Anonymous wrote:I suspect Functions kids are together, but DS said the kids asked and the teacher didn’t know. We do know someone who was in summer with the Functions teacher last year who was NOT a Functions student.

DS said there’s been nothing new for him so far, but from where he is in math, we suspected that would be the case.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect Functions kids are together, but DS said the kids asked and the teacher didn’t know. We do know someone who was in summer with the Functions teacher last year who was NOT a Functions student.

DS said there’s been nothing new for him so far, but from where he is in math, we suspected that would be the case.

Where is DS in math? My DC was at TPMS magnet in Geom and thought they covered some difficult stuff this week. But, in the group w/ the Functions teacher, so maybe they had more difficult problems? General concepts were review, but taken to new level in application. (Depth of complex fractions to simplify, factoring polynomials beyond quadratics, etc)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect Functions kids are together, but DS said the kids asked and the teacher didn’t know. We do know someone who was in summer with the Functions teacher last year who was NOT a Functions student.

DS said there’s been nothing new for him so far, but from where he is in math, we suspected that would be the case.

Where is DS in math? My DC was at TPMS magnet in Geom and thought they covered some difficult stuff this week. But, in the group w/ the Functions teacher, so maybe they had more difficult problems? General concepts were review, but taken to new level in application. (Depth of complex fractions to simplify, factoring polynomials beyond quadratics, etc)

DS has taken Alg. 2

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect Functions kids are together, but DS said the kids asked and the teacher didn’t know. We do know someone who was in summer with the Functions teacher last year who was NOT a Functions student.

DS said there’s been nothing new for him so far, but from where he is in math, we suspected that would be the case.

Where is DS in math? My DC was at TPMS magnet in Geom and thought they covered some difficult stuff this week. But, in the group w/ the Functions teacher, so maybe they had more difficult problems? General concepts were review, but taken to new level in application. (Depth of complex fractions to simplify, factoring polynomials beyond quadratics, etc)

DS has taken Alg. 2

Just curious - if he has already taken Alg. 2, what are his options in ninth grade? (I assume he will not need to take Functions as he has already done Alg. 2)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 had one kid take functions and one not take it. They areboth fine. It’s a very very very hard class.

I'm getting confused here. Isn't true that Functions and Pre-Calculus cover the same stuff at different speed? Are you suggesting that Functions cover more in depth?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current function parent responding to the extra homework and extracurricular questions.

My DC also participates in several extracurricular activities including math, coding and debate competitions.

My DC's homework in the Functions class was stressful initially but has caught up. Mr. Schwartz's class is engaging and he might call on you at any time. My DC has learned to think and work faster. More information (from students) on rate my teacher: https://www.ratemyteachers.com/jeremy-schwartz/3817377-t

Thank you for this information. It is interesting to know that several kids who were taking Functions this year got straight A's as well (who also participated in extracurricular activities), and then there were some kids who really struggled and got B's despite extensive help from the functions teacher. I wonder if this has to do with the basics being taught differently in different schools. Some kids seem to have a stronger foundation than others and are successfully getting A's as well. Any recommendations on what worked and did not work for your DC for functions?

None of the kids I know in Function class are strugling. Most of them got As or Bs in test but all have As in each quarter. I guess more than 70% kids in Function will get A in both semesters.

This is absolutely incorrect. There are plenty of kids with Bs in quarter and Semester! It will lower their GPA.

Both these messages are good to know. It seems like B's are expected in some tests but it is not impossible to get overall A's in quarter. For kids who took Functions and are getting A's, any suggestions on what helped?

This is incorrect. A lot of kids get B's in quarter and semester

pettifogger wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 had one kid take functions and one not take it. They areboth fine. It’s a very very very hard class.

I'm getting confused here. Isn't true that Functions and Pre-Calculus cover the same stuff at different speed? Are you suggesting that Functions cover more in depth?

There's another recent thread on this, it doesn't appear that there is any extra depth, just more acceleration. In that sense it would not be worth doing it over the other path unless kids can handle it without too much difficulty. In that case it would make sense in order to allow room for an extra semester of the fun upper level electives before graduation (e.g Complex Analysis, etc).

Anonymous wrote:

pettifogger wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 had one kid take functions and one not take it. They areboth fine. It’s a very very very hard class.

I'm getting confused here. Isn't true that Functions and Pre-Calculus cover the same stuff at different speed? Are you suggesting that Functions cover more in depth?

There's another recent thread on this, it doesn't appear that there is any extra depth, just more acceleration. In that sense it would not be worth doing it over the other path unless kids can handle it without too much difficulty. In that case it would make sense in order to allow room for an extra semester of the fun upper level electives before graduation (e.g Complex Analysis, etc).

There is more depth as well as acceleration. -- F(x)s mom

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

pettifogger wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 had one kid take functions and one not take it. They areboth fine. It’s a very very very hard class.

I'm getting confused here. Isn't true that Functions and Pre-Calculus cover the same stuff at different speed? Are you suggesting that Functions cover more in depth?

There's another recent thread on this, it doesn't appear that there is any extra depth, just more acceleration. In that sense it would not be worth doing it over the other path unless kids can handle it without too much difficulty. In that case it would make sense in order to allow room for an extra semester of the fun upper level electives before graduation (e.g Complex Analysis, etc).

There is more depth as well as acceleration. -- F(x)s mom

+1

~Another Functions mom

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

pettifogger wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 had one kid take functions and one not take it. They areboth fine. It’s a very very very hard class.

I'm getting confused here. Isn't true that Functions and Pre-Calculus cover the same stuff at different speed? Are you suggesting that Functions cover more in depth?

There's another recent thread on this, it doesn't appear that there is any extra depth, just more acceleration. In that sense it would not be worth doing it over the other path unless kids can handle it without too much difficulty. In that case it would make sense in order to allow room for an extra semester of the fun upper level electives before graduation (e.g Complex Analysis, etc).

There is more depth as well as acceleration. -- F(x)s mom

+1

~Another Functions mom

According to Peter and the current functions teacher, there is only acceleration. As a functions parent, I know very well what DC is learning in the class, but have no way of knowing how the pre-calculus class goes, so I can't give first hand comparisons.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

pettifogger wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 had one kid take functions and one not take it. They areboth fine. It’s a very very very hard class.

I'm getting confused here. Isn't true that Functions and Pre-Calculus cover the same stuff at different speed? Are you suggesting that Functions cover more in depth?

There's another recent thread on this, it doesn't appear that there is any extra depth, just more acceleration. In that sense it would not be worth doing it over the other path unless kids can handle it without too much difficulty. In that case it would make sense in order to allow room for an extra semester of the fun upper level electives before graduation (e.g Complex Analysis, etc).

There is more depth as well as acceleration. -- F(x)s mom

+1

~Another Functions mom

According to Peter and the current functions teacher, there is only acceleration. As a functions parent, I know very well what DC is learning in the class, but have no way of knowing how the pre-calculus class goes, so I can't give first hand comparisons.

pettifogger wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

pettifogger wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 had one kid take functions and one not take it. They areboth fine. It’s a very very very hard class.

I'm getting confused here. Isn't true that Functions and Pre-Calculus cover the same stuff at different speed? Are you suggesting that Functions cover more in depth?

There's another recent thread on this, it doesn't appear that there is any extra depth, just more acceleration. In that sense it would not be worth doing it over the other path unless kids can handle it without too much difficulty. In that case it would make sense in order to allow room for an extra semester of the fun upper level electives before graduation (e.g Complex Analysis, etc).

There is more depth as well as acceleration. -- F(x)s mom

+1

~Another Functions mom

According to Peter and the current functions teacher, there is only acceleration. As a functions parent, I know very well what DC is learning in the class, but have no way of knowing how the pre-calculus class goes, so I can't give first hand comparisons.

Another functions, now analysis mom:
It is only acceleration. There is some depth but not enough that students have a good grasp. Material asked in the tests is outside of what is taught in class. Kids have to study for hours together to understand the concept in addition to many many hours of homework at home. It does not get any better in sophomore and junior year as the same teacher teaches this same cohort.
If the kid is very heavily math inclined, only then is this course probably an easy A. Having interest in math (like my DC had) alone and strong grades from middle school will not get you easy A's, be prepared for B's. The teacher also tells the kids that it is ok to get B's. The kids in this class are highly motivated, but I think at some point they have put in so much and still getting occasional A's( and mostly B's), they tend to think B's are ok. B's are certainly ok, but for the amount of work they are putting in A, this should be an Aplus grade if that existed!