Reply to Honors Algebra Struggles 2022/23

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]As for what MCPS is "doing about it," they're throwing virtual tutors from a third-party company at the problem. Even though only 15% of kids are using it.

It's engendering much confidence in my books that MCPS is serious about closing the learning loss gap from the pandemic at all. But when you press them, they insist that "tutoring isn't all we're doing."[/quote]

Our virtual tutors have been a huge lifesaver and we are really appreciative of them.  This has nothing to do with the learning loss gap.  It has to do with the teaching style and curriculum and it isn't working.  [/quote]

Kids who are struggling with Algebra 2, which builds on foundations in pre-algebra and algebra, which many were half-awake for on Zoom during the pandemic, has nothing to do with why kids are struggling with math material today? That's what you're sticking to?

I agree with you that the lack of homework and a textbook is an issue too, but it can be a BOTH/AND situation and not an EITHER/OR.[/quote]

That's on you if your kids didn't pay attention or you didn't help them.  Mine did fine but we helped, got a textbook, and worked through it and we also utilized the free tutoring as soon as it was available.   The curriculum and the way it's taught is an issue for my child but they can get through it with no issue with the proper teaching style for them.

Most kids have been back in person for almost two years.  Stop blaming covid.  What has changed is the teaching style and curriculum and it's not working.  What has changed is the lack of homework and other expectations.

Pre-Algebra is no big deal.  Algebra is.  This child that OP is talking about just isn't strong in math [b]if they are in Algebra 2 in 10th grade as that is the slowest track[/b] (and nothing wrong with that track but math isn't their thing).  So, OP needs to work with them or get a tutor or use the  free tutoring as MCPS isn't going to change for their child or any of our kids so its up to you to make sure your child is successful.  MCPS give you the tools now if you need them.[/quote]
No, that's the normal track. Algebra 2 in 10th grade is the normal track.[/quote]

In MCPS, kids take Algebra in 7th, which puts them in Algebra 2 in 9th.  [/quote]

That's a super accelerated track, for kids who do compacted 4/5/6 and AIM (which is compacted 7/8), which puts them on track for algebra 2.

The accelerated track is now doing 6+ and 7+ (which covers 6-8 over two years), then albegra in 8th.

The normal track is algebra in 9th. (Just doing math 6, math 7, and math 8 with no compaction).[/quote]

No, Super Accelerated is Compacted Math to Algebra and skipping AIM and doing Algebra in 6th (or doing AIM in 5th but it sounds like that is only offered at 1-2 ES as ours didn't offer it).  [/quote]

That isn't a path so much as an exception.  See the middle paragraph of the long post at the top of the page.[/quote]

It's a path at 5-6 schools that I know of.  Maybe more.[/quote]

List them.[/quote]

DP, 12th grade and 8th grade DC were  both did Algebra in 7th, so were all of their friends, some of them are not very strong at math [/quote]

Algebra in 7th isn't the issue. That's well-known within MCPS and offered at all middle schools, with information readily available to county families and accessible via central review -- no family push required for special accommodation.

The PP was talking about entire cohorts placed in Algebra in 6th, either by not needing to take AIM or having AIM made available at a feeder elementary.  This is not offered in most schools, is not part of MCPS' standard curricular options and, outside of one-off demonstrations of mathematical precociousness a number of standard deviations from the mean, is only made available when large numbers of parents push a particular school's administration for it.

The problem is one of equity.  If that's available, it should be accessibe throughout the system, with clear guidelines for placement.  To help ensure this, advocates need to be able to cite to principals the other schools where it is being implemented.  Claims without specifics have been routinely bandied about on DCUM, but the specific school names are almost never mentioned.

Frost was one.  The PP claims they know of "5-6".  List them.[/quote]

There is no such thing as equity as every school does not offer every class.  Some schools offer it to attract kids who might not otherwise go to those schools.[/quote]

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