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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Lolololol

Please come teach for 1 day, pp.

No, 90% of algebra 1 students cannot solve absolute value equations because half of them can’t solve 3x+5=12. When I taught algebra 1 I spent the whole year showing 10 ways to sunday why 3+4(x+1) is not 7(x+1) and -x^2 /= (-x)^2. Literally, spent the year on order of operations. Final exam in June and I put “evaluate x^2 if x =-6 as a freebie question and half the class put -36. These were 8th grade honors algebra students (so theoretically advanced). Now imagine what it looks like in a 9th grade classroom with kids who struggled in prealgebra.

Honors algebra is supposed to teach what it seems you want an algebra course to be. The vast, vast majority of kids cannot handle that in 7/8/9th grade. So the regular standards are lower, and often the honors course is watered down to accommodate those who sign up against the recommendation of prior math teachers.

Your perception is skewed.

But seriously, consider teaching. For some unfathomable reason we are bleeding good math teachers so there will be plenty of openings next year. :D Bonus, after a few years you can do summer work for the state on curriculum redesign to make all the classes more rigorous.[/quote]

I'm already spoiled teaching gifted kids on the side, and part of me would want to full time teach because I love it... but now I don't think I could do that after what you've described is true in the school system. What would be the point of trying to teach something if the kids are unmotivated and do not learn anything? It would be a waste of both mine and their time, if I teach procedurally without actually imparting any real understanding. It's funny, I thought the kids I'm teaching were doing ok with rigorous material, but it looks like they're actually [i]really [/i]good compared to what you've described.[/quote]

Is there an Algebra book you use/recommend?[/quote]
I use the AoPS books, including their Intro to Algebra book when I'm teaching.[/quote]

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