Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This is all confusing to me. I have a non-Takoma child who will go to the Blair magnet in the fall, and we already registered for her classes. The level of math she was based on the recommendation we were given by Blair. I assume it was based on her admissions test and her previous grades and math teacher's recommendation. She will be going to the math camp in the summer. Is the camp really just an opportunity for them to assess the kids? (They did say that they might adjust placements based on what they see in the class, but they also seemed fairly confident in where the children were already placed.)
This is my understanding: Everyone is enrolled for pre-calc (or Geom if they're not in Geom now). They make the decisions on which of the Pre Calc students are recommended for Functions later through teacher or camp or whatever.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Did Ms. Manchester recommend your DC for Functions? I think the kids have to be recommended by current math teacher to even try it. And, I think she can only recommend 15-20 kids, and about 50 go to Blair magnet from TPMS.
We do not know as yet. In the event that the teacher recommends my DC for Functions, I would want to be prepared on how to teach my DC with the limited resources we have. If she does not get recommended, we will not have to worry about this.
How do we know if our DC gets a recommendation for Functions? Does Mrs. Manchester inform the kids or do you hear from Blair?
Not sure. We're in the same boat. Assuming Ms. M will let the kids know, since they had to write an essay to be considered in the first place.
They had to write an essay to be considered for placement in Functions? Is this a requirement by Ms. M? I thought she would have enough information already since these are her students ...
Maybe they think this will help weed out if the parents want the kid to take Functions or the kid wants to take Functions.
I think it's in part to determine how dedicated the student intends to be
Anonymous wrote:This is all confusing to me. I have a non-Takoma child who will go to the Blair magnet in the fall, and we already registered for her classes. The level of math she was based on the recommendation we were given by Blair. I assume it was based on her admissions test and her previous grades and math teacher's recommendation. She will be going to the math camp in the summer. Is the camp really just an opportunity for them to assess the kids? (They did say that they might adjust placements based on what they see in the class, but they also seemed fairly confident in where the children were already placed.)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Did Ms. Manchester recommend your DC for Functions? I think the kids have to be recommended by current math teacher to even try it. And, I think she can only recommend 15-20 kids, and about 50 go to Blair magnet from TPMS.
We do not know as yet. In the event that the teacher recommends my DC for Functions, I would want to be prepared on how to teach my DC with the limited resources we have. If she does not get recommended, we will not have to worry about this.
How do we know if our DC gets a recommendation for Functions? Does Mrs. Manchester inform the kids or do you hear from Blair?
Not sure. We're in the same boat. Assuming Ms. M will let the kids know, since they had to write an essay to be considered in the first place.
They had to write an essay to be considered for placement in Functions? Is this a requirement by Ms. M? I thought she would have enough information already since these are her students ...
Maybe they think this will help weed out if the parents want the kid to take Functions or the kid wants to take Functions.
Anonymous wrote:This is all confusing to me. I have a non-Takoma child who will go to the Blair magnet in the fall, and we already registered for her classes. The level of math she was based on the recommendation we were given by Blair. I assume it was based on her admissions test and her previous grades and math teacher's recommendation. She will be going to the math camp in the summer. Is the camp really just an opportunity for them to assess the kids? (They did say that they might adjust placements based on what they see in the class, but they also seemed fairly confident in where the children were already placed.)
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Did Ms. Manchester recommend your DC for Functions? I think the kids have to be recommended by current math teacher to even try it. And, I think she can only recommend 15-20 kids, and about 50 go to Blair magnet from TPMS.
We do not know as yet. In the event that the teacher recommends my DC for Functions, I would want to be prepared on how to teach my DC with the limited resources we have. If she does not get recommended, we will not have to worry about this.
How do we know if our DC gets a recommendation for Functions? Does Mrs. Manchester inform the kids or do you hear from Blair?
Not sure. We're in the same boat. Assuming Ms. M will let the kids know, since they had to write an essay to be considered in the first place.
They had to write an essay to be considered for placement in Functions? Is this a requirement by Ms. M? I thought she would have enough information already since these are her students ...
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Did Ms. Manchester recommend your DC for Functions? I think the kids have to be recommended by current math teacher to even try it. And, I think she can only recommend 15-20 kids, and about 50 go to Blair magnet from TPMS.
We do not know as yet. In the event that the teacher recommends my DC for Functions, I would want to be prepared on how to teach my DC with the limited resources we have. If she does not get recommended, we will not have to worry about this.
How do we know if our DC gets a recommendation for Functions? Does Mrs. Manchester inform the kids or do you hear from Blair?
Not sure. We're in the same boat. Assuming Ms. M will let the kids know, since they had to write an essay to be considered in the first place.
Anonymous wrote:Functions seems to be geared to students who excel at the following skills:
1. Strong ability at algebraic manipulation of complex functions, far beyond that which is offered in regular Algebra II class.
2. Ability to work both very fast and very accurately - there is no time to "proofread" the work
Finally, and most importantly:
3. Ability to solve problems above and beyond of what has been presented in class - i.e. the creative spark
The latter seems to be the greatest difference between functions and pre-calc sequence that takes 3 semesters.
Your child has to have all three qualities to do well in the class. The quality of the class can be inferred from the summer camp. However, the actual class will both move faster and demand more than the summer camp did.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Functions seems to be geared to students who excel at the following skills:
1. Strong ability at algebraic manipulation of complex functions, far beyond that which is offered in regular Algebra II class.
2. Ability to work both very fast and very accurately - there is no time to "proofread" the work
Finally, and most importantly:
3. Ability to solve problems above and beyond of what has been presented in class - i.e. the creative spark
The latter seems to be the greatest difference between functions and pre-calc sequence that takes 3 semesters.
Your child has to have all three qualities to do well in the class. The quality of the class can be inferred from the summer camp. However, the actual class will both move faster and demand more than the summer camp did.
Thanks for the nice summary of Function students. I need to give my DC more credits since he is doing well and enjoys the class.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If top colleges look to see students are taking the most rigorous curriculum possible at their school, would not taking functions (when it's an option) hurt a student's potential admissions?
Yes. So would receiving B's in the functions /analysis sequence.
Anonymous wrote:Functions seems to be geared to students who excel at the following skills:
1. Strong ability at algebraic manipulation of complex functions, far beyond that which is offered in regular Algebra II class.
2. Ability to work both very fast and very accurately - there is no time to "proofread" the work
Finally, and most importantly:
3. Ability to solve problems above and beyond of what has been presented in class - i.e. the creative spark
The latter seems to be the greatest difference between functions and pre-calc sequence that takes 3 semesters.
Your child has to have all three qualities to do well in the class. The quality of the class can be inferred from the summer camp. However, the actual class will both move faster and demand more than the summer camp did.
Anonymous wrote:If top colleges look to see students are taking the most rigorous curriculum possible at their school, would not taking functions (when it's an option) hurt a student's potential admissions?