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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]This year, there is not a magnet Geometry class for 9th. A couple of kids did it over the summer. Everyone is in Precalculus or Functions.[/quote]

How are SMACS magnet Precalculus and Functions different from how school Algebra 2 + Precalculus, besides being accelerated?  Or is speed the only difference?

Please be specific if you can. I've heardvit's "deeper" and "more work" but not specifically what that means. I'd love to hear from someone who has had kids in both Magnet  SMACS and neighborhood high school math class [/quote]

The neighborhood high school math class doesn’t combine algebra II and precalculus into a single class. Functions does that in 2 semesters. Magnet precalculus does it in 3. They also go into the subject deeper as you’ve said.[/quote]But deeper how? What's on the functions syllabus/hw/tests that isn't on the non-magnet honors algebra 2 and precalc syllabus/hw/tests?[/quote]
Why does it matter? It's Algebra 2 and pre-calc all in one course. Is that not challenging enough?  The kids that already took Algebra 2 were in 8th were in the same class with the advanced students coming from Geometry. [/quote]

It matters because some students have already studied Precalculus, and 1 or 2 semesters of Functions might be redundant for them, or might not be if the class has something more in it.

It matters because many parents speak of Functions in mysterious tones and hours of daily homework, and it's not clear if that's because they are referring to students jumping in from Geometry (possibly from outside enrichment), or students who got B's in Algebra 2, or students who got As in Algebra and also do enrichment, or what.

SMACS has confusing class structures, names, and descriptions (like Precalculus which has Geometry as prerequisite and is 3 semesters at Blair and 4 semesters at Poolesville, but replaces 4 semesters of Algebra 2 and Precalculus at home school) [/quote]

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