Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because like the PSA from the 80s, reading is fundamental. And analyzing literature and poetry fosters critical thinking skills.

Calculus is useless.

That's some impressive selective know-nothing-ing there, PP.

+1 ^PP, you do realize that *all* of math requires critical thinking skills, just like analyzing literature does? It's just different types of skills.

That's right. Different sides of the brain, but both a higher function.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because like the PSA from the 80s, reading is fundamental. And analyzing literature and poetry fosters critical thinking skills.

Calculus is useless.

That's some impressive selective know-nothing-ing there, PP.

+1 ^PP, you do realize that *all* of math requires critical thinking skills, just like analyzing literature does? It's just different types of skills.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Most careers don't require me to read or understand poetry, Shakespeare, etc... but I had to do plenty of that in HS.

The reason we all learn things like this in school is to broaden our minds, and yes, that does include calculus. Math past Algebra is all about making you think more critically, using different parts of your brain.

Or, we could go back to the olden days where most teens quit HS by 15 or so because everything they learned after 10th grade was pretty much useless in everyday life.

Are you really trying to equate language arts with calculus?

Apples and oranges.

No, the top PP is equating language arts with math. Or, alternatively, analyzing poetry with finding derivatives.

Anonymous wrote:

Because like the PSA from the 80s, reading is fundamental. And analyzing literature and poetry fosters critical thinking skills.

Calculus is useless.

That's some impressive selective know-nothing-ing there, PP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son will do compacted math next year, but I probably won't send him to the local middle school for math each morning when he's in 5th grade.

Is rather have him do well in math in ms and HS than be pushed too hard and struggle.

I never took calculus--not even in college. It's not necessary.

Huh. All of the college students out there who have been told that they can't graduate without passing calculus must have been given erroneous information. It's going to be quite the endeavor changing all those course catalogs before more students are tricked into taking unnecessary courses.

My BA at UMCP didn't require calculus. Went on to law school, and the only math I use is basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

That's nothing to brag about.

Who's bragging?

Merely stating a fact. Most majors don't require calculus. Most careers certainly don't require it. And as we all know, nobody uses calculus in everyday life.

But if you want to freak out because little Suzy wasn't invited to participate in compact math and might not be able to take calculus in high school, go for it.

Most careers don't require me to read or understand poetry, Shakespeare, etc... but I had to do plenty of that in HS.

The reason we all learn things like this in school is to broaden our minds, and yes, that does include calculus. Math past Algebra is all about making you think more critically, using different parts of your brain.

Or, we could go back to the olden days where most teens quit HS by 15 or so because everything they learned after 10th grade was pretty much useless in everyday life.

Are you really trying to equate language arts with calculus?

Apples and oranges.

How so? Why does one need to read Walt Whitman or Tennessee Williams or poetry, for that matter, but not have to do Calculus?

Because like the PSA from the 80s, reading is fundamental. And analyzing literature and poetry fosters critical thinking skills.

Calculus is useless.

And because of attitudes like this STEM education in this country is in the state that it is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son will do compacted math next year, but I probably won't send him to the local middle school for math each morning when he's in 5th grade.

Is rather have him do well in math in ms and HS than be pushed too hard and struggle.

I never took calculus--not even in college. It's not necessary.

Huh. All of the college students out there who have been told that they can't graduate without passing calculus must have been given erroneous information. It's going to be quite the endeavor changing all those course catalogs before more students are tricked into taking unnecessary courses.

My BA at UMCP didn't require calculus. Went on to law school, and the only math I use is basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

That's nothing to brag about.

Who's bragging?

Merely stating a fact. Most majors don't require calculus. Most careers certainly don't require it. And as we all know, nobody uses calculus in everyday life.

But if you want to freak out because little Suzy wasn't invited to participate in compact math and might not be able to take calculus in high school, go for it.

Most careers don't require me to read or understand poetry, Shakespeare, etc... but I had to do plenty of that in HS.

The reason we all learn things like this in school is to broaden our minds, and yes, that does include calculus. Math past Algebra is all about making you think more critically, using different parts of your brain.

Or, we could go back to the olden days where most teens quit HS by 15 or so because everything they learned after 10th grade was pretty much useless in everyday life.

Are you really trying to equate language arts with calculus?

Apples and oranges.

How so? Why does one need to read Walt Whitman or Tennessee Williams or poetry, for that matter, but not have to do Calculus?

Totally agree, but there is no point in arguing with people who openly say they never took calculus expecting that they can grasp the merits of anything harder than simple arithmetic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I do not think it is a big deal.

Your DC can still finish with Calc in HS, and the SAT actually tests content covered upto Geometry and Algebra 2.

Take this golden opportunity of not being in compacted Math to get your child more Math practice (ALEKS and Beestar are good online resources).

Is there any other factor you are concerned about regarding compacted Math?

OP here, I guess what I'm concerned about is being locked in to a certain track so early on. Clearly this won't stop DC from attending college but if our cluster has a relatively high performing highschool will it hurt that she isn't on the fast track and a lot of other kids are? I'm not anticipating Ivy but I hear even University of Maryland is getting harder to get into especially if the school you attend for high school is full of high achieving students.

Don't lose sleep over it because he can get on a more accelerated track for middle school. Two examples.

My son didn't get into compacted math. By the end of the 1st quarter of 4th grade it was clear he was in the wrong class. He earned high scores on all math tests/quizzes, earned all the bonuses, clearly understood concepts and had very high MAP-M scores. The school refused to move him even with outside testing. However, they ended up recommending him for IM in 6th which put him on the same track as the compacted math kids.

My daughter was always in the lower math groups in elementary school (pre 2.0). When she reached middle school, they offered to test her so she could move up. She was determined to move up and so worked with a tutor. Years later she is on track with the kids who were advanced in elementary school.

I worried a lot about being tracked for years. Fortunately, MCPS provides opportunities to change tracks in middle school. However, if you have that hope, make sure your child is learning concepts outside school so they don't have gaps.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son will do compacted math next year, but I probably won't send him to the local middle school for math each morning when he's in 5th grade.

Is rather have him do well in math in ms and HS than be pushed too hard and struggle.

I never took calculus--not even in college. It's not necessary.

Huh. All of the college students out there who have been told that they can't graduate without passing calculus must have been given erroneous information. It's going to be quite the endeavor changing all those course catalogs before more students are tricked into taking unnecessary courses.

My BA at UMCP didn't require calculus. Went on to law school, and the only math I use is basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

That's nothing to brag about.

Who's bragging?

Merely stating a fact. Most majors don't require calculus. Most careers certainly don't require it. And as we all know, nobody uses calculus in everyday life.

But if you want to freak out because little Suzy wasn't invited to participate in compact math and might not be able to take calculus in high school, go for it.

Most careers don't require me to read or understand poetry, Shakespeare, etc... but I had to do plenty of that in HS.

The reason we all learn things like this in school is to broaden our minds, and yes, that does include calculus. Math past Algebra is all about making you think more critically, using different parts of your brain.

Or, we could go back to the olden days where most teens quit HS by 15 or so because everything they learned after 10th grade was pretty much useless in everyday life.

Are you really trying to equate language arts with calculus?

Apples and oranges.

How so? Why does one need to read Walt Whitman or Tennessee Williams or poetry, for that matter, but not have to do Calculus?

Because like the PSA from the 80s, reading is fundamental. And analyzing literature and poetry fosters critical thinking skills.

Calculus is useless.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son will do compacted math next year, but I probably won't send him to the local middle school for math each morning when he's in 5th grade.

Is rather have him do well in math in ms and HS than be pushed too hard and struggle.

I never took calculus--not even in college. It's not necessary.

Huh. All of the college students out there who have been told that they can't graduate without passing calculus must have been given erroneous information. It's going to be quite the endeavor changing all those course catalogs before more students are tricked into taking unnecessary courses.

My BA at UMCP didn't require calculus. Went on to law school, and the only math I use is basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

That's nothing to brag about.

Who's bragging?

Merely stating a fact. Most majors don't require calculus. Most careers certainly don't require it. And as we all know, nobody uses calculus in everyday life.

But if you want to freak out because little Suzy wasn't invited to participate in compact math and might not be able to take calculus in high school, go for it.

Most careers don't require me to read or understand poetry, Shakespeare, etc... but I had to do plenty of that in HS.

The reason we all learn things like this in school is to broaden our minds, and yes, that does include calculus. Math past Algebra is all about making you think more critically, using different parts of your brain.

Or, we could go back to the olden days where most teens quit HS by 15 or so because everything they learned after 10th grade was pretty much useless in everyday life.

Are you really trying to equate language arts with calculus?

Apples and oranges.

How so? Why does one need to read Walt Whitman or Tennessee Williams or poetry, for that matter, but not have to do Calculus?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son will do compacted math next year, but I probably won't send him to the local middle school for math each morning when he's in 5th grade.

Is rather have him do well in math in ms and HS than be pushed too hard and struggle.

I never took calculus--not even in college. It's not necessary.

Huh. All of the college students out there who have been told that they can't graduate without passing calculus must have been given erroneous information. It's going to be quite the endeavor changing all those course catalogs before more students are tricked into taking unnecessary courses.

My BA at UMCP didn't require calculus. Went on to law school, and the only math I use is basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

That's nothing to brag about.

Who's bragging?

Merely stating a fact. Most majors don't require calculus. Most careers certainly don't require it. And as we all know, nobody uses calculus in everyday life.

But if you want to freak out because little Suzy wasn't invited to participate in compact math and might not be able to take calculus in high school, go for it.

Most careers don't require me to read or understand poetry, Shakespeare, etc... but I had to do plenty of that in HS.

The reason we all learn things like this in school is to broaden our minds, and yes, that does include calculus. Math past Algebra is all about making you think more critically, using different parts of your brain.

Or, we could go back to the olden days where most teens quit HS by 15 or so because everything they learned after 10th grade was pretty much useless in everyday life.

Are you really trying to equate language arts with calculus?

Apples and oranges.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son will do compacted math next year, but I probably won't send him to the local middle school for math each morning when he's in 5th grade.

Is rather have him do well in math in ms and HS than be pushed too hard and struggle.

I never took calculus--not even in college. It's not necessary.

Huh. All of the college students out there who have been told that they can't graduate without passing calculus must have been given erroneous information. It's going to be quite the endeavor changing all those course catalogs before more students are tricked into taking unnecessary courses.

My BA at UMCP didn't require calculus. Went on to law school, and the only math I use is basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

That's nothing to brag about.

Who's bragging?

Merely stating a fact. Most majors don't require calculus. Most careers certainly don't require it. And as we all know, nobody uses calculus in everyday life.

But if you want to freak out because little Suzy wasn't invited to participate in compact math and might not be able to take calculus in high school, go for it.

Most careers don't require me to read or understand poetry, Shakespeare, etc... but I had to do plenty of that in HS.

The reason we all learn things like this in school is to broaden our minds, and yes, that does include calculus. Math past Algebra is all about making you think more critically, using different parts of your brain.

Or, we could go back to the olden days where most teens quit HS by 15 or so because everything they learned after 10th grade was pretty much useless in everyday life.

Anonymous wrote:

Who's bragging?

Merely stating a fact. Most majors don't require calculus. Most careers certainly don't require it. And as we all know, nobody uses calculus in everyday life.

But if you want to freak out because little Suzy wasn't invited to participate in compact math and might not be able to take calculus in high school, go for it.

Eh? I don't know that. Plenty of people in quantitative professions use calculus in everyday life -- unless you don't include paid employment in your definition of "everyday life"?

It's beside the point, anyway, given that grade-level math actually does get you to calculus in high school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son will do compacted math next year, but I probably won't send him to the local middle school for math each morning when he's in 5th grade.

Is rather have him do well in math in ms and HS than be pushed too hard and struggle.

I never took calculus--not even in college. It's not necessary.

Huh. All of the college students out there who have been told that they can't graduate without passing calculus must have been given erroneous information. It's going to be quite the endeavor changing all those course catalogs before more students are tricked into taking unnecessary courses.

My BA at UMCP didn't require calculus. Went on to law school, and the only math I use is basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

That's nothing to brag about.

Who's bragging?

Merely stating a fact. Most majors don't require calculus. Most careers certainly don't require it. And as we all know, nobody uses calculus in everyday life.

But if you want to freak out because little Suzy wasn't invited to participate in compact math and might not be able to take calculus in high school, go for it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son will do compacted math next year, but I probably won't send him to the local middle school for math each morning when he's in 5th grade.

Is rather have him do well in math in ms and HS than be pushed too hard and struggle.

I never took calculus--not even in college. It's not necessary.

Huh. All of the college students out there who have been told that they can't graduate without passing calculus must have been given erroneous information. It's going to be quite the endeavor changing all those course catalogs before more students are tricked into taking unnecessary courses.

My BA at UMCP didn't require calculus. Went on to law school, and the only math I use is basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

That's nothing to brag about.

Anonymous wrote:My kid took calc in 11th after taking precalc in 10th. Went on to do statistics in 12th and is on full scholarship for STEM course in college. Tested out of calc in college, but took it again, because of the one year gap.

How does this relate to kids that are on track to take calc in 12th? Are you trying to suggest that calc in 12th is better so that there is no gap before college math?