Anonymous
Post 09/29/2025 07:30     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Are any of your 6th grade classes still adding kids to algebra? It’s been over a month since school started and ours are still placing kids in that class. Not sure how any of this makes sense. I guess it’s principal placement.


I’d be surprised if it’s principal placement. I can’t even get our principal to return an email.


It was principal placement at our school, was not publicized to anyone in his taught by a teacher who should not be a teacher at all. This program is completely discriminatory.


What do you mean?


Technically you need to be certified to teach algebra but I heard they were lifting that for 6th grade this year. But this case could be a regular unlicensed teacher? Or Long term sub?


The two 6th graders I know of have only had subs so far for algebra.
Anonymous
Post 09/29/2025 06:53     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
FCPS’s article about the new program is insane. They’ve got all these sixth graders talking about how good this is going to look on their college applications, and the grade in the course is going on their high school transcripts that will be used in those applications. When I was in sixth grade I was only vaguely aware on college, and I certainly wasn’t ready to have my middle school grades considered as part of my college applications (and for the record I had a 4.0 in high school and went to Stanford—I would not have had a 4.0 if my sixth grade math grade were included in my high school GPA).

https://www.fcps.edu/news/sixth-graders-tackle-algebra-two-years-ahead-schedule-expanding-access-math-rigor
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 19:56     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Are any of your 6th grade classes still adding kids to algebra? It’s been over a month since school started and ours are still placing kids in that class. Not sure how any of this makes sense. I guess it’s principal placement.


I’d be surprised if it’s principal placement. I can’t even get our principal to return an email.


It was principal placement at our school, was not publicized to anyone in his taught by a teacher who should not be a teacher at all. This program is completely discriminatory.


What do you mean?


Technically you need to be certified to teach algebra but I heard they were lifting that for 6th grade this year. But this case could be a regular unlicensed teacher? Or Long term sub?
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 19:51     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Algebra I in sixth grade honestly requires a certain level of maturity that has nothing to do with mathematical ability. I took Pre-Algebra in sixth grade and had Bs until 4th quarter. At that point something clicked about getting assignments done accurately and properly preparing for tests, and I had straight As from then through the end of high school. I would not have been mature enough to handle Algebra I in sixth grade even though I probably could have understood the content.


+1 50 kids in Algebra 1 at one ES. Make it make sense.


50 at one school? I thought there is basically a total of one class across the county. My school has ~130 sixth graders and there are 2 or 3 in Algebra 1.


Keene mill has 100ish in 6th grade AAP and 50 (half) are in algebra.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 17:45     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Algebra I in sixth grade honestly requires a certain level of maturity that has nothing to do with mathematical ability. I took Pre-Algebra in sixth grade and had Bs until 4th quarter. At that point something clicked about getting assignments done accurately and properly preparing for tests, and I had straight As from then through the end of high school. I would not have been mature enough to handle Algebra I in sixth grade even though I probably could have understood the content.


+1 50 kids in Algebra 1 at one ES. Make it make sense.


Some parents are really underestimating the degree to which good organizational skills are actually more important than raw intelligence for academic success. Better to focus on exceeding academic requirements (eg consistently completing assignments on time and perfectly and achieving high test scores) instead of pushing ahead in the curriculum. Career and academic success are defined more by good executive functioning and social skills than completing modules as quickly as possible. I am not opposed to algebra I for 7th graders, btw. That’s what I did and it meant that I was part of a cohort of much more motivated kids.


Unfortunately the Tesla drivers want status and to be able to brag that their 6th graders are in Algebra.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 16:08     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Algebra I in sixth grade honestly requires a certain level of maturity that has nothing to do with mathematical ability. I took Pre-Algebra in sixth grade and had Bs until 4th quarter. At that point something clicked about getting assignments done accurately and properly preparing for tests, and I had straight As from then through the end of high school. I would not have been mature enough to handle Algebra I in sixth grade even though I probably could have understood the content.


+1 50 kids in Algebra 1 at one ES. Make it make sense.


Some parents are really underestimating the degree to which good organizational skills are actually more important than raw intelligence for academic success. Better to focus on exceeding academic requirements (eg consistently completing assignments on time and perfectly and achieving high test scores) instead of pushing ahead in the curriculum. Career and academic success are defined more by good executive functioning and social skills than completing modules as quickly as possible. I am not opposed to algebra I for 7th graders, btw. That’s what I did and it meant that I was part of a cohort of much more motivated kids.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 14:25     Subject: Re:Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
I was a teacher. One thing I learned--you need to challenge kids, but you must also be sure they have a strong foundation.
I just wonder of sixth grade algebra is really a good idea. Sometimes too much too soon is not a good thing.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 14:19     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Algebra I in sixth grade honestly requires a certain level of maturity that has nothing to do with mathematical ability. I took Pre-Algebra in sixth grade and had Bs until 4th quarter. At that point something clicked about getting assignments done accurately and properly preparing for tests, and I had straight As from then through the end of high school. I would not have been mature enough to handle Algebra I in sixth grade even though I probably could have understood the content.


+1 50 kids in Algebra 1 at one ES. Make it make sense.


50 at one school? I thought there is basically a total of one class across the county. My school has ~130 sixth graders and there are 2 or 3 in Algebra 1.


Yep. Navy ES. Multiple parents called to get their kid in even though they didn’t qualify.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 10:19     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Algebra I in sixth grade honestly requires a certain level of maturity that has nothing to do with mathematical ability. I took Pre-Algebra in sixth grade and had Bs until 4th quarter. At that point something clicked about getting assignments done accurately and properly preparing for tests, and I had straight As from then through the end of high school. I would not have been mature enough to handle Algebra I in sixth grade even though I probably could have understood the content.


+1 50 kids in Algebra 1 at one ES. Make it make sense.


50 at one school? I thought there is basically a total of one class across the county. My school has ~130 sixth graders and there are 2 or 3 in Algebra 1.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 08:41     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Anonymous wrote:Algebra I in sixth grade honestly requires a certain level of maturity that has nothing to do with mathematical ability. I took Pre-Algebra in sixth grade and had Bs until 4th quarter. At that point something clicked about getting assignments done accurately and properly preparing for tests, and I had straight As from then through the end of high school. I would not have been mature enough to handle Algebra I in sixth grade even though I probably could have understood the content.


+1 50 kids in Algebra 1 at one ES. Make it make sense.
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2025 08:40     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Are any of your 6th grade classes still adding kids to algebra? It’s been over a month since school started and ours are still placing kids in that class. Not sure how any of this makes sense. I guess it’s principal placement.


I’d be surprised if it’s principal placement. I can’t even get our principal to return an email.


It was principal placement at our school, was not publicized to anyone in his taught by a teacher who should not be a teacher at all. This program is completely discriminatory.


What do you mean?
Anonymous
Post 09/27/2025 09:56     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Algebra I in sixth grade honestly requires a certain level of maturity that has nothing to do with mathematical ability. I took Pre-Algebra in sixth grade and had Bs until 4th quarter. At that point something clicked about getting assignments done accurately and properly preparing for tests, and I had straight As from then through the end of high school. I would not have been mature enough to handle Algebra I in sixth grade even though I probably could have understood the content.
Anonymous
Post 09/26/2025 12:33     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Are any of your 6th grade classes still adding kids to algebra? It’s been over a month since school started and ours are still placing kids in that class. Not sure how any of this makes sense. I guess it’s principal placement.


I’d be surprised if it’s principal placement. I can’t even get our principal to return an email.


It was principal placement at our school, was not publicized to anyone in his taught by a teacher who should not be a teacher at all. This program is completely discriminatory.
Anonymous
Post 09/26/2025 08:52     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Anonymous wrote:No AAP parent is going into high school with a 1.0 or 2.0 gpa. I call bs.


+100 they don’t even accept a B+
Anonymous
Post 09/26/2025 07:50     Subject: Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Geez, setting kids up to fail. "We know you didn't meet the bare minimum to be successful in algebra 1, but I'll put you in the class anyway because your parents are obnoxious and if I tell them no it will make my job harder in the short term."

Poor kids. It's going to be a long slog of math to high school graduation.


Poor teachers - dealing with kids who can’t really do math now in an Algebra class. Totally ridiculous. Some of these kids will just retake algebra in 7th anyway because you know this year isn’t going to go well for them. Absolutely no one will go straight to Geometry in 7th after this mess.


At lunch a 6th grade teacher was a bit frustrated because the algebra students are coming back to her from their online class asking for help. She said they don’t understand the math and she really isn’t able to help them.