Reply to Honors Algebra Struggles 2022/23

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[quote=Anonymous]Folks, hate to break it to you, but on-level Math is pretty well defined, and it isn't any of those that have been termed "normal" in this thread:

Grade level Math through 8th.  Grade 1 Math in 1st through Grade 5 Math in 5th for Elementary.   Math 6, Math 7 & Math 8 (all progressions of pre-Algebra) in Middle.

This would be followed by Algebra I in 9th, which is a required [i]High School[/i] course.  Then Geometry (also a graduation requirement) in 10th, Algebra II in 11th and either Pre-Calculus or Statistics in 12th.  MCPS wants every student to get at least through Algebra II, and Maryland requires one Math class in each year of High School.

Think about it.  Calculus is an [i]Advanced Placement[/i], college-level course.  "Normal" High School-level courses end with Pre-Calc.  There are many, many MCPS students who are capable of mastering more than that, though, and that is why the advanced pathways are available.  It's a good thing, too -- far too many children in our society are turned off from Math early in their academic lives because it is not presented in an enriched, challenging way, and acceleration helps keep them engaged until they reach subject matter that is more naturally challenging.

Taking Algebra I and higher in Middle is available and heavily utilized, perhaps even typical by 8th grade.  Math 4/5 & Math 5/6 in Elementary, along with AIM in 6th, accelerates by 2 years, with Algebra I in 7th.  AMP 6+ & AMP 7+ accelerates by 1 year, with Algebra I in 8th.  Students demonstrating early mastery and need, either due to natural genius (rare, even here) or because of reasonable capability supplemented by outside enrichment (far more common), can be shifted up a level, as well.  In High School, there are some courses or special programs (e.g., Magnet Functions) that can allow a jump, as well, and one can take Geometry and Algebra II concurrently if it becomes clear that a heavy Math focus with a number of APs is the right path.  Summer classes can achieve something similar.  However, pressing a student to such acceleration in the face of disinterest or a need to is not always advisable.

There are a lot of folks in OP's DC's situation due to learning loss, which will continue to have an impact for many (not all, especialy those with resources and the willingness to employ them), though less as time goes by.  There is a silver lining for younger students, as there is repetition of concepts (with greater complexity/depth) through the pre-Algebra courses, and young minds are best able to catch up rapidly.  What I fear is that MCPS will look at the difficulty that current High School students are experiencing and draw a conclusion (possibly convenient for some who campaign against acceleration) that the whole systen needs to slow down.

There was one other thing, here.  Math learning certainly benefits from some level of repetition, but much more so from robust portrayal of concepts.  Too much repetition -- after mastery -- turns a learner's mind off to the subject, and we still have a dearth of teachers who really can provide that kind of instruction.  That said, a lack of homework at all would be a shame, and the lack of MCPS-provided textbooks or similar tools stifles independent investigation of concepts with greater completeness than the simple workbooks/parent tools that are made available.[/quote]

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