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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Is your kid in 7th grade?  The push to take algebra earlier and earlier is not a good thing.[/quote]

I know a number of kids who struggled this year, and it wasn’t just about the students being pushed in too early. These were kids who were deemed “ready” by all standards — elementary teacher recommendation, 99% IAAT, pass advanced on SOL. These students also pass advanced the algebra SOL this year, worked hard all year, and now won’t earn an A. These are students who clearly know the material by all state standards, what is the actual point of crushing them on the final?  At our school, the only kids I know who sailed through and thought it was easy, were those who already learned the material outside the classroom. That’s a problem. [/quote]

OP said Algebra honors. The SOL is not honors material so would expect honors kids to do better on that and for the final exam to be harder for them.[/quote]

Yeah, I get it. But if you want honors curriculum on the test, then teach it in the classroom. At a certain point, when the average is 75%, it’s not just on the students.  [/quote]

I am not certain how your kid knows the score distribution, I asked mine if he does and he said no but he tends not to ask questions along those lines or care what other kids are doing.

The SOL is the basic Algebra standard, which is offered in 8th grade and taught at a slower pace, not the honors pace. I don't believe for a second that the material was not taught in the class. No one is trying to crush students on the final, they are testing that the kids have learned the material that was taught. If the average was a 75%, then I would guess that they mastered the regular algebra material and not the honors material.  I have seen teachers in other topics mention that retention of information has been a huge problem with students in math classes the last few years.

For all the people who say that more kids should be taking Algebra in 6th and 7th grade, this is the reason why they shouldn't be. Many kids are smart and can pass the SOL advanced and do well on the IAAT and struggle with the pace and concepts in a HS level class. A 7th grader taking Algebra 1 H is expected to pick up concepts quickly, be able to remember them, and use them. There is not a lot of time for review and practice, that is regular algebra. There is a reason why very few places in the Country offer Algebra in 7th grade and it is not because there are not smart kids but there are not a lot of 7th graders ready to learn a pace that is 2 years ahead. Just because your kid tested in doesn't mean that the class was a good fit for them.

And yes, a decent percentage of the kids in Algebra 1H as 7th graders have participated in outside enrichment. Some of them are there because it is important to the parents and some are there because they love math. That doesn't mean that more material is being taught in the class or that the class moves more quickly. Algebra 1H is Algebra 1H regardless of previous experience. Is it easier for kids who have been exposed? Of course it is. But that really means that most of those kids were ready for Algebra at an earlier age but there is not a way to actually get those kids into the class easily.

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