Anonymous
Post 08/31/2022 17:39     Subject: Re:Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Anonymous wrote:There is very little actual math instruction in MCPS, especially in Honors. Kids are pretty much expected to teach themselves (with no textbook).


My kid took it last year and had a text book.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2022 08:13     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Anonymous wrote:My kid took Hon Algebra 2 in the virtual year, so I can't really speak to it being hard ... but he did go from Honors to on level Pre Calculus last school year and it was a great move. He learned so much of the foundation that was missing from prior years, including the virtual year. Day 2 may be a little soon for your kid to make that call, but definitely be open to it.


One of my children also took Honors Algebra 2 during the virtual year, but the teacher managed to cover all the material. I would sometimes observe the class and did notice that many students had their cameras off and were likely AFK so no shock that many didn't get as much out of it as others.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2022 06:47     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here. I agree it’s too soon but just wanted to get a sense of whether this was really as “impossible” as he predicts.
I think his teacher is brand new and told the class it would be one of the hardest classes they’d ever take. My son doesn’t have a lot of confidence so that’s surely affecting his outlook.

He has support at home but has always relied on really good math teachers for help. No way to know how it will go with a new teacher so I can’t get too caught up in that yet.

He had an excellent tutor 2 years ago and I’ll try that. He will need help in chemistry too I’m sure.


You didn’t say what grade he is, but if he’s 9th or 10th grade, if he drops down to regular, he will likely be with older students who are very weak in math. As others have suggested, get a tutor and use supplemental resources (I like KhanAcademy). However, I would also discuss with your son that this is an opportunity to work with the tutor and learn study skills and planning. Learning how to be successful in a course that you are unsure about is a good skill to have before college.

Also, Honors Precalc is the hardest in the math sequence (general DCUM thoughts over the years) . If he still feels like needing a slower pace at the end of the year, a switch to Precalc is more common and he’ll be with similar age students.


Do you think it’s harder than Honors Calc or AP Calc?
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2022 06:46     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Anonymous wrote:My 10th grader is freaking out. He says honors Algebra II is impossible and wants out.
He’s always gotten As in math. I insisted he not skip ahead in middle school because of his ADHD and anxiety.
He gets help for math from his dad or teachers but generally seems ok. Support is there but being overwhelmed can make absorption tough for him.

Is this something he should push through or should I let him change to a regular track?

My understanding was that MCPS honors was really not that advanced.



No. My kids took it in Summer School to accelerate a year. They complained about the workload and, in one case, a disengaged teacher, but not that it was conceptually hard.

Switch to regular or get a tutor. There’s free tutoring.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 18:41     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Anonymous wrote:My 10th grader is freaking out. He says honors Algebra II is impossible and wants out.
He’s always gotten As in math. I insisted he not skip ahead in middle school because of his ADHD and anxiety.
He gets help for math from his dad or teachers but generally seems ok. Support is there but being overwhelmed can make absorption tough for him.

Is this something he should push through or should I let him change to a regular track?

My understanding was that MCPS honors was really not that advanced.





Students taking Algebra II this year more than likely had Algebra I during virtual instruction. The students had instruction 2 days a week in each class. Therefore, they may not have learned as much as they would in a traditional year. It might help to ask the teacher what the plan is to help students to "catch up" on missed work. Also ask when they offer extra help sessions with the teacher and if they have peer tutors from the NHS. I can imagine that this will be a hard year for all students in Algebra II. I am sure that your student can do it, but may need extra encouragement and extra tutoring.

Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 17:30     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If he's not good at math yes. Get him a free MCPS tutor a few days a week.


We have had horrible luck with that tutoring service for Alg 2. The people just don't know math at that high of a level but they pretend to by saying wait a minute, I have connection issues, or just repeat the problem over and over again to get time. It's a scam.
I have heard that if you have a child in elementary math it might help.
Hire a professional tutor.


Hire an MCPS teacher of Algebra 2 from a different high school. It's not hard. There are teachers available for in person and online tutoring who are working with that curriculum every single day.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 17:23     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Anonymous wrote:OP here. I agree it’s too soon but just wanted to get a sense of whether this was really as “impossible” as he predicts.
I think his teacher is brand new and told the class it would be one of the hardest classes they’d ever take. My son doesn’t have a lot of confidence so that’s surely affecting his outlook.

He has support at home but has always relied on really good math teachers for help. No way to know how it will go with a new teacher so I can’t get too caught up in that yet.

He had an excellent tutor 2 years ago and I’ll try that. He will need help in chemistry too I’m sure.


You didn’t say what grade he is, but if he’s 9th or 10th grade, if he drops down to regular, he will likely be with older students who are very weak in math. As others have suggested, get a tutor and use supplemental resources (I like KhanAcademy). However, I would also discuss with your son that this is an opportunity to work with the tutor and learn study skills and planning. Learning how to be successful in a course that you are unsure about is a good skill to have before college.

Also, Honors Precalc is the hardest in the math sequence (general DCUM thoughts over the years) . If he still feels like needing a slower pace at the end of the year, a switch to Precalc is more common and he’ll be with similar age students.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 16:48     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If he's not good at math yes. Get him a free MCPS tutor a few days a week.


We have had horrible luck with that tutoring service for Alg 2. The people just don't know math at that high of a level but they pretend to by saying wait a minute, I have connection issues, or just repeat the problem over and over again to get time. It's a scam.
I have heard that if you have a child in elementary math it might help.
Hire a professional tutor.


We had ok luck with math and asked to switch and the new one is really good.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 16:38     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Honors is much harder and many dropped down. There wasn’t enough homework to learn the material for those needing practice. We finally hired a tutor once a week and that made all the difference. You can ask to borrow a text book but I’m not sure how helpful it is. If he does drop down, do it before his grade tanks.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 16:05     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Anonymous wrote:
I have a senior with dyscalculia (specific disability in math) and he anticipates a struggle to get As in AP calc BC. He purposefully did AP calc AB last year, to ease into it, and got all As, with parental instruction and math tutors.

Your kid can do it, OP! Find a good tutor.


That's amazing what he's achieved. I have dyscalculia which wasn't diagnosed at the time and didn't get past Algebra II (and then I only got a B grade)
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 14:37     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Anonymous wrote:OP here. I agree it’s too soon but just wanted to get a sense of whether this was really as “impossible” as he predicts.
I think his teacher is brand new and told the class it would be one of the hardest classes they’d ever take. My son doesn’t have a lot of confidence so that’s surely affecting his outlook.

He has support at home but has always relied on really good math teachers for help. No way to know how it will go with a new teacher so I can’t get too caught up in that yet.

He had an excellent tutor 2 years ago and I’ll try that. He will need help in chemistry too I’m sure.



Can you see if he can switch to a more experienced teacher? The teacher can really make a difference.
There are a few concepts that are new and challenging but I think overall it's not bad. Given school just started I'd venture to guess it's not your child but the teaching style of the instructor.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 14:34     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Anonymous wrote:If he's not good at math yes. Get him a free MCPS tutor a few days a week.


We have had horrible luck with that tutoring service for Alg 2. The people just don't know math at that high of a level but they pretend to by saying wait a minute, I have connection issues, or just repeat the problem over and over again to get time. It's a scam.
I have heard that if you have a child in elementary math it might help.
Hire a professional tutor.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 13:55     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?

I have a senior with dyscalculia (specific disability in math) and he anticipates a struggle to get As in AP calc BC. He purposefully did AP calc AB last year, to ease into it, and got all As, with parental instruction and math tutors.

Your kid can do it, OP! Find a good tutor.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 13:55     Subject: Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
OP here. I agree it’s too soon but just wanted to get a sense of whether this was really as “impossible” as he predicts.
I think his teacher is brand new and told the class it would be one of the hardest classes they’d ever take. My son doesn’t have a lot of confidence so that’s surely affecting his outlook.

He has support at home but has always relied on really good math teachers for help. No way to know how it will go with a new teacher so I can’t get too caught up in that yet.

He had an excellent tutor 2 years ago and I’ll try that. He will need help in chemistry too I’m sure.

Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 13:36     Subject: Re:Is honors Allebra II really difficult?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There is very little actual math instruction in MCPS, especially in Honors. Kids are pretty much expected to teach themselves (with no textbook).

You're obviously a troll


You are the troll, its true there are not textbooks and some would do better seining examples and reading. The new style teaching doesn't work for all kids.