And the old system had many kids who seemed quite skilled in ES and able to go very fast..but when HS came around, they were not prepared. I wish my kids had had a more slow and steady approach. They are in advanced math classes and do well...but I know they should able to do much more in their heads then they do for example.

The problem here wasn't the acceleration it was the lack of rigor, especially in the upper levels. Slowing things down and forcing constant boring repetition doesn't create deeper understanding. You don't understand the meaning of word more deeply by saying it very S_L_O_W_L_Y again and again.

The problem in high school are the quality of teaching gets very sketchy fast. Some teachers are great and some barely understand the math they are presenting. The tests and quizzes are far too easy then and now. Students don't get to see their tests, quizzes and exams to study or learn where they are making mistakes.

The ES students are not learning math deeper, they are simply learning less math.

My son's class has covered Geometry (partition shapes), Measurement and Data (number lines, linear measurement, time on analog and digital clocks) and Operations/Algebraic Thinking-rectangular arrays. They seem to be sticking to single digit arithmetic. I believe I saw one worksheet with double digits. They seem behind in subtraction.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is still acceleration. It just doesn't start until 4th grade.

I think the problem is though that if you didn't get something other than what's offered in the classroom, you're not qualified for compacted math. My son's 2nd grade is still doing single digit addition.

Really. My daughter in second grade finished two-digit and three-digit addition and subtraction a while ago; then time; then fractions; and now they're working on arrays.

lucky you - this is not happening at our school

But that is a problem. The curriculum guide for second grade says that third-quarter math should have covered

• Geometry: Partition shapes into halves, thirds, fourths (circles,rectangles).
• Measurement and Data: Number lines to 100 (whole number lengths); linear measurement (units, tools, estimation); addition and subtraction situations involving linear measurement (within 100); time on analog and digital clocks (to nearest 5 minutes).
• Operations and Algebraic Thinking: Repeated addition (rectangular arrays of up to 5 rows and 5 columns)

And fourth-quarter math should cover

• Geometry: Attributes of shapes—recognize, describe, draw (triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, cubes).
• Number and Operations in Base Ten: Addition and subtraction within 1000 (concrete models, drawings, place value strategies, written methods).
• Operations and Algebraic Thinking: Addition and subtraction within 20 (sums of two 1-digit numbers from memory)

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/curriculum/elementary/parent-guide-curriculum2.0-grade2-en.pdf

If your son's class isn't getting that, why isn't it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is still acceleration. It just doesn't start until 4th grade.

I think the problem is though that if you didn't get something other than what's offered in the classroom, you're not qualified for compacted math. My son's 2nd grade is still doing single digit addition.

Really. My daughter in second grade finished two-digit and three-digit addition and subtraction a while ago; then time; then fractions; and now they're working on arrays.

lucky you - this is not happening at our school

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is still acceleration. It just doesn't start until 4th grade.

I think the problem is though that if you didn't get something other than what's offered in the classroom, you're not qualified for compacted math. My son's 2nd grade is still doing single digit addition.

Really. My daughter in second grade finished two-digit and three-digit addition and subtraction a while ago; then time; then fractions; and now they're working on arrays.

I think compacted math for 4 and 5 is just the beginning of changes. I think the number of kids will be expanded (parents will demand it). I think there will be more for the lower grades. Just my thoughts..I have no inside knowledge..but everything is cyclical. Too much acceleration..No acceleration..more acceleration..too much acceleration

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And the old system had many kids who seemed quite skilled in ES and able to go very fast..but when HS came around, they were not prepared. I wish my kids had had a more slow and steady approach. They are in advanced math classes and do well...but I know they should able to do much more in their heads then they do for example.

Side note here - as someone in a math heavy profession, "doing math in your head" is not nearly as important as understanding what is going on and being able to accurately solve the problem at hand or apply a technique to answer a particular question. I am not particularly good at calculating in my head. (of course, having quick recall of math facts 0-12 is another story - that is important)

Back to the original question - for the current kids getting absolutely no challenge - some acceleration would be better than what they have now.

I am not the PP, but I had the same experience as the PP with my kid who was accelerated and gets good grades, but has gaps and non-facilities as a result of the acceleration. And actually I think that a facility with mental math is part of understanding what is going on. Otherwise you might work through the algorithm, and make a careless mistake somewhere, and get an answer that can't be right -- but you don't notice.

I think being able to do math in our head shows a deeper understanding..to be able to break a problem down to series of simpler steps (which is different then just calculation or lots of memorization).

Anonymous wrote:There is still acceleration. It just doesn't start until 4th grade.

I think the problem is though that if you didn't get something other than what's offered in the classroom, you're not qualified for compacted math. My son's 2nd grade is still doing single digit addition.

Anonymous wrote:There is still acceleration. It just doesn't start until 4th grade.

we know this - and kids K-3 are bored

There is still acceleration. It just doesn't start until 4th grade.

Anonymous wrote:And the old system had many kids who seemed quite skilled in ES and able to go very fast..but when HS came around, they were not prepared. I wish my kids had had a more slow and steady approach. They are in advanced math classes and do well...but I know they should able to do much more in their heads then they do for example.

Side note here - as someone in a math heavy profession, "doing math in your head" is not nearly as important as understanding what is going on and being able to accurately solve the problem at hand or apply a technique to answer a particular question. I am not particularly good at calculating in my head. (of course, having quick recall of math facts 0-12 is another story - that is important)

Back to the original question - for the current kids getting absolutely no challenge - some acceleration would be better than what they have now.

And the old system had many kids who seemed quite skilled in ES and able to go very fast..but when HS came around, they were not prepared. I wish my kids had had a more slow and steady approach. They are in advanced math classes and do well...but I know they should able to do much more in their heads then they do for example.

Anonymous wrote:Another non-learner here. My kid did go to a Montessori preschool which probably got him off an "too advanced" start. This was all him though and he is just a quick learner. He is curious about math and reads math books on his own.

Anyways, that's not the point. The point is that the challenge is not there for him. A few years ago it would have been. Now, not so much.

A few years ago, it wouldn't have been either. The old system was not letting kids learn at their own pace. The old system was putting kids a year ahead, or rarely two years ahead. But it was still a year of math in a year. Not a challenge for a math lover and quick learner.

Anonymous wrote:Another non-learner here. My kid did go to a Montessori preschool which probably got him off an "too advanced" start. This was all him though and he is just a quick learner. He is curious about math and reads math books on his own.

Anyways, that's not the point. The point is that the challenge is not there for him. A few years ago it would have been. Now, not so much.

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