Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the obsession on this board with taking Cal by 10th grade. I was always good at math, but I didn't take calculus until I was a senior in high school. And I got into an ivy league school where I graduated with honors. My kids are younger so I'm sure there's plenty to say about DC middle schools and high schools that I don't understand, but I truly don't understand why this is something people harp on here.

Once your kids are older you will understand.

+1. Math 20 years ago is nothing like math today. Cal in 12 th then was advance, not so today.
Same with college admittance. If you are going to any decent school at all for math, engineering, science, etc you only get to Cal by senior year, you are at the bottom. it’s a basic requirement. Other kids will be ahead and taking it easy in college while you will not.

The end.

A good friend teaches physics at a school DCUM loves. He says very many of the kids who have been pushed into acceleration have no idea how to use calculus as a tool to solve problems. They have kids withdraw from physics classes and retake calculus, then do the major requirements a year late. It’s a real problem.

Anecdotal but my good friend’s kid in VA took advanced math, and he is killing it at Virginia tech as an engineering major. Straight A’s.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the obsession on this board with taking Cal by 10th grade. I was always good at math, but I didn't take calculus until I was a senior in high school. And I got into an ivy league school where I graduated with honors. My kids are younger so I'm sure there's plenty to say about DC middle schools and high schools that I don't understand, but I truly don't understand why this is something people harp on here.

Once your kids are older you will understand.

+1. Math 20 years ago is nothing like math today. Cal in 12 th then was advance, not so today.
Same with college admittance. If you are going to any decent school at all for math, engineering, science, etc you only get to Cal by senior year, you are at the bottom. it’s a basic requirement. Other kids will be ahead and taking it easy in college while you will not.

The end.

A good friend teaches physics at a school DCUM loves. He says very many of the kids who have been pushed into acceleration have no idea how to use calculus as a tool to solve problems. They have kids withdraw from physics classes and retake calculus, then do the major requirements a year late. It’s a real problem.

+1000. I grew up as a poor minority kid in a highly diverse NY county that prioritized keeping UMC whites in the school system. Thank the Lord.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a refuge. Advanced academic HS programs that run as school-within-a-school programs in the burbs are the refuge. The MoCo magnets and IB Diploma programs in the VA burbs don't serve high-needs populations. The honors middle school classes in all core subjects in VA are what we need in DC. If DCPS would only follow suit, far more UMC families would stay in the system. We expect so little of our city politicians that they don't need to bother pushing a refuge.

This reflexive, unexamined assumption that schools with high needs populations should divert resources from serving that population to, for some unexplained reason, chase UMC kids is bizarre to me. As a DC taxpayer, that’s not the priority I want to see.

I’m a DC taxpayer and I would counter that this city has lots of smart kids and for DCPS to divert all resources for high needs, low performing kids and not serving the other end of kids is bizarre to me. As a DC taxpayer, don’t complain when families flee to the burbs and nobody wants to go to their IB DCPS schools.

Why shouldn’t there be a school within a school or tracking to serve different needs for different kids? You know who actually loses the most when you don’t have tracking? It’s the poor, smart kids whose families don’t have any options.

Anonymous wrote:There is a refuge. Advanced academic HS programs that run as school-within-a-school programs in the burbs are the refuge. The MoCo magnets and IB Diploma programs in the VA burbs don't serve high-needs populations. The honors middle school classes in all core subjects in VA are what we need in DC. If DCPS would only follow suit, far more UMC families would stay in the system. We expect so little of our city politicians that they don't need to bother pushing a refuge.

This reflexive, unexamined assumption that schools with high needs populations should divert resources from serving that population to, for some unexplained reason, chase UMC kids is bizarre to me. As a DC taxpayer, that’s not the priority I want to see.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the obsession on this board with taking Cal by 10th grade. I was always good at math, but I didn't take calculus until I was a senior in high school. And I got into an ivy league school where I graduated with honors. My kids are younger so I'm sure there's plenty to say about DC middle schools and high schools that I don't understand, but I truly don't understand why this is something people harp on here.

Once your kids are older you will understand.

+1. Math 20 years ago is nothing like math today. Cal in 12 th then was advance, not so today.
Same with college admittance. If you are going to any decent school at all for math, engineering, science, etc you only get to Cal by senior year, you are at the bottom. it’s a basic requirement. Other kids will be ahead and taking it easy in college while you will not.

The end.

But taking it easy in college will cost the actual last few years of their childhood.

Some families will do fine letting their older now adult children actually work to master the new to them math they will encounter in college.

So you want your kid to be at a huge disadvantage and potentially struggle to keep up in college, rather then be prepared and on same level as their classmates?

There is no cost when the math is not hard. This is what you don’t get. These kids are bored to death and need more. They can and want more.

BTW if you want to go to medicine or really good PHD after college, you absolutely cannot afford to not do well your 1st year and hope to make it up later.

My kids are really good at math. That's why we are using this time to shore up things they aren't naturally good at. I don't want them to be one dimensional.

Are they bored sometime? Maybe? But they've been busy enough outside of school.

I've taken some of the classes they'll take in college and I think they will be able to take the classes in stride. They have good habits in math and school in general.

You realize it’s not one or the other. If your kids school could offer them enough challenge with advance classes, it would cost you no time. That is the point. They are learning and being challenged in school. It doesn’t sound like it is the case right now for you. You could still spend your time with other stuff with your kids.

Being good is also relative. Being good in DCPS is not the same as being good at a magnet in MCPS.

The playing field is much higher in college and I wouldn’t be so confident that your kid is going to do well when the competition is much more if they go to a good school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a lot of wrong information on this thread. I certainly recommend that parents do their own research.

For instance, if you look at 8th grade CAPE scores for grade level and above (this is after kids have been at the schools for a while), the top school for both math and English is BASIS DC. If your kid cares about academics, BASIS DC should be the top choice. But it is almost impossible to get in after 5th grade.

Here is the data:

BASIS DC

Math 78.5
ELA 84.4

Deal

Math 64.0
ELA 81.0

Latin--2nd St

Math 63.3
ELA 72.4

DCI

Math 41.0
ELA 58.1

Wow--DCI is even below Hardy.

Hardy

Math 50.0
ELA 65.9

Why are you surprised? DCI has the most at risk, SPED, and ELL. Let’s spread some of those kids to the other schools and see how numbers are.

If you are going to compare, at least make it apples to apples

And yet by 11th, DCI’s average SAT scores is better than Hardy and JR……

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the obsession on this board with taking Cal by 10th grade. I was always good at math, but I didn't take calculus until I was a senior in high school. And I got into an ivy league school where I graduated with honors. My kids are younger so I'm sure there's plenty to say about DC middle schools and high schools that I don't understand, but I truly don't understand why this is something people harp on here.

Once your kids are older you will understand.

+1. Math 20 years ago is nothing like math today. Cal in 12 th then was advance, not so today.
Same with college admittance. If you are going to any decent school at all for math, engineering, science, etc you only get to Cal by senior year, you are at the bottom. it’s a basic requirement. Other kids will be ahead and taking it easy in college while you will not.

The end.

But taking it easy in college will cost the actual last few years of their childhood.

Some families will do fine letting their older now adult children actually work to master the new to them math they will encounter in college.

So you want your kid to be at a huge disadvantage and potentially struggle to keep up in college, rather then be prepared and on same level as their classmates?

There is no cost when the math is not hard. This is what you don’t get. These kids are bored to death and need more. They can and want more.

BTW if you want to go to medicine or really good PHD after college, you absolutely cannot afford to not do well your 1st year and hope to make it up later.

My kids are really good at math. That's why we are using this time to shore up things they aren't naturally good at. I don't want them to be one dimensional.

Are they bored sometime? Maybe? But they've been busy enough outside of school.

I've taken some of the classes they'll take in college and I think they will be able to take the classes in stride. They have good habits in math and school in general.

Oh they are in high school so I'm not a bragging middle school parent, but I understand that every family will do their best to prepare their kids for the future

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the obsession on this board with taking Cal by 10th grade. I was always good at math, but I didn't take calculus until I was a senior in high school. And I got into an ivy league school where I graduated with honors. My kids are younger so I'm sure there's plenty to say about DC middle schools and high schools that I don't understand, but I truly don't understand why this is something people harp on here.

Once your kids are older you will understand.

+1. Math 20 years ago is nothing like math today. Cal in 12 th then was advance, not so today.
Same with college admittance. If you are going to any decent school at all for math, engineering, science, etc you only get to Cal by senior year, you are at the bottom. it’s a basic requirement. Other kids will be ahead and taking it easy in college while you will not.

The end.

But taking it easy in college will cost the actual last few years of their childhood.

Some families will do fine letting their older now adult children actually work to master the new to them math they will encounter in college.

So you want your kid to be at a huge disadvantage and potentially struggle to keep up in college, rather then be prepared and on same level as their classmates?

There is no cost when the math is not hard. This is what you don’t get. These kids are bored to death and need more. They can and want more.

BTW if you want to go to medicine or really good PHD after college, you absolutely cannot afford to not do well your 1st year and hope to make it up later.

My kids are really good at math. That's why we are using this time to shore up things they aren't naturally good at. I don't want them to be one dimensional.

Are they bored sometime? Maybe? But they've been busy enough outside of school.

I've taken some of the classes they'll take in college and I think they will be able to take the classes in stride. They have good habits in math and school in general.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the obsession on this board with taking Cal by 10th grade. I was always good at math, but I didn't take calculus until I was a senior in high school. And I got into an ivy league school where I graduated with honors. My kids are younger so I'm sure there's plenty to say about DC middle schools and high schools that I don't understand, but I truly don't understand why this is something people harp on here.

Once your kids are older you will understand.

+1. Math 20 years ago is nothing like math today. Cal in 12 th then was advance, not so today.
Same with college admittance. If you are going to any decent school at all for math, engineering, science, etc you only get to Cal by senior year, you are at the bottom. it’s a basic requirement. Other kids will be ahead and taking it easy in college while you will not.

The end.

But taking it easy in college will cost the actual last few years of their childhood.

Some families will do fine letting their older now adult children actually work to master the new to them math they will encounter in college.

So you want your kid to be at a huge disadvantage and potentially struggle to keep up in college, rather then be prepared and on same level as their classmates?

There is no cost when the math is not hard. This is what you don’t get. These kids are bored to death and need more. They can and want more.

BTW if you want to go to medicine or really good PHD after college, you absolutely cannot afford to not do well your 1st year and hope to make it up later.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the obsession on this board with taking Cal by 10th grade. I was always good at math, but I didn't take calculus until I was a senior in high school. And I got into an ivy league school where I graduated with honors. My kids are younger so I'm sure there's plenty to say about DC middle schools and high schools that I don't understand, but I truly don't understand why this is something people harp on here.

Once your kids are older you will understand.

+1. Math 20 years ago is nothing like math today. Cal in 12 th then was advance, not so today.
Same with college admittance. If you are going to any decent school at all for math, engineering, science, etc you only get to Cal by senior year, you are at the bottom. it’s a basic requirement. Other kids will be ahead and taking it easy in college while you will not.

The end.

But taking it easy in college will cost the actual last few years of their childhood.

Some families will do fine letting their older now adult children actually work to master the new to them math they will encounter in college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the obsession on this board with taking Cal by 10th grade. I was always good at math, but I didn't take calculus until I was a senior in high school. And I got into an ivy league school where I graduated with honors. My kids are younger so I'm sure there's plenty to say about DC middle schools and high schools that I don't understand, but I truly don't understand why this is something people harp on here.

Once your kids are older you will understand.

+1. Math 20 years ago is nothing like math today. Cal in 12 th then was advance, not so today.
Same with college admittance. If you are going to any decent school at all for math, engineering, science, etc you only get to Cal by senior year, you are at the bottom. it’s a basic requirement. Other kids will be ahead and taking it easy in college while you will not.

The end.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the obsession on this board with taking Cal by 10th grade. I was always good at math, but I didn't take calculus until I was a senior in high school. And I got into an ivy league school where I graduated with honors. My kids are younger so I'm sure there's plenty to say about DC middle schools and high schools that I don't understand, but I truly don't understand why this is something people harp on here.

Once your kids are older you will understand.

Or, you know, you won't.

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the obsession on this board with taking Cal by 10th grade. I was always good at math, but I didn't take calculus until I was a senior in high school. And I got into an ivy league school where I graduated with honors. My kids are younger so I'm sure there's plenty to say about DC middle schools and high schools that I don't understand, but I truly don't understand why this is something people harp on here.

Once your kids are older you will understand.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous[b wrote:]I don't understand the obsession on this board with taking Cal by 10th grade.[/b] I was always good at math, but I didn't take calculus until I was a senior in high school. And I got into an ivy league school where I graduated with honors. My kids are younger so I'm sure there's plenty to say about DC middle schools and high schools that I don't understand, but I truly don't understand why this is something people harp on here.

It's just a proxy for "acceptable school." That's it.

(So there are some parents who will limit their choices to the schools that offer Algebra 2 by 8th not actually because of that class, but because of what it means about the school as a whole -- the student body and the rest of the curriculum. I'm not bashing that, we are at a school on that short list and I do feel like my kids have a path towards success that I might not have felt at another school).