and 2/3 of them are doing fine, then I think that speaks to the fact that it's not just a niche thing for one or two kids... there's a genuine need, and forcing everyone to wait until 9th grade to cover these concepts is a horrible idea.

That's what I was wondering. Maybe Algebra just needs to be split up like calculus for some into Algebra AB and Algebra BC verses just Math 7. My child skipped Math 7 so I don't know what it entailed. I was trying to figure out if Math 7 prepared kids to do better in Algebra or if it didn't give kids much additional help. If we are going to delay Algebra for some, I'd really like the year before to really help kids get ready and likely also teach some of the courses so the following year in Algebra is a mix of repeat work and new instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I never thought I would say this but I actually support the changes that VA is going to make.

It will almost certainly go through because too many parents are disillusion regarding their kids abilities and their kids never learn the basics of math and this becomes evident in high school.

I have an average to slightly above average child in math. However, seeing where some of her truly gifted peers in math are - I think this is just a terrible change. I guess the PP is one of those "teach to the lowest standard" but then you can move to DC and go to public school there.