Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a student does (not honors) Algebra 2, is there a path in which they can take AP Calculus (AB) later in high school?

In principle yes, but it depends on the school, some have honors classes as prerequisites for AP classes, yet another reason to stick to the honors path.

Never heard of this in MCPS. Kid can go from regular Pre-cal to AP Calc AB and AP Calc BC.

It depends on the school, definitely check. AP Calculus BC typically has Honors Precalculus as prerequisite. AP Calculus AB may or may not.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/a-j/blakehs/uploadedfiles/students/james20hubert20blake20hs20registration202020handbook202019-202020final.pdf

If a student catches up on their own, they can move up. "Tracks" are more "lanes", not rigid.

But the official prereqs are based on the curriculum content and expectations that pace will be consistent with previous years.

One obvious reason for the Honors Precalc prereq in MCPS this is that Honors Precalculus will get into Calculus "A" with limits and sometimes intro to simple derivatives, but but Precalculus won't. So Calculus BC would have even more new material for non-Honors Precalc students, who were already on track for slower rate of progress through material.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/curriculum/math/high/precalculus/ccss.precalculus.unit-1.polynomial-power-and-rational-functions-focus-for-parents.pdf

What does the teacher recommend?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a student does (not honors) Algebra 2, is there a path in which they can take AP Calculus (AB) later in high school?

In principle yes, but it depends on the school, some have honors classes as prerequisites for AP classes, yet another reason to stick to the honors path.

Having to drop from honors to regular is never a good option.

On one hand if the honors material is too difficult, the next courses in the sequence are not going to be easy either, and it can wreck the GPA in addition to high school being a slog and a struggle.

On the other hand one can drop to regular, but the path is not most rigorous, the peers are not the motivated and well behaved, may cut off access to AP classes, and the student might still only manage to pull in a B.

I agree with doing your best to stay on the honors track, repeat the last course from middle school if possible, take summer school, hire tutors, outside support etc.

People need to STOP perpetuating this myth. The are plenty of motivated kids in the regular math track. Not everyone wants to take honors math. Not everyone is aiming to be a STEM student and therefore Math is not where they put there extra effort.

The taking of summer school, hiring tutors etc. is evidence that the kid should be in regular math, not honors math. It’s fine. Why are yàll adding extra stress to kids lives. Teachers are right, ya’ll parents are the problem.

Parents support their children how they see fit, and can have their own opinions about the types of students sorted between honors and regular classes. Not sure I understand why this is such a big issue for you, you may disagree and see things differently, but you can still be civil and not throw a fit.

There’s no question that the caliber of students is better in honors classes than in regular track. Yeah, not all students in regular classes are troublemakers, but somehow the troublemakers never end up in the honors class. It’s enough to have one or two disruptive students to ruin the class for the rest. Speaking from personal experience, not speculating, so nope, it’s not a myth.

So many things wrong with your post. My child is in all honors classes, including Alg. 2 honors, and there are plenty of troublemaker kids in those accelerated classes.

Please don’t pretend there’s no difference in the student profile between honors and regular track.

Let me qualify the statement. On average, there are more troublemaker students in regular classes than in honors. Happy?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a student does (not honors) Algebra 2, is there a path in which they can take AP Calculus (AB) later in high school?

In principle yes, but it depends on the school, some have honors classes as prerequisites for AP classes, yet another reason to stick to the honors path.

Having to drop from honors to regular is never a good option.

On one hand if the honors material is too difficult, the next courses in the sequence are not going to be easy either, and it can wreck the GPA in addition to high school being a slog and a struggle.

On the other hand one can drop to regular, but the path is not most rigorous, the peers are not the motivated and well behaved, may cut off access to AP classes, and the student might still only manage to pull in a B.

I agree with doing your best to stay on the honors track, repeat the last course from middle school if possible, take summer school, hire tutors, outside support etc.

People need to STOP perpetuating this myth. The are plenty of motivated kids in the regular math track. Not everyone wants to take honors math. Not everyone is aiming to be a STEM student and therefore Math is not where they put there extra effort.

The taking of summer school, hiring tutors etc. is evidence that the kid should be in regular math, not honors math. It’s fine. Why are yàll adding extra stress to kids lives. Teachers are right, ya’ll parents are the problem.

Parents support their children how they see fit, and can have their own opinions about the types of students sorted between honors and regular classes. Not sure I understand why this is such a big issue for you, you may disagree and see things differently, but you can still be civil and not throw a fit.

There’s no question that the caliber of students is better in honors classes than in regular track. Yeah, not all students in regular classes are troublemakers, but somehow the troublemakers never end up in the honors class. It’s enough to have one or two disruptive students to ruin the class for the rest. Speaking from personal experience, not speculating, so nope, it’s not a myth.

Parents can support their kid how they see fit. However they don’t need to denigrate an entire population of kids they don’t know. A statement like the “peers are not motivated or well behaved” generalizes all kids not in a specific honors level class and is absolutely false. By that same token, not all students in honors classes are motivated. Some have parents in the background helicoptering and driving them.

That no different than the belief that kids who don’t get A’s in a honors class should not continue forward in honors classes. Why would anyone think this is the case?

No, what we are saying is that kids who were accelerated two years ahead and get a B in the honors math class should not be in that class.

Regardless of how you got there, when you get a B in an honors math class, you need to assess the path forward, because everything builds upon previous concepts. You can stay in honors and risk more Bs, and that’s not going to look good if your intended major is in stem, or you decide that stem is not right for you, but in that case why even stay in honors math.

The point is if you want to have the options open for competitive universities and stem majors you need to keep good grades in the honors math path.

If you can’t, you can still find a good program where you can thrive, maybe somewhere past top 100, which is perfectly fine, and many students do well and have great careers afterwards.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A B math student should not be on that math pathway.

+1

It is preferable to take the honors level at the expense of acceleration.

A in Honors Geometry in 9th is better than A in Algebra 2 which is better than B in Honors Algebra 2.

This. My kid would be taking Honors Geometry in 9th if he had a B in Geo in 8th. We told him from the beginning, anything less than an A (even A-) means retaking Algebra or Geometry--he'd still be a year ahead.

Will the school even let a student retake a class to replace a B grade? Seems wild.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a student does (not honors) Algebra 2, is there a path in which they can take AP Calculus (AB) later in high school?

In principle yes, but it depends on the school, some have honors classes as prerequisites for AP classes, yet another reason to stick to the honors path.

Having to drop from honors to regular is never a good option.

On one hand if the honors material is too difficult, the next courses in the sequence are not going to be easy either, and it can wreck the GPA in addition to high school being a slog and a struggle.

On the other hand one can drop to regular, but the path is not most rigorous, the peers are not the motivated and well behaved, may cut off access to AP classes, and the student might still only manage to pull in a B.

I agree with doing your best to stay on the honors track, repeat the last course from middle school if possible, take summer school, hire tutors, outside support etc.

People need to STOP perpetuating this myth. The are plenty of motivated kids in the regular math track. Not everyone wants to take honors math. Not everyone is aiming to be a STEM student and therefore Math is not where they put there extra effort.

The taking of summer school, hiring tutors etc. is evidence that the kid should be in regular math, not honors math. It’s fine. Why are yàll adding extra stress to kids lives. Teachers are right, ya’ll parents are the problem.

Parents support their children how they see fit, and can have their own opinions about the types of students sorted between honors and regular classes. Not sure I understand why this is such a big issue for you, you may disagree and see things differently, but you can still be civil and not throw a fit.

There’s no question that the caliber of students is better in honors classes than in regular track. Yeah, not all students in regular classes are troublemakers, but somehow the troublemakers never end up in the honors class. It’s enough to have one or two disruptive students to ruin the class for the rest. Speaking from personal experience, not speculating, so nope, it’s not a myth.

So many things wrong with your post. My child is in all honors classes, including Alg. 2 honors, and there are plenty of troublemaker kids in those accelerated classes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a student does (not honors) Algebra 2, is there a path in which they can take AP Calculus (AB) later in high school?

In principle yes, but it depends on the school, some have honors classes as prerequisites for AP classes, yet another reason to stick to the honors path.

Having to drop from honors to regular is never a good option.

On one hand if the honors material is too difficult, the next courses in the sequence are not going to be easy either, and it can wreck the GPA in addition to high school being a slog and a struggle.

On the other hand one can drop to regular, but the path is not most rigorous, the peers are not the motivated and well behaved, may cut off access to AP classes, and the student might still only manage to pull in a B.

I agree with doing your best to stay on the honors track, repeat the last course from middle school if possible, take summer school, hire tutors, outside support etc.

People need to STOP perpetuating this myth. The are plenty of motivated kids in the regular math track. Not everyone wants to take honors math. Not everyone is aiming to be a STEM student and therefore Math is not where they put there extra effort.

The taking of summer school, hiring tutors etc. is evidence that the kid should be in regular math, not honors math. It’s fine. Why are yàll adding extra stress to kids lives. Teachers are right, ya’ll parents are the problem.

Parents support their children how they see fit, and can have their own opinions about the types of students sorted between honors and regular classes. Not sure I understand why this is such a big issue for you, you may disagree and see things differently, but you can still be civil and not throw a fit.

There’s no question that the caliber of students is better in honors classes than in regular track. Yeah, not all students in regular classes are troublemakers, but somehow the troublemakers never end up in the honors class. It’s enough to have one or two disruptive students to ruin the class for the rest. Speaking from personal experience, not speculating, so nope, it’s not a myth.

Parents can support their kid how they see fit. However they don’t need to denigrate an entire population of kids they don’t know. A statement like the “peers are not motivated or well behaved” generalizes all kids not in a specific honors level class and is absolutely false. By that same token, not all students in honors classes are motivated. Some have parents in the background helicoptering and driving them.

That no different than the belief that kids who don’t get A’s in a honors class should not continue forward in honors classes. Why would anyone think this is the case?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a student does (not honors) Algebra 2, is there a path in which they can take AP Calculus (AB) later in high school?

In principle yes, but it depends on the school, some have honors classes as prerequisites for AP classes, yet another reason to stick to the honors path.

Having to drop from honors to regular is never a good option.

On one hand if the honors material is too difficult, the next courses in the sequence are not going to be easy either, and it can wreck the GPA in addition to high school being a slog and a struggle.

On the other hand one can drop to regular, but the path is not most rigorous, the peers are not the motivated and well behaved, may cut off access to AP classes, and the student might still only manage to pull in a B.

I agree with doing your best to stay on the honors track, repeat the last course from middle school if possible, take summer school, hire tutors, outside support etc.

People need to STOP perpetuating this myth. The are plenty of motivated kids in the regular math track. Not everyone wants to take honors math. Not everyone is aiming to be a STEM student and therefore Math is not where they put there extra effort.

The taking of summer school, hiring tutors etc. is evidence that the kid should be in regular math, not honors math. It’s fine. Why are yàll adding extra stress to kids lives. Teachers are right, ya’ll parents are the problem.

Parents support their children how they see fit, and can have their own opinions about the types of students sorted between honors and regular classes. Not sure I understand why this is such a big issue for you, you may disagree and see things differently, but you can still be civil and not throw a fit.

There’s no question that the caliber of students is better in honors classes than in regular track. Yeah, not all students in regular classes are troublemakers, but somehow the troublemakers never end up in the honors class. It’s enough to have one or two disruptive students to ruin the class for the rest. Speaking from personal experience, not speculating, so nope, it’s not a myth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a student does (not honors) Algebra 2, is there a path in which they can take AP Calculus (AB) later in high school?

In principle yes, but it depends on the school, some have honors classes as prerequisites for AP classes, yet another reason to stick to the honors path.

Having to drop from honors to regular is never a good option.

On one hand if the honors material is too difficult, the next courses in the sequence are not going to be easy either, and it can wreck the GPA in addition to high school being a slog and a struggle.

On the other hand one can drop to regular, but the path is not most rigorous, the peers are not the motivated and well behaved, may cut off access to AP classes, and the student might still only manage to pull in a B.

I agree with doing your best to stay on the honors track, repeat the last course from middle school if possible, take summer school, hire tutors, outside support etc.

People need to STOP perpetuating this myth. The are plenty of motivated kids in the regular math track. Not everyone wants to take honors math. Not everyone is aiming to be a STEM student and therefore Math is not where they put there extra effort.

The taking of summer school, hiring tutors etc. is evidence that the kid should be in regular math, not honors math. It’s fine. Why are yàll adding extra stress to kids lives. Teachers are right, ya’ll parents are the problem.

Anonymous wrote:If a student does (not honors) Algebra 2, is there a path in which they can take AP Calculus (AB) later in high school?

Yes. They just continue on the math class track.

Alg2 > PreCal or Hns PreCal > AP Cal AB

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a student does (not honors) Algebra 2, is there a path in which they can take AP Calculus (AB) later in high school?

In principle yes, but it depends on the school, some have honors classes as prerequisites for AP classes, yet another reason to stick to the honors path.

Never heard of this in MCPS. Kid can go from regular Pre-cal to AP Calc AB and AP Calc BC.

It depends on the school, definitely check. AP Calculus BC typically has Honors Precalculus as prerequisite. AP Calculus AB may or may not.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/a-j/blakehs/uploadedfiles/students/james20hubert20blake20hs20registration202020handbook202019-202020final.pdf

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a student does (not honors) Algebra 2, is there a path in which they can take AP Calculus (AB) later in high school?

In principle yes, but it depends on the school, some have honors classes as prerequisites for AP classes, yet another reason to stick to the honors path.

Having to drop from honors to regular is never a good option.

On one hand if the honors material is too difficult, the next courses in the sequence are not going to be easy either, and it can wreck the GPA in addition to high school being a slog and a struggle.

On the other hand one can drop to regular, but the path is not most rigorous, the peers are not the motivated and well behaved, may cut off access to AP classes, and the student might still only manage to pull in a B.

I agree with doing your best to stay on the honors track, repeat the last course from middle school if possible, take summer school, hire tutors, outside support etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a student does (not honors) Algebra 2, is there a path in which they can take AP Calculus (AB) later in high school?

In principle yes, but it depends on the school, some have honors classes as prerequisites for AP classes, yet another reason to stick to the honors path.

Never heard of this in MCPS. Kid can go from regular Pre-cal to AP Calc AB and AP Calc BC.

Anonymous wrote:If a student does (not honors) Algebra 2, is there a path in which they can take AP Calculus (AB) later in high school?

In principle yes, but it depends on the school, some have honors classes as prerequisites for AP classes, yet another reason to stick to the honors path.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A B math student should not be on that math pathway.

+1

It is preferable to take the honors level at the expense of acceleration.

A in Honors Geometry in 9th is better than A in Algebra 2 which is better than B in Honors Algebra 2.

This. My kid would be taking Honors Geometry in 9th if he had a B in Geo in 8th. We told him from the beginning, anything less than an A (even A-) means retaking Algebra or Geometry--he'd still be a year ahead.