Reply to Why is the math so terrible? Can parents do anything?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]They are definitely dumbing down the math and not tracking them anymore in elementary.  So you are in a class with all sorts of math levels and you work in groups.  It totally sucks and the teacher is pulled in a million directions.

My oldest was bored in K,  but they switched to tracked math teachers starting in 1st and she went to the advanced Math 2 class, and then upped again in 4th to Math 6th and the Math 7th in 5th.  She never had to be bussed to a Middle School either.  There was 23 kids in her class.  Then in Middle School and went to Algebra I in 6th and started high school taking Calc.  If your kid is really smart in math, it is either Magnet or nothing now.

The funny thing is, half the parents complaining about how boring the curriculum is, redshirted their child.  That is their fault.  [/quote]

About dumbing down the math -- Under the old curriculum, grade-level math was Algebra I in 9th grade. Now it's Algebra I in 8th grade. In what way is this "dumbing down"?

About tracking  -- Under the old curriculum, you were in a class with all sorts of reading levels and you worked in groups. Did it totally suck, and was the teacher pulled in a million directions?

Also about tracking -- it actually does exist in elementary school. It just does not exist in grades K-3.[/quote]

You can claim the track is "projected" on average to be ahead by one year but it still does not benefit the smart kids.  You are no longer allowed to take Algebra I in 6th grade. They dumb down the curriculum in elementary school so you can not make that pathway.

Tracking - yes it is just as dumb to not track in all aspects of school, in reading groups as well.  The kids are handed busy work while all of that is going on.  I volunteer, I see it.  The reading groups meet AT MOST once a week, the smarter groups meet less.  It is not productive and again, the smarter kids get less.

Tracking used to be 1-5 and in-school.  Now SOME kids get pulled out for compacted math in 4/5 and many are asked to take a bus to a middle school if they want it.  Again, another way smart kids get the shaft.

The only other choice is to apply for HGC but again, they have to be bussed to another school.  One more way the smart kids are held back unless they have family who can do all this going back/forth to schools.

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