Reply to MCPS is cuttting compacted math and cohorted literacy enrichment

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]In 5 years they are going cite the absolute failure of 10th grade Calc AB after skipping honors geometry and algebra content, and then cancel the whole thing.[/quote]

What exactly is &quot;honors geometry&quot; and &quot;algebra&quot; content? You mean Honors Algebra 2? I don't think there's any differentiation before then. Just trying to understand (I'm pro-tracking and my kids actually tended to complain that the compacted track was still too easy -  would prefer enrichment to acceleration, but that doesn't exist before Honors Algebra 2.)[/quote]

Integrated Math  1 and 2 is a stripped down version of Alg 1, Alg 2 and Geometry, removing content to save time (3 year -&gt; 2 year) , not accelerating[/quote]

That's the knock supposedly against compacted math, that it skips over material, but that's literally what they're changing to later on. And I would argue skipping/rushing over algebra and geometry is more detrimental than going through elementary math quickly.[/quote]

The state-mandated move from Algebra 1/Geometry/Algebra 2 to Integrated Algebra 1 & 2 is very different from the compacting that makes up Math 4/5 & 5/6, AMP6+ & 7+ and PreAlgebra.  Those accelerated classes don't really skip concepts of the grade-level classes they accelerate.  In contrast, IA is not [i]meant[/i] to cover all the concepts that A1/Geo/A2 cover -- it cuts out a lot, like Trig, and this is why it can be delivered in two years without putting kids on a particularly accelerated pace.

The idea MSDE has with IA is that some of the current HS  Math (like that Trig) is unnecessary to the (state-defined/industry-desired) career needs of many students.  Of course, that presumption may not be true, but there we have it.  Only one of the four delineated post-Integrated Algebra pathways envisions needing the content that would lead to Calc, and MCPS is assuming it can fit all of that into an already-difficult PreCalc, since they are not planning to introduce a bridge course on the Calc pathway.

Of course, the spectre of an even-more-daunting path to Calc will tend to dissuade some of those who currently expect to access Calc on their way to college.  Or it might see more students, after struggling with that, willing to take Calc AB first instead of going directly to Calc BC.  From MCPS's perspective, that might be a good thing :roll:

It is [i]so[/i] telling of their interests that, whether presenting the regions/programs/&quot;advanced classes at all schools&quot; model over the past year or presenting the HS pathways with this new approach to elementary acceleration/enrichment, they maintain an unwillingness to specify the courses they would need to ensure are available (for all, not just at more fortunate schools) [i]after[/i] AP Calc BC.  Except AP Stats, of course :roll:[/quote]

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