Anonymous wrote:DC's teacher just provided DC's 7th grade math content assessment -- 50/100. Doesn't seem that advanced. DC says he doesn't really like math, but he's asked to be enrolled. I am leaning toward declining to enroll DC in 6th grade Algebra 1.

I received the following from DC’s math teacher:

Late last week, students took an assessment to determine how well they have already mastered the content of Math 7 (the curriculum taught as “Math 6AAP”), but it has given us only a rough set of numbers, and not a breakdown of the specific skills student might struggle with or have not yet learned. FCPS has not provided guidance on how to interpret or translate the scores. Nevertheless, FCPS has communicated that success in Algebra 1 Honors is generally associated with a score of 75% or higher.

DC's teacher just provided DC's 7th grade math content assessment -- 50/100. Doesn't seem that advanced. DC says he doesn't really like math, but he's asked to be enrolled. I am leaning toward declining to enroll DC in 6th grade Algebra 1.

Anonymous wrote:This is such a poor, haphazard decision by Gatehouse. We are opting out but now my child is thinking if they should be doing it because some of their friends are doing the class. My school also did a Math 7 assessment this week to see if the kids who had qualified based off of SOL scores and iReady have an understanding of the content taught in Math 7. My child’s scored above the (75%) benchmark they were looking for. My child is now confused and I’m so annoyed at Gatehouse for putting the kids in this dilemma for no reason. There is absolutely no advantage of doing algebra 1 in 6th grade even if you want to major and do a Ph.D in math later on. Let the kids enjoy their last year of elementary school without worrying about midterms and finals!

Completely agree with all of this. Getting ahead, just for the sake of being ahead, is exactly why some parents are salivating to have this option. It’s absurd. These kids are already ahead with 7th grade algebra, and it’s really only a few kids who “need” algebra in 6th. The majority of those few are already in outside enrichment programs and know the curriculum. They aren’t taking the FCPS A1H class to learn, it’s checking a box on the transcript, as they could pass algebra 1H without a day in class. Those are the 6th graders FCPS is used to enrolling in A1H.

With the new pilot and lowered criteria, and huge increase in 6th graders enrolling, FCPS is going to have to actually teach 6th graders, many of whom haven’t been enrolled in outside enrichment. Most of these kids aren’t ready, and frankly, there’s absolutely no advantage down the road to pushing now. I predict a lot retakes next year, and major gaps in learning after skipping pre-algebra, not to mention academic frustration, feelings of inadequacy in math, and diminished confidence.

This is a fit for a kid who is so painfully bored in regular math they are losing interest. If they enjoyed math last year and learned new things, then the same will probably happen in M7 this year. If they came home complaining that they'd already done all of this before (since it spirals so much), then maybe skipping ahead will help maintain interest.

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like kids can return to the regula class at the end of the first quarter if you identify issues with completing homework and understanding concepts.

I don’t think that’s enough. Because the metrical does get more challenging as the year progresses. The course starts off with easier concepts so the first quarter is not a good indicator of whether the kid will do well during the second half of the year.

It sounds like kids can return to the regula class at the end of the first quarter if you identify issues with completing homework and understanding concepts.

This is such a poor, haphazard decision by Gatehouse. We are opting out but now my child is thinking if they should be doing it because some of their friends are doing the class. My school also did a Math 7 assessment this week to see if the kids who had qualified based off of SOL scores and iReady have an understanding of the content taught in Math 7. My child’s scored above the (75%) benchmark they were looking for. My child is now confused and I’m so annoyed at Gatehouse for putting the kids in this dilemma for no reason. There is absolutely no advantage of doing algebra 1 in 6th grade even if you want to major and do a Ph.D in math later on. Let the kids enjoy their last year of elementary school without worrying about midterms and finals!

I think parents need to choose what’s best for their kid. I do not believe that qualifying to this pilot program does not mean that your kid is ready to do well in Algebra 1. It means they can take the course now. Check your kid’s Iready report and see all areas are marked as above 5th grade. Check your kid’s SOL report and see all areas look good. Also ask / discuss their assessment results with teacher

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I opted out of it. Sorry not interested in my child being a part of a ‘pilot’ program for their first high school class. Also what is up with the itinerant teacher going from school to school to teach Algebra. So the kids will only see their teacher for that one class and she’ll leave right after to go to her next school. My school principal doesn’t even know who the teacher is. This is such a disaster and shame on FCPS for introducing this poorly thought out program and throwing the parents a surprise as soon as their kids start school.

You've got to be kidding me?! Is that what they are doing at your school--it's rent-a-teacher? Get out! Which school is this? How does the Principal think this can work? At that point, just opt out as the school. I think Principals were given a choice to opt out of the program.

Churchill Road. I don’t see how this is better as other posters have posted. This is what they are doing across the county. How do the parents know if the teacher is good? Where are they even getting these teachers from? Clearly they are not middle school teachers because those are teaching math at their middle school all day.

I just don’t understand what the purpose of the program is? If kids take Algebra in grade 7 which most AAP kids do, they are still on track to take a math course every year and end with Calculus BC. Is there something beyond Calc BC?

I bet it’s one of the math specialist at the county level. They were all classroom math teachers for a while before they went up to the county.

I agree! Why? Unless they are very advanced and want to graduate early and take college courses?
I wish they hadn’t even offered this because now I’m having an argument with DH about whether our kid should take it. DH thinks DC should “get ahead” and I’m saying no way because they’ll miss 7th grade math! I also had an older child and they struggled to get a B in Algebra 1 in middle school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I opted out of it. Sorry not interested in my child being a part of a ‘pilot’ program for their first high school class. Also what is up with the itinerant teacher going from school to school to teach Algebra. So the kids will only see their teacher for that one class and she’ll leave right after to go to her next school. My school principal doesn’t even know who the teacher is. This is such a disaster and shame on FCPS for introducing this poorly thought out program and throwing the parents a surprise as soon as their kids start school.

You've got to be kidding me?! Is that what they are doing at your school--it's rent-a-teacher? Get out! Which school is this? How does the Principal think this can work? At that point, just opt out as the school. I think Principals were given a choice to opt out of the program.

Churchill Road. I don’t see how this is better as other posters have posted. This is what they are doing across the county. How do the parents know if the teacher is good? Where are they even getting these teachers from? Clearly they are not middle school teachers because those are teaching math at their middle school all day.

I just don’t understand what the purpose of the program is? If kids take Algebra in grade 7 which most AAP kids do, they are still on track to take a math course every year and end with Calculus BC. Is there something beyond Calc BC?

I bet it’s one of the math specialist at the county level. They were all classroom math teachers for a while before they went up to the county.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I opted out of it. Sorry not interested in my child being a part of a ‘pilot’ program for their first high school class. Also what is up with the itinerant teacher going from school to school to teach Algebra. So the kids will only see their teacher for that one class and she’ll leave right after to go to her next school. My school principal doesn’t even know who the teacher is. This is such a disaster and shame on FCPS for introducing this poorly thought out program and throwing the parents a surprise as soon as their kids start school.

You've got to be kidding me?! Is that what they are doing at your school--it's rent-a-teacher? Get out! Which school is this? How does the Principal think this can work? At that point, just opt out as the school. I think Principals were given a choice to opt out of the program.

Churchill Road. I don’t see how this is better as other posters have posted. This is what they are doing across the county. How do the parents know if the teacher is good? Where are they even getting these teachers from? Clearly they are not middle school teachers because those are teaching math at their middle school all day.

I just don’t understand what the purpose of the program is? If kids take Algebra in grade 7 which most AAP kids do, they are still on track to take a math course every year and end with Calculus BC. Is there something beyond Calc BC?

A good number of students skip Calc AB and go straight to Calc BC. It is not uncommon for kid in A1H in 7th to tke multi-variate calc and lenar algebra senior year. There are duel enrollment classes that the few kids who took A1H in 6th and the summer geometry kids will take as seniors. Some will opt to take AP Stats at some point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I opted out of it. Sorry not interested in my child being a part of a ‘pilot’ program for their first high school class. Also what is up with the itinerant teacher going from school to school to teach Algebra. So the kids will only see their teacher for that one class and she’ll leave right after to go to her next school. My school principal doesn’t even know who the teacher is. This is such a disaster and shame on FCPS for introducing this poorly thought out program and throwing the parents a surprise as soon as their kids start school.

You've got to be kidding me?! Is that what they are doing at your school--it's rent-a-teacher? Get out! Which school is this? How does the Principal think this can work? At that point, just opt out as the school. I think Principals were given a choice to opt out of the program.

Churchill Road. I don’t see how this is better as other posters have posted. This is what they are doing across the county. How do the parents know if the teacher is good? Where are they even getting these teachers from? Clearly they are not middle school teachers because those are teaching math at their middle school all day.

I just don’t understand what the purpose of the program is? If kids take Algebra in grade 7 which most AAP kids do, they are still on track to take a math course every year and end with Calculus BC. Is there something beyond Calc BC?

Anonymous wrote:I actually think an itinerant teacher for this makes perfect sense and I would appreciate that vs making elementary teachers scramble. It would be the equivalent of what you get in middle school--a licensed teacher for a math block that you then don't see the rest of the day.

All the schools should do this. Algebra and higher in MS and HS is typically taught by someone with a math degree, not elementary education only.

I actually think an itinerant teacher for this makes perfect sense and I would appreciate that vs making elementary teachers scramble. It would be the equivalent of what you get in middle school--a licensed teacher for a math block that you then don't see the rest of the day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I opted out of it. Sorry not interested in my child being a part of a ‘pilot’ program for their first high school class. Also what is up with the itinerant teacher going from school to school to teach Algebra. So the kids will only see their teacher for that one class and she’ll leave right after to go to her next school. My school principal doesn’t even know who the teacher is. This is such a disaster and shame on FCPS for introducing this poorly thought out program and throwing the parents a surprise as soon as their kids start school.

You've got to be kidding me?! Is that what they are doing at your school--it's rent-a-teacher? Get out! Which school is this? How does the Principal think this can work? At that point, just opt out as the school. I think Principals were given a choice to opt out of the program.

The Japanese Teacher at Carson teaches at one other school, so she leaves the school after teaching her classes at Carson to go to the other school. It happens. I would think that it is better to have an Algebra teacher that goes to schools to teach the class but is certified and knows the material then asking an uncertified teacher at the school teach the material. I would prefer that to an online class.