Anonymous
02/18/2021 07:53
Subject: talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
Disagree. Excelling (I.e getting an A) in a full blown honors algebra class as a 6th grader is much more challenging than excelling in AP Calc as a 10th grader or MV as an junior or senior. This assumes the kid actually belongs in algebra at that age and has talent and motivation to be there and isn’t there against their will. If it’s parent pushed, that’s another story and of course they shouldn’t continue if they don’t really like math.
This assumes the algebra class is a full blown honors level, and not something labeled as algebra that is actually aimed at a middle school audience. Many of the concepts that used to be part of first year algebra are not taught in MCPS until pre-calc.
Our MS doesn’t offer Honors Algebra. First Honors class is Geometry. I thought that was standard across MCPS?
Correct there is no honors algebra.
Anonymous
02/18/2021 07:38
Subject: talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
Disagree. Excelling (I.e getting an A) in a full blown honors algebra class as a 6th grader is much more challenging than excelling in AP Calc as a 10th grader or MV as an junior or senior. This assumes the kid actually belongs in algebra at that age and has talent and motivation to be there and isn’t there against their will. If it’s parent pushed, that’s another story and of course they shouldn’t continue if they don’t really like math.
This assumes the algebra class is a full blown honors level, and not something labeled as algebra that is actually aimed at a middle school audience. Many of the concepts that used to be part of first year algebra are not taught in MCPS until pre-calc.
Our MS doesn’t offer Honors Algebra. First Honors class is Geometry. I thought that was standard across MCPS?
Anonymous
02/18/2021 07:35
Subject: talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What about non magnet? There are so many kids in IM in 6th and all everyone talks about is the magnet kids.
They have changed the math so much it is hard to keep track. IM in 6th means algebra in 7? This is a pretty standard accelerated tack. 8: GEO 9: ALg II, 10: pre-calc 11 CAlC AB or BC or AP Stats 12: AP CALC BC, AP STAT or MV, I think there i also a finance class that counts as math? Kids that are taking algebra in 6th will have a harder time avoiding MV.
Why would kids in 6th grade algebra ever want to avoid math? That seems pretty unlikely.
Super Smart kids can get to algebra in 6th but then they start to focus on writing or theatre or the more artsy side, Algebra is much easier to be good at then Calc.
Disagree. Excelling (I.e getting an A) in a full blown honors algebra class as a 6th grader is much more challenging than excelling in AP Calc as a 10th grader or MV as an junior or senior. This assumes the kid actually belongs in algebra at that age and has talent and motivation to be there and isn’t there against their will. If it’s parent pushed, that’s another story and of course they shouldn’t continue if they don’t really like math.
This assumes the algebra class is a full blown honors level, and not something labeled as algebra that is actually aimed at a middle school audience. Many of the concepts that used to be part of first year algebra are not taught in MCPS until pre-calc.
Anonymous
02/18/2021 07:13
Subject: talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
Anonymous wrote:
Oh, kids are doing more than that, OP. My son's friend took Algebra 2 the summer before high school, and was able to jump to Precalculus in 9th grade. Math magnet students are also on a faster track. These kids can take Montgomery College classes or something in 11th or 12th grade if they run out of math classes or find nothing to suit them in their own schools.
My experience is that math is easy in elementary and middle school, and gets significantly harder in high school. Your kid needs a ***rock-solid*** understanding of math before entering high school and doing all these advanced courses, otherwise they will start to struggle because there is a lot of material to cover and the classes are fast-paced.
"Rock-solid" may equal tutoring from you or someone you hire. That's what lots of families do (actually, most of the families we know have paid for individual tutoring or group classes in math).
Same here with my son. We have no tutoring. But he’s begun to struggle with the faster pace Precalculus in HS. Summer Algebra 2 class was online and rushed. It’s ok to push a kid unless it gets too stressful. Pettiogger is right about aiming for mathematical maturity instead of rote learning formulas and tricks. I tell him there’s no shame in repeating if he doesn’t get a good grade, much better than rushing forward with weak understanding. I majored in math in college and the skill I gained and find useful today was the thought process taught in upper division math around concepts and proof. Lots of good contributionsin this thread, nice reading it all.
Anonymous
02/17/2021 21:48
Subject: talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What about non magnet? There are so many kids in IM in 6th and all everyone talks about is the magnet kids.
They have changed the math so much it is hard to keep track. IM in 6th means algebra in 7? This is a pretty standard accelerated tack. 8: GEO 9: ALg II, 10: pre-calc 11 CAlC AB or BC or AP Stats 12: AP CALC BC, AP STAT or MV, I think there i also a finance class that counts as math? Kids that are taking algebra in 6th will have a harder time avoiding MV.
Why would kids in 6th grade algebra ever want to avoid math? That seems pretty unlikely.
Super Smart kids can get to algebra in 6th but then they start to focus on writing or theatre or the more artsy side, Algebra is much easier to be good at then Calc.
Disagree. Excelling (I.e getting an A) in a full blown honors algebra class as a 6th grader is much more challenging than excelling in AP Calc as a 10th grader or MV as an junior or senior. This assumes the kid actually belongs in algebra at that age and has talent and motivation to be there and isn’t there against their will. If it’s parent pushed, that’s another story and of course they shouldn’t continue if they don’t really like math.
Anonymous
02/17/2021 20:13
Subject: talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
Thank you PPs. I was the one who had a question about what happens in 12th and thinking about taking DC off this track.
Anonymous
02/17/2021 19:41
Subject: Re:talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
OP is right to think about this while her kids are in middle school. I have high school/college aged kids and have listened to many parents lament the accelerated math path their child is on in high school because there is no way to deaccelerate at that point.
OP, at my kids’ high school, there are usually 4 sections of AP Calc BC. Some of those are seniors, but more are juniors. Some of the juniors go on to AP Stats senior year, and at least one section of students move on to Multivariable Calc senior year. So, starting from 1/3 of the grade doing compacted math or its equivalent, it drops to 5ish percent who take MV.
OP, at my kids’ high school, there are usually 4 sections of AP Calc BC. Some of those are seniors, but more are juniors. Some of the juniors go on to AP Stats senior year, and at least one section of students move on to Multivariable Calc senior year. So, starting from 1/3 of the grade doing compacted math or its equivalent, it drops to 5ish percent who take MV.
Anonymous
02/17/2021 19:24
Subject: talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What about non magnet? There are so many kids in IM in 6th and all everyone talks about is the magnet kids.
They have changed the math so much it is hard to keep track. IM in 6th means algebra in 7? This is a pretty standard accelerated tack. 8: GEO 9: ALg II, 10: pre-calc 11 CAlC AB or BC or AP Stats 12: AP CALC BC, AP STAT or MV, I think there i also a finance class that counts as math? Kids that are taking algebra in 6th will have a harder time avoiding MV.
Are you allowed to take Calc AB and then Calc BC? Are they different classes? At these schools were most of the school is taking IM in 6th there must be boatloads of seniors who don't have a lot of math options
In other districts AB to BC seems common. It is less common in MCPS.
My oldest took AB followed by BC, many friends took calc w/apps followed by AB or mixed in AP Stats somewhere. If there’s going to be a math requirement in college that AP won’t fulfill, it’s good to have calc of some sort senior year, so skills are keen. AP stats is a good class, but it’s very qualitative and writing oriented.
My youngest went straight to BC and is now in MV, but definitely many students peeled off from this track one way or another since 6th grade IM. This does seem like the best math teacher he’s had, so no regrets, even if this material ends up repeated in college. Older DC has had better instructions in college and is now minoring in math. It all works out. I don’t think there’s any pitfalls avoided by pulling back early. All practice is good, if things need to slow down later, there are ways to do that.
Anonymous
02/17/2021 17:47
Subject: Re:talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
Anonymous wrote:All the Math pathways that HS students can take in Montgomery county
https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/k-q/poolesvillehs/uploadedfiles/departments/math/mathpathways.pdf
Dang. Someone on DCUM being helpful rather than spiteful. What's the world coming to?!
Anonymous
02/17/2021 15:44
Subject: talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What about non magnet? There are so many kids in IM in 6th and all everyone talks about is the magnet kids.
They have changed the math so much it is hard to keep track. IM in 6th means algebra in 7? This is a pretty standard accelerated tack. 8: GEO 9: ALg II, 10: pre-calc 11 CAlC AB or BC or AP Stats 12: AP CALC BC, AP STAT or MV, I think there i also a finance class that counts as math? Kids that are taking algebra in 6th will have a harder time avoiding MV.
Are you allowed to take Calc AB and then Calc BC? Are they different classes? At these schools were most of the school is taking IM in 6th there must be boatloads of seniors who don't have a lot of math options
In other districts AB to BC seems common. It is less common in MCPS.
Anonymous
02/17/2021 15:43
Subject: Re:talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
All the Math pathways that HS students can take in Montgomery county
https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/k-q/poolesvillehs/uploadedfiles/departments/math/mathpathways.pdf
https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/k-q/poolesvillehs/uploadedfiles/departments/math/mathpathways.pdf
Anonymous
02/17/2021 15:37
Subject: talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
^^ kids *took* not taught!
Anonymous
02/17/2021 15:37
Subject: talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
Calc AB is covered in Calc BC so I do not think kids typically take both. DC followed this trajectory from IM to BC Calc as a jr then took MV in 12th grade. Interested in studying science (chem/bio) not CS. MV was a Montgomery College class as is 2nd semester sr yr of Psych. Many of DC's friends are currently in Linear Algebra (also MoCo course). High school also offered a slower paced MV full year course that some other kids taught.
Anonymous
02/17/2021 15:13
Subject: talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What about non magnet? There are so many kids in IM in 6th and all everyone talks about is the magnet kids.
They have changed the math so much it is hard to keep track. IM in 6th means algebra in 7? This is a pretty standard accelerated tack. 8: GEO 9: ALg II, 10: pre-calc 11 CAlC AB or BC or AP Stats 12: AP CALC BC, AP STAT or MV, I think there i also a finance class that counts as math? Kids that are taking algebra in 6th will have a harder time avoiding MV.
Are you allowed to take Calc AB and then Calc BC? Are they different classes? At these schools were most of the school is taking IM in 6th there must be boatloads of seniors who don't have a lot of math options
Anonymous
02/17/2021 15:11
Subject: talking multivariable cal/linear algebra
I don't know. DH and I both found Calc much easier than Algebra.