Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is most likely to align better with the changes coming from MSDE in math and to account for compacted 5/6 students being able to take AMP 7+ but needing a unit before getting started.

One of the changes(or at least new options from MSDE) will be Integrated Algebra which I fully support.

What is integrated algebra? I think of integrated math as a combo of algebra (or pre-algebra) and geometry so you have a bit of both each year. I do not know what integrated algebra would be.

Yes, it's "integrated math 1/2/3" replacing the ridiculous 'algebra1/geometry/algebra2", not "integrated algebra".

(And it's much, much better than non-integrated. It eliminates the "wall of algebra" that interferes with kids' opportunity to accelerate or decelerate after math 8 / 7+ / AIM "prealgebra" -- which is actually already "integrated math 0" )

Easier acceleration is a benefit but not the goal. The goal is to better integrate teaching and learning of math subjects that rely on and build together. Additionally it ensures that Algebra is continuously being used as opposed to taking a year off for geometry. A practice most engineers and advance mathematicians will tell you makes more sense. Math should be looked at as a language that helps solve problems and explain/rationalize concepts. Most folks just see it as plug and chug of numbers and formulas. Integrated math helps you see how to apply math.

The applications you are talking about are a little bit in math class, but mainly part of science and economics class. (A major difference between middle school and high school science is that middle school science assumes kids don't know any HS level algebra and geometry.)

This is also part of why magnet science classes can teach more deeply -- they assume a higher math level for the class.

"Integrated math" here means reordering topics to balance algebra and geometry.
You can see it on Khan Academy.

Some schools (not MCPS) have an "integrated math" alternative to the regular/honors math track in the same school, which is a light non-honors math/science/engineering class that spends its time in high school doing basic algebra/geometry spread out over more years.
I worked in one of those classrooms once.

MCPS has 2-year algebra 2, but I don't know what they spend the time on. I fear that it's just the same algebra 2 but slower with more algebra 1 review and practice, not filled with supplemental hands-on instructional aids. But I don't know.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is most likely to align better with the changes coming from MSDE in math and to account for compacted 5/6 students being able to take AMP 7+ but needing a unit before getting started.

One of the changes(or at least new options from MSDE) will be Integrated Algebra which I fully support.

What is integrated algebra? I think of integrated math as a combo of algebra (or pre-algebra) and geometry so you have a bit of both each year. I do not know what integrated algebra would be.

Yes, it's "integrated math 1/2/3" replacing the ridiculous 'algebra1/geometry/algebra2", not "integrated algebra".

(And it's much, much better than non-integrated. It eliminates the "wall of algebra" that interferes with kids' opportunity to accelerate or decelerate after math 8 / 7+ / AIM "prealgebra" -- which is actually already "integrated math 0" )

Easier acceleration is a benefit but not the goal. The goal is to better integrate teaching and learning of math subjects that rely on and build together. Additionally it ensures that Algebra is continuously being used as opposed to taking a year off for geometry. A practice most engineers and advance mathematicians will tell you makes more sense. Math should be looked at as a language that helps solve problems and explain/rationalize concepts. Most folks just see it as plug and chug of numbers and formulas. Integrated math helps you see how to apply math.

What will this mean in practice for kids who would accelerate in Math? What will it mean for kids who were going to do the bare minimum of high school math?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is most likely to align better with the changes coming from MSDE in math and to account for compacted 5/6 students being able to take AMP 7+ but needing a unit before getting started.

One of the changes(or at least new options from MSDE) will be Integrated Algebra which I fully support.

What is integrated algebra? I think of integrated math as a combo of algebra (or pre-algebra) and geometry so you have a bit of both each year. I do not know what integrated algebra would be.

Yes, it's "integrated math 1/2/3" replacing the ridiculous 'algebra1/geometry/algebra2", not "integrated algebra".

(And it's much, much better than non-integrated. It eliminates the "wall of algebra" that interferes with kids' opportunity to accelerate or decelerate after math 8 / 7+ / AIM "prealgebra" -- which is actually already "integrated math 0" )

That’s fantastic! I presume the assessments will change to go with it? Right now the state requires and algebra 1 and geometry assessment, which doesn’t make sense if integrated math is offered. Would they add assessments at the end of integrated math 1, 2, and 3?

They still hit the wall of Algebra 2 and Precalculus in High school ...

Reminder that if a rising 6th or rising 6th grade student can't handle skipping the a few lessons between Math 5/6 and Math 7+, they should take 6+ or 7 because they are going have trouble in algebra and beyond since they lack the core math aptitude to generalize from fundamental concepts to minor variations.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is most likely to align better with the changes coming from MSDE in math and to account for compacted 5/6 students being able to take AMP 7+ but needing a unit before getting started.

One of the changes(or at least new options from MSDE) will be Integrated Algebra which I fully support.

What is integrated algebra? I think of integrated math as a combo of algebra (or pre-algebra) and geometry so you have a bit of both each year. I do not know what integrated algebra would be.

Yes, it's "integrated math 1/2/3" replacing the ridiculous 'algebra1/geometry/algebra2", not "integrated algebra".

(And it's much, much better than non-integrated. It eliminates the "wall of algebra" that interferes with kids' opportunity to accelerate or decelerate after math 8 / 7+ / AIM "prealgebra" -- which is actually already "integrated math 0" )

Anonymous wrote:This is most likely to align better with the changes coming from MSDE in math and to account for compacted 5/6 students being able to take AMP 7+ but needing a unit before getting started.

One of the changes(or at least new options from MSDE) will be Integrated Algebra which I fully support.

What is integrated algebra? I think of integrated math as a combo of algebra (or pre-algebra) and geometry so you have a bit of both each year. I do not know what integrated algebra would be.

This is most likely to align better with the changes coming from MSDE in math and to account for compacted 5/6 students being able to take AMP 7+ but needing a unit before getting started.

One of the changes(or at least new options from MSDE) will be Integrated Algebra which I fully support.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At the one I attended for Julius West they said that the pathways would look like:

Math 5 students can start in Math 6 or AMP 6, depending on teacher recommendation.

Math 5/6, aka Compact Math students can start in AMP 6, or, by county selection, into what was just renamed this morning as Pre-Algebra.

Huh, I wonder if this is 7+ with additional content added to cover the first half of 7th. The main benefit of 7+ is that it uses Illustrative Math and not Curriculum 2.0 like AIM, but the drawback is that 7+ misses some 7th grade standards.

Just a reminder that the compaction of Math 6, 7 & 8 into AMP 6+ and AMP 7+ rearranges some of the content vs. the on-grade-level sequences. There is a portion missed by going from 5/6 to 7+, but that portion is a bit different from the first half of Math 7.

The old AIM missed some pre-Algebra standards vs. the new Algebra curriculum, leaving it in something of the same spot as 7+ (just different specifics missed) when going there from 5/6. Some middle schools like Parkland had created a new "AIM" based on the Illustrative Math curriculum, but having found the missing items between 5/6 and 7+ and working them back in. That may be the model that was used for a new "Pre-Algebra" course. (Just a guess, there, as that is news to me.)

Anonymous wrote:At the one I attended for Julius West they said that the pathways would look like:

Math 5 students can start in Math 6 or AMP 6, depending on teacher recommendation.

Math 5/6, aka Compact Math students can start in AMP 6, or, by county selection, into what was just renamed this morning as Pre-Algebra.

Huh, I wonder if this is 7+ with additional content added to cover the first half of 7th. The main benefit of 7+ is that it uses Illustrative Math and not Curriculum 2.0 like AIM, but the drawback is that 7+ misses some 7th grade standards.

At the one I attended for Julius West they said that the pathways would look like:

Math 5 students can start in Math 6 or AMP 6, depending on teacher recommendation.

Math 5/6, aka Compact Math students can start in AMP 6, or, by county selection, into what was just renamed this morning as Pre-Algebra.

Anonymous wrote:It may just be that AIM is formally being relaxed with 7+, which would be a good thing.

Oops replaced, not relaxed.

It may just be that AIM is formally being relaxed with 7+, which would be a good thing.

At middle school articulation night for incoming 6th graders, they said that the math pathways will be changing next year. Can anyone direct me to information on this? Or know anything about it?