Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not true. I have an 8th grader and an 11th grader in FCPS, and I would say it’s a small minority who take Algebra 1 in 9th. Most take it in 8th, and some take it in 7th. Clearly, my kids don’t know everyone, but my 8th grader doesn’t know anyone who is taking 8th grade math and my 11th grader doesn’t know anyone who isn’t in at least pre Calc.

8th grade math is presented to both parents and students as “for those who need a slower pace or struggle with math.”
So while it’s perfectly fine, it’s definitely not the majority.

And how do you know this? Did you survey ALL HS in FCPS? Even if you work for FCPS, how did you come up with that conclusion?

It might be true if your kids attend TJ, Mclean, Langley, Oakton, Marshall, James Madison; however, it is a completely different story at other HS in FCPS where the vast majority of kids take Algebra I in 9th grade.

It is like living in Mclean, Langley or Great Falls and pretend to understand what poor people are going through. Give me a break.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. Not the OP or PP but I get so tired of people coming on here saying things like "Larlo is in 7th grade and taking Trigonometry" and if your child is in Algebra in 9th grade, they are on the slow track, which is not true.

+100
Taking Algebra I in 9th grade is perfectly normal.

Depends on where you live.

No, it really doesn't.

It's normal to learn to read at 4. or 5. or 6. or 7. or 8. Brains need to be able to do certain things in order to read. They also need to be able to do certain things in order to do certain types of math. Some kids are ready younger than others and some older than others. 9th graders are still within the realm of "normal" for Algebra I. Geographical area has nothing to do brain development.

My DH and I work in STEM. One of our kids is a 9th grader taking Algebra I, because that's where he is with math. He loves electronics, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up as an electrical engineer (or, if he has his way, designing guitar pedals). He'll be just fine. So will the other 9th graders in his math class.

The ^^PP state "Algebra in 9th is normal". I stated it depends on where you live. I didn't say whether it was good/bad for STEM majors.

In MCPS, Algebra in 8th is the norm. Maybe in other districts it's normal for 9th graders to be taking Algebra, but in MCPS, that is not the norm, and MCPS is not an outlier.

In FCPS, the vast majority of 9th graders take either Alg. I or Geometry. Both are completely within the "normal" range. A tiny minority take more advanced math.

This is not true. I have an 8th grader and an 11th grader in FCPS, and I would say it’s a small minority who take Algebra 1 in 9th. Most take it in 8th, and some take it in 7th. Clearly, my kids don’t know everyone, but my 8th grader doesn’t know anyone who is taking 8th grade math and my 11th grader doesn’t know anyone who isn’t in at least pre Calc.

8th grade math is presented to both parents and students as “for those who need a slower pace or struggle with math.”
So while it’s perfectly fine, it’s definitely not the majority.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not true. I have an 8th grader and an 11th grader in FCPS, and I would say it’s a small minority who take Algebra 1 in 9th. Most take it in 8th, and some take it in 7th. Clearly, my kids don’t know everyone, but my 8th grader doesn’t know anyone who is taking 8th grade math and my 11th grader doesn’t know anyone who isn’t in at least pre Calc.

8th grade math is presented to both parents and students as “for those who need a slower pace or struggle with math.”
So while it’s perfectly fine, it’s definitely not the majority.

And how do you know this? Did you survey ALL HS in FCPS? Even if you work for FCPS, how did you come up with that conclusion?

It might be true if your kids attend TJ, Mclean, Langley, Oakton, Marshall, James Madison; however, it is a completely different story at other HS in FCPS where the vast majority of kids take Algebra I in 9th grade.

It is like living in Mclean, Langley or Great Falls and pretend to understand what poor people are going through. Give me a break.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not true. I have an 8th grader and an 11th grader in FCPS, and I would say it’s a small minority who take Algebra 1 in 9th. Most take it in 8th, and some take it in 7th. Clearly, my kids don’t know everyone, but my 8th grader doesn’t know anyone who is taking 8th grade math and my 11th grader doesn’t know anyone who isn’t in at least pre Calc.

8th grade math is presented to both parents and students as “for those who need a slower pace or struggle with math.”
So while it’s perfectly fine, it’s definitely not the majority.

And how do you know this? Did you survey ALL HS in FCPS? Even if you work for FCPS, how did you come up with that conclusion?

It might be true if your kids attend TJ, Mclean, Langley, Oakton, Marshall, James Madison; however, it is a completely different story at other HS in FCPS where the vast majority of kids take Algebra I in 9th grade.

It is like living in Mclean, Langley or Great Falls and pretend to understand what poor people are going through. Give me a break.

Anonymous wrote:This is not true. I have an 8th grader and an 11th grader in FCPS, and I would say it’s a small minority who take Algebra 1 in 9th. Most take it in 8th, and some take it in 7th. Clearly, my kids don’t know everyone, but my 8th grader doesn’t know anyone who is taking 8th grade math and my 11th grader doesn’t know anyone who isn’t in at least pre Calc.

8th grade math is presented to both parents and students as “for those who need a slower pace or struggle with math.”
So while it’s perfectly fine, it’s definitely not the majority.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. Not the OP or PP but I get so tired of people coming on here saying things like "Larlo is in 7th grade and taking Trigonometry" and if your child is in Algebra in 9th grade, they are on the slow track, which is not true.

+100
Taking Algebra I in 9th grade is perfectly normal.

Depends on where you live.

No, it really doesn't.

It's normal to learn to read at 4. or 5. or 6. or 7. or 8. Brains need to be able to do certain things in order to read. They also need to be able to do certain things in order to do certain types of math. Some kids are ready younger than others and some older than others. 9th graders are still within the realm of "normal" for Algebra I. Geographical area has nothing to do brain development.

My DH and I work in STEM. One of our kids is a 9th grader taking Algebra I, because that's where he is with math. He loves electronics, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up as an electrical engineer (or, if he has his way, designing guitar pedals). He'll be just fine. So will the other 9th graders in his math class.

The ^^PP state "Algebra in 9th is normal". I stated it depends on where you live. I didn't say whether it was good/bad for STEM majors.

In MCPS, Algebra in 8th is the norm. Maybe in other districts it's normal for 9th graders to be taking Algebra, but in MCPS, that is not the norm, and MCPS is not an outlier.

In FCPS, the vast majority of 9th graders take either Alg. I or Geometry. Both are completely within the "normal" range. A tiny minority take more advanced math.

Anonymous wrote:My daughter will take geometry in 9th. The more advanced kids are taking Algebra II in 9th.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish it didn’t matter, but I have toured over 15 colleges with my junior, from JMU to Tufts, and almost everywhere has mentioned wanting to see calculus in high school. Most engineering programs require it. And every admissions director has said that your course load is more important than everything else.

As a non- math person who never went beyond trig in high school myself, I would love to agree with the posters that say it doesn’t matter for college admissions, but it’s simply not true. It won’t necessarily alter the course of your career plans, but it most definitely alters the colleges and programs you have access to.

Whether or not you have Calculus may affect which colleges you can get acceptance into an engineering program for, that is true. But it doesn't mean you can't go to other colleges, or start in one major and then apply to transfer later. It might mean an extra year of college, or some summer courses to catch up. It might mean MIT is not going to accept that particular child. All of that is just fine. It is most important that the child grasp the material. MIT will be an option for grad school, if it's a fervent desire even if it wasn't in the cards for undergrad.

The problem with how all this is laid out to kids is it's giving them the message that doing anything slightly later, or slightly slower, than the absolute best or fastest rate is failure and their lives are over. That's garbage and adults really have to stop spewing it. Algebra I as a 9th grader is fine. There are plenty of colleges, even selective colleges, that will accept such a student. There are STEM programs that will accept such a student. The future remains bright and wide open.

FWIW, I majored in a STEM field and had calc in HS. I retook calc in college because I didn't think my foundation was strong enough. That set my science path back a semester. It was no big deal. I chose to take a heavier load in a future semester to "catch up" but I could have taken a summer course or lengthened my time in college instead. No one shunned me. I earn a good living. I am not branded with my "failure" to grasp calc perfectly my first time through. Plenty of kids in college STEM tracks find they need to repeat classes. To the point where sometimes schools have gatekeeping courses that if you fail more than N times, you are no longer allowed to pursue that major. Stop stressing out 14 year olds. Stress them out when they're 19 and HAVE to pass that 300 level class this time or figure out what they're going to change their major to.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. Not the OP or PP but I get so tired of people coming on here saying things like "Larlo is in 7th grade and taking Trigonometry" and if your child is in Algebra in 9th grade, they are on the slow track, which is not true.

+100
Taking Algebra I in 9th grade is perfectly normal.

Depends on where you live.

No, it really doesn't.

It's normal to learn to read at 4. or 5. or 6. or 7. or 8. Brains need to be able to do certain things in order to read. They also need to be able to do certain things in order to do certain types of math. Some kids are ready younger than others and some older than others. 9th graders are still within the realm of "normal" for Algebra I. Geographical area has nothing to do brain development.

My DH and I work in STEM. One of our kids is a 9th grader taking Algebra I, because that's where he is with math. He loves electronics, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up as an electrical engineer (or, if he has his way, designing guitar pedals). He'll be just fine. So will the other 9th graders in his math class.

The ^^PP state "Algebra in 9th is normal". I stated it depends on where you live. I didn't say whether it was good/bad for STEM majors.

In MCPS, Algebra in 8th is the norm. Maybe in other districts it's normal for 9th graders to be taking Algebra, but in MCPS, that is not the norm, and MCPS is not an outlier.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. Not the OP or PP but I get so tired of people coming on here saying things like "Larlo is in 7th grade and taking Trigonometry" and if your child is in Algebra in 9th grade, they are on the slow track, which is not true.

+100
Taking Algebra I in 9th grade is perfectly normal.

Depends on where you live.

No, it really doesn't.

It's normal to learn to read at 4. or 5. or 6. or 7. or 8. Brains need to be able to do certain things in order to read. They also need to be able to do certain things in order to do certain types of math. Some kids are ready younger than others and some older than others. 9th graders are still within the realm of "normal" for Algebra I. Geographical area has nothing to do brain development.

My DH and I work in STEM. One of our kids is a 9th grader taking Algebra I, because that's where he is with math. He loves electronics, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up as an electrical engineer (or, if he has his way, designing guitar pedals). He'll be just fine. So will the other 9th graders in his math class.