Anonymous wrote:So what’s the pre prerequisite in 8th grade to opt for algebra I honors in order to be eligible to apply for TJ. Or is the option for TJ non existent for kids who did not qualify to take algebra I hons in 7th grade?

As far as I know, all 8th graders can take Algebra 1 in 8th grade, regardless of whether they took Math 7 or Math 7 H. But I think that Algebra 1 H has Math 7 H as a prerequisite.

If we go back to TJ admissions the way it was, chances are small that a child that doesn’t take Algebra 1 in 7th will qualify, if you look at the math sequence for kids that were admitted.

So what’s the pre prerequisite in 8th grade to opt for algebra I honors in order to be eligible to apply for TJ. Or is the option for TJ non existent for kids who did not qualify to take algebra I hons in 7th grade?

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid that will be taking Math 7 honors after AAP 6th next year and I have two questions.

1) Why don’t they call math 7 honors “math 8” instead, especially if taking math 8 SOL? Seems like it would eliminate a lot of confusion and Gen Ed kids will understand they are essentially skipping math 7 if they elect to take math 7H.

2) Our middle school presentation showed that many Gen Ed kids go from math 7 (regular) to Algebra 1 (regular) in 8th. So I guess this Math 7H/Math 8/Pre algebra isn’t that essential? I thought that was strange.

I would guess because they don't want 7th graders in the same math class as 8th graders. If you say it is 8th Grade math, then kids start to look to fit in other sections that might be 8th graders. And there is a very real possibility that 7th Grade Honors is closer to 8th Grade Honors then regular 8th Grade Math.

This way it is clear what class the 7th Grader goes to.

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid that will be taking Math 7 honors after AAP 6th next year and I have two questions.

1) Why don’t they call math 7 honors “math 8” instead, especially if taking math 8 SOL? Seems like it would eliminate a lot of confusion and Gen Ed kids will understand they are essentially skipping math 7 if they elect to take math 7H.

2) Our middle school presentation showed that many Gen Ed kids go from math 7 (regular) to Algebra 1 (regular) in 8th. So I guess this Math 7H/Math 8/Pre algebra isn’t that essential? I thought that was strange.

In my day I feel it was called pre-algebra. I guess that’s no long en vounge???

I have a kid that will be taking Math 7 honors after AAP 6th next year and I have two questions.

1) Why don’t they call math 7 honors “math 8” instead, especially if taking math 8 SOL? Seems like it would eliminate a lot of confusion and Gen Ed kids will understand they are essentially skipping math 7 if they elect to take math 7H.

2) Our middle school presentation showed that many Gen Ed kids go from math 7 (regular) to Algebra 1 (regular) in 8th. So I guess this Math 7H/Math 8/Pre algebra isn’t that essential? I thought that was strange.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. This is really strange that if an AAP kid from 6th grade couldn’t qualify for Algebra 1 they have to take Maths 7 honors. And DC says maths 7 honors is nothing but 6th grade AAP. He is redoing it. He feels that he flunked that’s why redoing. Why an AAP kid has to take IAAT test and advance SOL so as to take Algebra 1. What’s the benefit of being in AAp and doing pre algebra in 6th grade. They were basically coached and taught to be ready for Algebra 1. Why these barriers to cross by these poor kids. So basically AAP is till 6th grade.

Lots of kids qualify for Algebra 1 in 7th grade. Thing is, Algebra 1 is not difficult, but the consequences of doing it in 7th grade for someone that is underprepared for it, sets them up for failure down the road. That is a path that often leads to multivariable calculus and matrix algebra as a senior in HS. It's not just the one course that could be a problem without strong foundations, it's everything that follows it. IMO, they should do something like this every year in AAP ES, and move kids back to Gen Ed if they can't get 3/4 on their report card, OR pass advance on SOL. What's the point of being in an advanced program if you aren't actually learning or capable of learning at an accelerated pace?

THIS!!!!
think about 12th grade not just 7th. And have a better math foundation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. This is really strange that if an AAP kid from 6th grade couldn’t qualify for Algebra 1 they have to take Maths 7 honors. And DC says maths 7 honors is nothing but 6th grade AAP. He is redoing it. He feels that he flunked that’s why redoing. Why an AAP kid has to take IAAT test and advance SOL so as to take Algebra 1. What’s the benefit of being in AAp and doing pre algebra in 6th grade. They were basically coached and taught to be ready for Algebra 1. Why these barriers to cross by these poor kids. So basically AAP is till 6th grade.

Math 7 Honors is not the same as AAP 6th grade math.

Numerous AAP students qualify for Algebra I 7th grade but choose to take Math 7 Honors instead. That's fine!

Do you really think AAP is only about math?

Math 7 honors is very similar to AAP 6th grade. My spouse teaches math 7 honors. Our two oldest kids are in AAP. Our oldest is math-y and when kid qualified for algebra in 7th and wanted to take it - spouse thought that was good / fine and that kid would be bored in honors math 7. Our middle one prefers to be the big fish in a small and doesn’t love math as much - & I’m sure this kid won’t want to take algebra in 7th and we are also ok with that. No need to force it if the kid isn’t interested.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. This is really strange that if an AAP kid from 6th grade couldn’t qualify for Algebra 1 they have to take Maths 7 honors. And DC says maths 7 honors is nothing but 6th grade AAP. He is redoing it. He feels that he flunked that’s why redoing. Why an AAP kid has to take IAAT test and advance SOL so as to take Algebra 1. What’s the benefit of being in AAp and doing pre algebra in 6th grade. They were basically coached and taught to be ready for Algebra 1. Why these barriers to cross by these poor kids. So basically AAP is till 6th grade.

Math 7 Honors is not the same as AAP 6th grade math.

Numerous AAP students qualify for Algebra I 7th grade but choose to take Math 7 Honors instead. That's fine!

Do you really think AAP is only about math?

+1 My AAP student is much stronger in language arts. Yes, she does well in her math class but we have talked about it and she will be taking math honors 7 to get a strong foundation before going onto Algebra 1 in 8th grade.

Anonymous wrote:Op here. This is really strange that if an AAP kid from 6th grade couldn’t qualify for Algebra 1 they have to take Maths 7 honors. And DC says maths 7 honors is nothing but 6th grade AAP. He is redoing it. He feels that he flunked that’s why redoing. Why an AAP kid has to take IAAT test and advance SOL so as to take Algebra 1. What’s the benefit of being in AAp and doing pre algebra in 6th grade. They were basically coached and taught to be ready for Algebra 1. Why these barriers to cross by these poor kids. So basically AAP is till 6th grade.

Math 7 Honors is not the same as AAP 6th grade math.

Numerous AAP students qualify for Algebra I 7th grade but choose to take Math 7 Honors instead. That's fine!

Do you really think AAP is only about math?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So a kid in 6th grade AAP is taking the 7th grade SOL in math.
That same child takes Math 7 honors in the 7th grade and takes the 8th grade SOL in the 7th grade to match honors. so... not a repeat, right?
The math is still one year advanced from Gen Ed, right?

Yes.

There is a lot of natural overlap between math 5/math 6, math 6/math 7, math 7/math 8, because concepts spiral. In math 7 they learn how to find slope from a graph. In math 8, they find slope and y intercept and write the equation of a line. It's slightly repetitive, but it's incorporating new stuff too. Math 8 (aka math 7 honors aka prealgebra) is a solid foundation for algebra 1. They cover most of the first semester of algebra 1 over the course of the year.

This is one of the main problems with how math is taught. This emphasis on learning incremental "skills" year over year does nothing for enhancing a student's mathematical maturity, logical reasoning, and general problem solving ability. Thinking about it in terms of superficial baby steps (as in the above example) is misguided, because it doesn't achieve or improve the main goal at all: namely teaching students how to think independently. Students will still have a hard time in algebra 1, 2 or any other math course if they are incrementally spoon-fed these 'skills' that are supposed to be formally taught in their next class sequence. Late elementary and early middle school is for teaching them how to fish, not just give them the fish. In addition, now that books have been taken away while testing has been overemphasized, students are more reliant than ever on the teacher to feed them knowledge, and that is really not a good thing for their motivation to learn or care. The most common question is either "why do I need to know this?" or "will it be on the test?". Very sad to see that learning and curiosity seems to be slowly disappearing from math classrooms as students get near the end of elementary school grades.

It is much more important for students to be challenged with homework that teaches them how to apply mathematical ideas and tools to solve problems that aren't just a word for word repeat of the examples they saw in class. They need interesting puzzles and problems to keep them motivated and engaged and teachers should be empowered to achieve this goal, and to spend class time productively helping students get unstuck and thinking about problems. Minimizing the teaching to the test as well as the amount of testing done in school will allow teachers to actually use their valuable class time to teach.

If students develop some amount of problem solving/thinking skills in elementary school where there is plenty of time to expose and teach these things, they will have no issue at all with the algebra, geometry and other math courses that are currently taught in our high schools.

Anonymous wrote:So a kid in 6th grade AAP is taking the 7th grade SOL in math.
That same child takes Math 7 honors in the 7th grade and takes the 8th grade SOL in the 7th grade to match honors. so... not a repeat, right?
The math is still one year advanced from Gen Ed, right?

Yes.

There is a lot of natural overlap between math 5/math 6, math 6/math 7, math 7/math 8, because concepts spiral. In math 7 they learn how to find slope from a graph. In math 8, they find slope and y intercept and write the equation of a line. It's slightly repetitive, but it's incorporating new stuff too. Math 8 (aka math 7 honors aka prealgebra) is a solid foundation for algebra 1. They cover most of the first semester of algebra 1 over the course of the year.

So a kid in 6th grade AAP is taking the 7th grade SOL in math.
That same child takes Math 7 honors in the 7th grade and takes the 8th grade SOL in the 7th grade to match honors. so... not a repeat, right?
The math is still one year advanced from Gen Ed, right?

Math 7 honors is 8th grade math, and the kids take the 8th grade math SOL. Math 7 is 7th grade math, and they take the 7th grade math SOL, which 6th grade AAP math kids take as well.

Anonymous wrote:Op here. This is really strange that if an AAP kid from 6th grade couldn’t qualify for Algebra 1 they have to take Maths 7 honors. And DC says maths 7 honors is nothing but 6th grade AAP. He is redoing it. He feels that he flunked that’s why redoing. Why an AAP kid has to take IAAT test and advance SOL so as to take Algebra 1. What’s the benefit of being in AAp and doing pre algebra in 6th grade. They were basically coached and taught to be ready for Algebra 1. Why these barriers to cross by these poor kids. So basically AAP is till 6th grade.

The IAAT and Pass Advanced on the SOL requirement is to make sure that the kids understand the material well enough to have success in a high school class. Algebra 1 Honors is a high school class. Asking kids to take a class two years early is a lot. If you don’t have the foundation nailed down, you are hurting a kids chances of success in Algebra 1 and every other math class down the road.

There are AAP offerings for LA, Social Studies, and Science that AAP kids take without having to test in. But Math is a different beast because the ask of the student is different.

Anonymous wrote:Op here. This is really strange that if an AAP kid from 6th grade couldn’t qualify for Algebra 1 they have to take Maths 7 honors. And DC says maths 7 honors is nothing but 6th grade AAP. He is redoing it. He feels that he flunked that’s why redoing. Why an AAP kid has to take IAAT test and advance SOL so as to take Algebra 1. What’s the benefit of being in AAp and doing pre algebra in 6th grade. They were basically coached and taught to be ready for Algebra 1. Why these barriers to cross by these poor kids. So basically AAP is till 6th grade.

Lots of kids qualify for Algebra 1 in 7th grade. Thing is, Algebra 1 is not difficult, but the consequences of doing it in 7th grade for someone that is underprepared for it, sets them up for failure down the road. That is a path that often leads to multivariable calculus and matrix algebra as a senior in HS. It's not just the one course that could be a problem without strong foundations, it's everything that follows it. IMO, they should do something like this every year in AAP ES, and move kids back to Gen Ed if they can't get 3/4 on their report card, OR pass advance on SOL. What's the point of being in an advanced program if you aren't actually learning or capable of learning at an accelerated pace?