Anonymous wrote:I was chatting with a friend with a child in advanced math in 9th. She said it's common for kids to get tutors. Her child finally has to study.

Don’t people send kids to private for the challenge? But it doesn’t exist til 9th? Truth?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe you people pay 40,000 a year for Sidwelll and then go on DCUM of all places for advice about academics and tutors. Why not just talk to the teacher?

Anyone who thinks they can comfortably discuss these issues with the school itself is dead wrong. Teachers will blanket you with vague assertions. Not OP. But my own experience with MS teachers (math) has been much less than ideal. Leave it to us and let the kids self advocate they say. This may work for older and more self assured kids. Bit not everyone else.

Sounds like 40k well spent. Not.

My thoughts exactly

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate to be that person, but OP you can't help with 9th grade math?

My coworkers kids came in to SFS for 9-12th grade and did VERY well (defined as one top 3 kid and one top 20% kid, one at Ivy and one at Top 25, both enjoyed their experience. But their ultimate "success" did not some without a Rude Awakening the first semester plus a lot of homework help from his two PhD STEM parents.

BTW, the Rude Awakening for the existing SFS students was 7th grade so they have their habits, processes and homework expectations down pat by 9th grade (if they choose to stay).

Are you a Sidwell parent with experience in 7th? Just curious. We're in 7th now and it's a step up. Nothing dramatic but they need to work harder which is good.

I was chatting with a friend with a child in advanced math in 9th. She said it's common for kids to get tutors. Her child finally has to study.

Also. after Math 1, some kids decide to "drop" to the "regular" track Alg II/Trig because Math 2 sounds even harder than Math 1. Then they might opt for Chem 1a as sophomores so they are still taking an advanced course. Talk to your child's math teacher, the advisor and/or academic dean.

I had a child in MATH 1 who struggled. The course is very proof oriented and MATH 2 is similar. The HW is not easy even for STEM parents. I would advise talking to the teacher and keeping them informed. They will help as will math lab or what every the in school help is called. I would also suggest that if you want to end up in calc BC as a senior and not AB, try taking Alg 2 in the summer between 9th and 10th grades. That's if your child doesn't want to go to MATH2. Better to decide after 9th than after 10th.

SSPP wrote:Any penalty from not doing Math 1 and eventually tracking to calculus (rather than BC calc?)

Nope, none at all. If your child is likely to do a humanities or pre-law type of track in college, then it won't matter what math they did in high school.

Any penalty from not doing Math 1 and eventually tracking to calculus (rather than BC calc?)

Math 1, the "advanced" math, may be adjustment for a lot of kids, especially in that it's all about working in groups solving problems. there's not much didactic teaching. and for those of you who think you should be able to help your kid, good luck. I'm no slouch at math and I can't even follow what my kid is talking about. he was excited the other night to show me how he had solved a problem. he felt his solution was really creative and I had no clue so I just nodded my head.

OP, you might try talking to the academic dean to get her thoughts. 9th grade is an adjustment for everyone, but if math 1 is not a great fit perhaps he could move over to geometry. remember the "regular" track still tracks to calculus by senior year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe you people pay 40,000 a year for Sidwelll and then go on DCUM of all places for advice about academics and tutors. Why not just talk to the teacher?

Anyone who thinks they can comfortably discuss these issues with the school itself is dead wrong. Teachers will blanket you with vague assertions. Not OP. But my own experience with MS teachers (math) has been much less than ideal. Leave it to us and let the kids self advocate they say. This may work for older and more self assured kids. Bit not everyone else.

Sounds like 40k well spent. Not.

Anonymous wrote:Do students who opt for neither advanced math nor advanced science do ok as far as college placement is concerned? Does the school see them as slackers? What is STEM is just not what they are interested in?

They do just fine. Not everyone is a STEM person.

Op if your son has some anxiety, tutoring might not help with that. I don't believe in medicating kids but my DC is in the same situation at another private in the area. Tutor says he got it all but tests come out totally the opposite.

Anonymous wrote:I hate to be that person, but OP you can't help with 9th grade math?

My coworkers kids came in to SFS for 9-12th grade and did VERY well (defined as one top 3 kid and one top 20% kid, one at Ivy and one at Top 25, both enjoyed their experience. But their ultimate "success" did not some without a Rude Awakening the first semester plus a lot of homework help from his two PhD STEM parents.

BTW, the Rude Awakening for the existing SFS students was 7th grade so they have their habits, processes and homework expectations down pat by 9th grade (if they choose to stay).

my son did not do particularly well in Calc as a Sidwell senior. Took it freshman year in college and breezed through with an A. He says, they went much slower at his university.

I have great experiences with a small, local tutoring company. They have connections with all the schools, which works really well. Tutors are a combination of experienced math (and other subjects) teachers, plus younger recent grads.

Send me a direct message for more info on this rec.