Math in the early years: "advanced" vs. "on grade level"

[Anonymous]

I'm curious about opinions on whether it is better for a child to be in an "advanced" math class during the early elementary years in which they are significantly challenged (does not come easily to them and takes much out of school practice to grasp concepts) or whether it is better to be confident and very easily grasp concepts in the "on grade level" math class? My daughter was placed in an advanced math class this year due to her beginning of the year testing but she is struggling on some topics. Thoughts? Should I ask for her to be "on grade level" next year?

[Anonymous]

I don't know where you are, but I've heard of some MoCo parents' deciding to keep their children in the "on grade level" group for the sorts of reasons you mention. In this county, at least, there is a bit of a backlash against pushing kids to advance before they are ready, particularly if it means that they aren't getting enough time to really be solid on their math facts.

In MoCo, all kids who are working "on grade level" are still exposed to the advanced material, so hypothetically it should be possible for her to move back into the advanced level at some point if things are clicking better.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the advice. Yes, we are in MoCo.

[Anonymous]

I disagree. When you get to high school, if you have not taken Algebra in 8th grade, you are shut out of the math path that leads to Calculus and the advanced science path. You are forced to take a stupid Matter & Energy course in 9th grade while the rest of your peers take Biology. In MoCo, accelerated math is normal. On-level is the lowest 20% of the class. If your child can handle the accelerated class, stay there and support her with tutoring if necessary. Study the math path materials on the MCPS website well in advance of middle school. I didn't and came to regret it. 9th grade at Whitman has not been good, and we are leaving MoCo schools for private next year.

[Anonymous]

Oh, yes, and just because you are on-level doesn't mean you learn the math facts well. I have one child who was on-level and never mastered them well; another accelerated and knows them very well. You can accelerate later, but again, it's more of a pain and why get out of accelerated math if your child mostly gets it. My son skipped Math 6 and went directly to Math 7 in 6th grade, but I had to petition the principal to allow this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I disagree. When you get to high school, if you have not taken Algebra in 8th grade, you are shut out of the math path that leads to Calculus and the advanced science path. You are forced to take a stupid Matter & Energy course in 9th grade while the rest of your peers take Biology. In MoCo, accelerated math is normal. On-level is the lowest 20% of the class. If your child can handle the accelerated class, stay there and support her with tutoring if necessary. Study the math path materials on the MCPS website well in advance of middle school. I didn't and came to regret it. 9th grade at Whitman has not been good, and we are leaving MoCo schools for private next year.

What has not been good? My child is starting at Whitman in the fall after 10 years in a private school. He is in Alg 1 now so that's not a problem (although a lot of his friends in MCPS took Alg 1 in 7th grade so will be ahead). What else was an issue? Did you come from private school or from MCPS? Where are you moving your son?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree. When you get to high school, if you have not taken Algebra in 8th grade, you are shut out of the math path that leads to Calculus and the advanced science path. You are forced to take a stupid Matter & Energy course in 9th grade while the rest of your peers take Biology. In MoCo, accelerated math is normal. On-level is the lowest 20% of the class. If your child can handle the accelerated class, stay there and support her with tutoring if necessary. Study the math path materials on the MCPS website well in advance of middle school. I didn't and came to regret it. 9th grade at Whitman has not been good, and we are leaving MoCo schools for private next year.

What has not been good? My child is starting at Whitman in the fall after 10 years in a private school. He is in Alg 1 now so that's not a problem (although a lot of his friends in MCPS took Alg 1 in 7th grade so will be ahead). What else was an issue? Did you come from private school or from MCPS? Where are you moving your son?

Why is he in Alg 1 in 9th grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I disagree. When you get to high school, if you have not taken Algebra in 8th grade, you are shut out of the math path that leads to Calculus and the advanced science path. You are forced to take a stupid Matter & Energy course in 9th grade while the rest of your peers take Biology. In MoCo, accelerated math is normal. On-level is the lowest 20% of the class. If your child can handle the accelerated class, stay there and support her with tutoring if necessary. Study the math path materials on the MCPS website well in advance of middle school. I didn't and came to regret it. 9th grade at Whitman has not been good, and we are leaving MoCo schools for private next year.

When I was in school (MoCo), most kids did Alg I in 9th grade, and Bio in 10th grade.
I took alg in 9th, and scored something like a 730 in math on the SAT.
I am now a doctor, and did bio for the first time in 10th grade.

I have a neighbor whose son is in calculus in 11th grade, he got 490 on the math SAT.
He clearly does not get the basics.

[Anonymous]

Most girls I went to school with (private Catholic school) took Alg 1 in 9th grade, geometry is 10th, Alg 2 in 11th and Trig or Calculus in 12th. Even the one who went to Harvard did.

[Anonymous]

I took Alg I in 9th, and didn't take Calc until college. I majored in Math and Aeronautical Engineering, and have a Master's in Electrical Engineering, all from well known and well regarded Engineering schools. Don't get too freaked out about when you take what. Getting the basics right and being interested/motivated count for a lot, too.

[Anonymous]

"I took Alg I in 9th, and didn't take Calc until college. I majored in Math and Aeronautical Engineering, and have a Master's in Electrical Engineering, all from well known and well regarded Engineering schools. Don't get too freaked out about when you take what. Getting the basics right and being interested/motivated count for a lot, too."

- it is important to get the basics right, however, there are many schools where four years isn't long enough if you can't start the "real" science classes until sophomore year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I took Alg I in 9th, and didn't take Calc until college. I majored in Math and Aeronautical Engineering, and have a Master's in Electrical Engineering, all from well known and well regarded Engineering schools. Don't get too freaked out about when you take what. Getting the basics right and being interested/motivated count for a lot, too."

- it is important to get the basics right, however, there are many schools where four years isn't long enough if you can't start the "real" science classes until sophomore year.

You mean high schools or college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree. When you get to high school, if you have not taken Algebra in 8th grade, you are shut out of the math path that leads to Calculus and the advanced science path. You are forced to take a stupid Matter & Energy course in 9th grade while the rest of your peers take Biology. In MoCo, accelerated math is normal. On-level is the lowest 20% of the class. If your child can handle the accelerated class, stay there and support her with tutoring if necessary. Study the math path materials on the MCPS website well in advance of middle school. I didn't and came to regret it. 9th grade at Whitman has not been good, and we are leaving MoCo schools for private next year.

What has not been good? My child is starting at Whitman in the fall after 10 years in a private school. He is in Alg 1 now so that's not a problem (although a lot of his friends in MCPS took Alg 1 in 7th grade so will be ahead). What else was an issue? Did you come from private school or from MCPS? Where are you moving your son?

Why is he in Alg 1 in 9th grade?

Sorry - maybe I wasn't clear. My son is in 8th grade at a private school and is in Alg 1. He will be at Whitman next year for 9th grade. But still hoping to hear from the poster about some feedback on Whitman - now I am nervous.

[Anonymous]

I heard MoCo's head of accelerated and enriched learning say last weekend that teachers are now realizing that pushing kids too hard too fast can be detrimental later on. It's much more important to have a good grasp of the basics.

As a parent of a child who thrives with accelerated math and wishes it would go faster, I'd throw out the opposite view of folks here. It's much more important in these early grades to feel confident and truly learn the basics well. If you really want to push later, you can likely fit in some kind of accelerated learning through a summer computer course or tutoring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I disagree. When you get to high school, if you have not taken Algebra in 8th grade, you are shut out of the math path that leads to Calculus and the advanced science path. You are forced to take a stupid Matter & Energy course in 9th grade while the rest of your peers take Biology. In MoCo, accelerated math is normal. On-level is the lowest 20% of the class. If your child can handle the accelerated class, stay there and support her with tutoring if necessary. Study the math path materials on the MCPS website well in advance of middle school. I didn't and came to regret it. 9th grade at Whitman has not been good, and we are leaving MoCo schools for private next year.

I think I get what this poster is saying. You don't need to have your child working 3 grade levels above in math - but you need him/her to be accelerated enough to take Calculus senior year of high school and for it to line up so they have the math needed to take the science classes - Bio - freshman year, Chem sophmore year, Physics junior year and maybe an advanced science class senior year. I went to private school and I remember around middle school being in the advanced math class - I think I started the Algebra I/II and Trig sequence one year ahead and that set me up for the high school courses mentioned above. Anyway, I am working off my knowledge back in the day - you would have to check MCPS to see how it lines up.

Anyway, I'm not sure how or why, but my Algebra was rock solid. I don't consider myself particularly talented at math but when I had to take Calculus something like 10 years after finishing H.S. (long story but was pre-req for masters program and I opted out of calc in college), I was shocked how well I remembered algebra. So to the OP, you want to get your child rock solid on the basics but if putting your child back on grade-level would completely take your child off the path for higher level science and doing calc by senior year of h.s., you may want to consider tutoring etc. first.