Reply to 6th Grade Math Options

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Well, the more information the post the more nervous I get about accidentally IDing him, but he has been taking higher level math classes outside of school and doing well, which is both good for him (it's challenging, keeps him humble, and teaches him how to work) and contributing to the boredom problem at school big time. He's slated for Lakelands.[/quote]

I’m sorry. So you are sending him to an outside math school that exposes him to untaught content and then bragging about a map score that reflects access to advanced/untaught content? And that you say is directly contributing to his boredom in school? It is not a race to skip foundational levels of math at age 9. It’s fine if he enjoys the outside math but I think it’s a stretch to say his map score indicates he’s an extreme outlier especially since he’s being tutored in the content outside of school.[/quote]

What are you sorry about? No, I'm not bragging about his MAP score, I'm not even sure what it is, I don't even know what that test covers. I provided it to the best of my recollection because a PP specifically asked. I don't care about how he does on a standardized multiple choice math test and I totally agree it's not evidence that he's an extreme outlier. He's not skipping anything foundational, he's just already done everything he's doing now and I think has already done nearly everything he's slated to do in 5th grade compacted, and by the end of this year will probably have already done everything covered in AIM. He enjoys the outside work; I won't stop him from doing it just so he won't be quite as bored in school. It's very obviously good for him, you'll have to take my word for it. But if there's another way to be less bored in school, that would be good because he's getting more and more upset about it.

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Kids in Algebra in 6th don't do AIM.  However, its school specific on what their criteria is and if they offer it.  And, not all schools offer Algebra 2 so your child may be sent to a high school.[/quote]

I've seen you post a number of times about this same topic and you always assume your child's experience is the same as everyone else's. It's getting annoying because your information is confusing people. I know a child that did do AIM before going to Alg in 6th. Every school does it differently in terms of allowing exceptions or not and in terms of the procedures they use for those exceptions if they allow them.[/quote]

Your post is confusing.  How do ES kids do AIM except if they go take it at the local middle school?  If that is what you want, then you need to talk talk to the  principal and see if your child can go to the MS to take AIM.  You may need to drive them and it may be a  scheduling issue as the ES and MS schedules don't line up.

Generally kids who take Algebra in 6th are not taking AIM.  It is annoying because you  may know a rare child who did AIM in 5th but that was specific to  that child and not at all standard.  Their parents probably fought to get them into  AIM and the parents drive or the school bused them over to the MS.   I haven't heard of one ES offering AIM, have you?

AIM is pre algebra.  You can also just pay for an algebra prep class or pre-algebra over the summer if you are worried.

What answer do you want?  You are looking for a unicorn and you need to talk to your ES or MS, not strangers on the internet.

There is no advantage of starting Algebra in 6th vs. 7th.  Our child wanted to do it at they hated the strategies that came with compacted and lower math levels.  I would have waited till 7th if it was my decision.[/quote]

PP with math kid here. The PP's post you're confused by isn't from me. I'm not annoyed by any of the information people have been kind enough to share and will do the work on my own to figure out what of it may be relevant to us. [/quote]

Sorry about that.  Your best bet is to reach out to the middle school and see what they are willing to do as each MS is different and some are offering Algebra in 6th, some aren't and each have their own criteria.  For us, it wasn't listed in the course guide but offered on the course registration form.  We just checked Algebra to see what would happen.  Other families I know they reached out to offer them Algebra if they wanted it.  Some choose it, some choose AIM.  AIM is just pre-algebra.

The big issue comes in 8th grade as to if the school has Algebra 2 or if your child has to go to the high school to take Algebra 2.  Usually MCPS will bus the kids between the schools if they take it in HS.  But, you also need to be prepared to drive/carpool as a back up.

Doing AIM in 5th would be really hard as the ES and MS schedules are very different and you'd probably have to bring your child to the MS to do it.

If you are leaning toward it, you can also do courses others list here such as APOS to supplement in 5th grade.  We opted to do summer classes vs. school year classes.  There are private schools that offer prep classes over the summer (or full courses you can use as prep classes to see if your child can handle that level of math and give them prep/another way to do it).  We find them really helpful.

Honestly, I think its pretty pointless to do it in 6th, but my child wanted it.  You still need four years of math.[/quote]

So, in the typical school, if still super strong in math the Alegebra in 6th crowd can take BC Calc in 10th, Mutlivariable Calc in 11th, and AP Statistics in 12th (or something at Montgomery College).[/quote]

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