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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I see that the top students in private schools do have math tutors or go to specialized schools like RSM to enhance their math knowledge. Why this is the case?[/quote]

I was a math tutor (not with RSM) for many years. My students from private schools either a) needed additional support beyond what the school could reasonably offer or b) were using the summer to jump a level or get a head start. It wasn't related to the school not accelerating enough, but rather the opposite!

Most established private schools will extend the math curriculum as far as needed. Sometimes that top class (say, multivariable) will be quite small, but they're fully able to do it. If no one needs that class in a given year, they won't offer it. You just need to ask to confirm it will be a possibility in the future.

OP, are you asking in regard to a certain grade level? I've found these questions tend to pop up in middle school because many privates won't offer options beyond Algebra in those grades. At least from my perspective, this makes sense. My oldest is strong in math and I get the push for acceleration, but so often, it's not a good idea – pedagogically and developmentally. Having a strong, deep foundation in Algebra is SO much better than pushing through to Calculus with only a surface-level understanding of why things work. Believe me, it pays off later to have an excellent Algebra teacher who can make sure you really get it versus just memorizing the steps so you can zoom through. Your brain literally needs to be ready for those super abstract concepts![/quote]

This is such BS.

Publics are heads and tails ahead of privates in this space.

No private hires a teacher for a few kids to do multivariable calculus. LOL[/quote]

You really need to remove your bias against kids in private.  Mine is at a highly regarded school for math.  She is in honors math and the kid from TJ dropped the class because it was too hard.[/quote]

What does this mean?   Honors means nothing.  What grade and class are they taking.  My kid is in 10th taking calc bc.  No private had that track when I called a few years ago to move to private.  [/quote]

Unfortunately, many parents equate rigor 
with quality, and there are weird bragging rights that a class/program is hard.

I had a student at a school like this and the "teach yourself" model worked only for a few kids well. While some struggle and challenge is valid, there is a point when some teacher scaffolding is optimal for learning. This school was incredibly rigid and shockingly ineffective at supporting kids, all of whom are bright and had high standardized test scores for math. Basically kids quietly got tutors and supported each other through it.

[b]The other school met the kids where they were and then offered opportunities for acceleration when my kid was ready. Kids at that school are in BC Calc as freshmen if they are assessed to handle it. My kid started in Geometry in 9th, BC in 11th, and a post-Calc class next year.[/b]

So IMO, the better private programs are not the arrogant and rigid ones, but the ones that are flexible, innovative, and offer lots of approaches to learn, meeting kids ad they develop.

Publics are probably not flexible per se, but can offer a lot of differentiation because there are so many kids, and I imagine that the magnets are able to attract the best teachers and curricula.
[/quote]the other difference is logistics. Public school is usually elementary school, middle school then high school only having 9-12th grades. So it makes it hard to take classes beyond what is offered while in middle school.

A private school that is K-12 on one campus, or middle and high on one campus, makes it easier to do that[/quote]

Kids get bussed to another school or take it at community college.  [/quote]

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