Anonymous
09/21/2025 19:31
Subject: How can child stay in private through middle but remain competitive in math
which independent school?
Anonymous wrote:We did Math Olympiad, which is offered from Grade 4 to 8 at our independent. Great to have it offered right after school. Our independent sends kids interested in STEM to MIT, Stanford, CalTech etc. for university.
Anonymous
09/21/2025 18:53
Subject: How can child stay in private through middle but remain competitive in math
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I feel like there have been a ton of posts about weak private school math is and I can’t tell if it’s just one person constantly bringing it up.
Truth is that, excepting STEM magnet schools, the US is just not strong at tea hing math.
Public or private does not make a significant difference either. If schools truly were good at this, then the NWEA, NAEP, and PiSA math scores all would be much better. Further, if schools really were good at math instruction then AoPS, Kumon, Mathnasium, and RSM would not be able to stay in business.
Most families going to these companies aren’t going for remedial instruction— they are going there to get ahead. So they’d always be in business no matter how well teacher is instructing the class.
Most students in the US score poorly in math because they don’t understand the point of learning math.
Most students in the U.S. do poorly in math because it is taught with a ridiculous amount of abstraction that doesn’t place things into the context of the real world. Not to mention, there is so much testing that full foundational mastery doesn’t happen for many.
Anonymous
09/21/2025 01:31
Subject: How can child stay in private through middle but remain competitive in math
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I feel like there have been a ton of posts about weak private school math is and I can’t tell if it’s just one person constantly bringing it up.
Truth is that, excepting STEM magnet schools, the US is just not strong at tea hing math.
Public or private does not make a significant difference either. If schools truly were good at this, then the NWEA, NAEP, and PiSA math scores all would be much better. Further, if schools really were good at math instruction then AoPS, Kumon, Mathnasium, and RSM would not be able to stay in business.
Most families going to these companies aren’t going for remedial instruction— they are going there to get ahead. So they’d always be in business no matter how well teacher is instructing the class.
Most students in the US score poorly in math because they don’t understand the point of learning math.
Anonymous
09/21/2025 00:27
Subject: Re:How can child stay in private through middle but remain competitive in math
DS has done AoPS and RSM, he has been at RSM since 4th grade, he is now an 8th grader. He does the math competition class, which he loves. It is his choice to participate. He enjoyed AoPS but wanted an in person class that was closer to home so we moved to RSM. His current class is online but grades 4-6 were in person.
None of his friends do math enrichment. They are doing fine in Algebra 1 and Geometry as 8th graders.
I would save math enrichment for kids who want to take it or who are struggling. I am not sure why math is the subject that everyone is worried about kids being competitive. Most kids don’t need math beyond calculus.
None of his friends do math enrichment. They are doing fine in Algebra 1 and Geometry as 8th graders.
I would save math enrichment for kids who want to take it or who are struggling. I am not sure why math is the subject that everyone is worried about kids being competitive. Most kids don’t need math beyond calculus.
Anonymous
09/21/2025 00:26
Subject: How can child stay in private through middle but remain competitive in math
My comments:
AoPS is great but not for all. It can be very abstract. Starts to get hard at algebra and beyond. Geometry is considered their hardest course.
For those with private school sending kids toIT and CalTech, I can’t imagine you are in DV metro area. It’s not common here for ANY private.
Yes middle school math at most privates is ridiculously slow for a very quick math kid. It’s a trade off for the other benefits of private. You have to do what works for you.
AoPS is great but not for all. It can be very abstract. Starts to get hard at algebra and beyond. Geometry is considered their hardest course.
For those with private school sending kids toIT and CalTech, I can’t imagine you are in DV metro area. It’s not common here for ANY private.
Yes middle school math at most privates is ridiculously slow for a very quick math kid. It’s a trade off for the other benefits of private. You have to do what works for you.