I think you are splitting hairs here. Seriously. How different could it really be? It's Alg. I Hons. vs. Alg. I Hons. Maybe the kids in a particular class are different, but in either case, it's going to be pretty much the same.

This really should not take up more than a minute of your time on this earth. I guarantee you that life is going to get more complicated as your kid rising into HS and then college. Whatever is taught in your kid's version of Alg. I Hons will suite him or her just fine. They all funnel into Geometry Hons. and then Alg. II honors and then trig/precalc. No one is "winning" a race just b/c they were in the 7th grade section of Alg. I Hons.

I suspect that the MS determines if it is a mixed class or not. I can see the TJ Feeder schools, like Carson, designing a 7th Grade Algebra Honors class that is more challenging and only for 7th graders while a school that has fewer kids focused on TJ might have a mixed class.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most AAP kids take either

7th grade: Math7 Honors or Algebra 1 H (which is usually all 7th grade students)
8th grade: Algebra 1 Honors or Geometry H

A few very talented/accelerated kids (a handful at each center--which is already only comprised of a handful of kids from each ES) take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade (and on very unusual occasion--like for a math prodigy-- in 5th grade)


A general college prep track might take Algebra 1 H or Algebra 1 in 8th or 9th grade.

So an AAP kid who doesn't get into algebra in 7th grade does math 7 honors in 7th and Algebra 1 in 8th?

yes.

And it seems that this kid can do either Algebra Honors or regular Algebra in 8th. But my question to people is: how does Algebra Honors in 8th compare to the Algebra class that the 7th grader takes? I asked a counselor and he said they were the same but I kind of doubt it.

Why do you doubt the counselor? It's the same class at DC's middle school. There were 8th graders in the Algebra 1 honors class my DC took in 7th grade.

Maybe it depends on the school. I doubt the counselor because my seventh grader started out in Algebra and dropped--so I have seen how incredibly challenging the 7th grade Algebra class is. (Math 7 H is in a totally different league, an effortless A for my son, who really struggled in Algebra.) Also, the 7th grade Algebra teacher spent the whole BTSN talking about how much effort and thought went into designing this particular class for only the very strongest 7th grade minds. I'd love to think that the 8th grade Algebra 1 Honors is the same as the 7th grade class but it would contradict the math teacher's assertions (or what was implied in his comments). And, to your point, at my school the grades are not mixed, leading me to believe that the classes/curricula are different.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
And it seems that this kid can do either Algebra Honors or regular Algebra in 8th. But my question to people is: how does Algebra Honors in 8th compare to the Algebra class that the 7th grader takes? I asked a counselor and he said they were the same but I kind of doubt it.

Why do you doubt the counselor? It's the same class at DC's middle school. There were 8th graders in the Algebra 1 honors class my DC took in 7th grade.

DP, but if the school has separate sections for 7th grade Honors Algebra than they have for 8th grade Honors Algebra, I would wonder the same thing as PP. If the classes are exactly the same, why not mix the 7th and 8th graders?

Often times it's more for large schools to work out schedules. Kids who are taking Algebra 1H in 7th grade are often taking a suite of other honors 7th grade courses + band/orchestra + first year of foreign language. They plan schedules to work this way. In my kids' experiences, the 7th grade Algebra 1H course seemed more rigorous than the 8th grade Algebra 1H course--but largely because of the peer group--there were more kids super into math. The content/curriculum was exactly the same.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
And it seems that this kid can do either Algebra Honors or regular Algebra in 8th. But my question to people is: how does Algebra Honors in 8th compare to the Algebra class that the 7th grader takes? I asked a counselor and he said they were the same but I kind of doubt it.

Why do you doubt the counselor? It's the same class at DC's middle school. There were 8th graders in the Algebra 1 honors class my DC took in 7th grade.

DP, but if the school has separate sections for 7th grade Honors Algebra than they have for 8th grade Honors Algebra, I would wonder the same thing as PP. If the classes are exactly the same, why not mix the 7th and 8th graders?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most AAP kids take either

7th grade: Math7 Honors or Algebra 1 H (which is usually all 7th grade students)
8th grade: Algebra 1 Honors or Geometry H

A few very talented/accelerated kids (a handful at each center--which is already only comprised of a handful of kids from each ES) take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade (and on very unusual occasion--like for a math prodigy-- in 5th grade)


A general college prep track might take Algebra 1 H or Algebra 1 in 8th or 9th grade.

So an AAP kid who doesn't get into algebra in 7th grade does math 7 honors in 7th and Algebra 1 in 8th?

yes.

And it seems that this kid can do either Algebra Honors or regular Algebra in 8th. But my question to people is: how does Algebra Honors in 8th compare to the Algebra class that the 7th grader takes? I asked a counselor and he said they were the same but I kind of doubt it.

Why do you doubt the counselor? It's the same class at DC's middle school. There were 8th graders in the Algebra 1 honors class my DC took in 7th grade.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mat comes quite easy to my kid. However, he did not qualify for Algebra, so he took Math 7 Honors and, again, it's his "easiest" class, but he said that several kids in his class struggle. He never mentioned that anyone from Algebra dropped down to Math 7 Honors. Just some facts. I guess you never know until you try.

PS: He's happy in Math 7 honors because it's "easy" and he really, really likes his teacher. Never has he wished he got into Algebra. He's happy. I'm happy. It's all good.

So what will he take next year as an 8th grader?

Anonymous wrote:Mat comes quite easy to my kid. However, he did not qualify for Algebra, so he took Math 7 Honors and, again, it's his "easiest" class, but he said that several kids in his class struggle. He never mentioned that anyone from Algebra dropped down to Math 7 Honors. Just some facts. I guess you never know until you try.

DD takes math 7 honors and she reports that quite a few kids dropped out of Algebra I and are now in her class.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Is Algebra Honors easier than Algebra I in 8th? I'm soooooooooo confused.

Algebra I non-Honors is going to be "easier" than Alg I HONORS. The "honors" part means it has Algebra II in it as well (and it comes with a .5 gpa bump b/c of the "honors").

This. Algebra 1 honors would only be “easy” if the teacher was an easy grader, lax, etc. it is not an easy class.

DP, but I don't think that's what the PP was asking. Some middle schools have "7th grade only" sections of Algebra I Honors. Are those the same or harder than the 8th grade sections of Algebra I Honors.

In theory, Algebra I Honors should be the same class, regardless of whether it's taken in 7th or 8th. In practice, the kids who qualified for 7th grade Algebra generally have more math aptitude than those who didn't. If the school has Algebra I Honors sections that are restricted to only 7th graders, those classes may move faster or cover more. I think my middle school mixes 7th and 8th graders for Honors Algebra I, and I don't know how common or uncommon that is in FCPS.

Anonymous wrote:Mat comes quite easy to my kid. However, he did not qualify for Algebra, so he took Math 7 Honors and, again, it's his "easiest" class, but he said that several kids in his class struggle. He never mentioned that anyone from Algebra dropped down to Math 7 Honors. Just some facts. I guess you never know until you try.

PS: He's happy in Math 7 honors because it's "easy" and he really, really likes his teacher. Never has he wished he got into Algebra. He's happy. I'm happy. It's all good.

Mat comes quite easy to my kid. However, he did not qualify for Algebra, so he took Math 7 Honors and, again, it's his "easiest" class, but he said that several kids in his class struggle. He never mentioned that anyone from Algebra dropped down to Math 7 Honors. Just some facts. I guess you never know until you try.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most AAP kids take either

7th grade: Math7 Honors or Algebra 1 H (which is usually all 7th grade students)
8th grade: Algebra 1 Honors or Geometry H

A few very talented/accelerated kids (a handful at each center--which is already only comprised of a handful of kids from each ES) take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade (and on very unusual occasion--like for a math prodigy-- in 5th grade)


A general college prep track might take Algebra 1 H or Algebra 1 in 8th or 9th grade.

So an AAP kid who doesn't get into algebra in 7th grade does math 7 honors in 7th and Algebra 1 in 8th?

yes.

And it seems that this kid can do either Algebra Honors or regular Algebra in 8th. But my question to people is: how does Algebra Honors in 8th compare to the Algebra class that the 7th grader takes? I asked a counselor and he said they were the same but I kind of doubt it.

Is Algebra Honors easier than Algebra I in 8th? I'm soooooooooo confused.

Algebra I non-Honors is going to be "easier" than Alg I HONORS. The "honors" part means it has Algebra II in it as well (and it comes with a .5 gpa bump b/c of the "honors").

This. Algebra 1 honors would only be “easy” if the teacher was an easy grader, lax, etc. it is not an easy class.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most AAP kids take either

7th grade: Math7 Honors or Algebra 1 H (which is usually all 7th grade students)
8th grade: Algebra 1 Honors or Geometry H

A few very talented/accelerated kids (a handful at each center--which is already only comprised of a handful of kids from each ES) take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade (and on very unusual occasion--like for a math prodigy-- in 5th grade)


A general college prep track might take Algebra 1 H or Algebra 1 in 8th or 9th grade.

So an AAP kid who doesn't get into algebra in 7th grade does math 7 honors in 7th and Algebra 1 in 8th?

yes.

And it seems that this kid can do either Algebra Honors or regular Algebra in 8th. But my question to people is: how does Algebra Honors in 8th compare to the Algebra class that the 7th grader takes? I asked a counselor and he said they were the same but I kind of doubt it.

Is Algebra Honors easier than Algebra I in 8th? I'm soooooooooo confused.

Algebra I non-Honors is going to be "easier" than Alg I HONORS. The "honors" part means it has Algebra II in it as well (and it comes with a .5 gpa bump b/c of the "honors").

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most AAP kids take either

7th grade: Math7 Honors or Algebra 1 H (which is usually all 7th grade students)
8th grade: Algebra 1 Honors or Geometry H

A few very talented/accelerated kids (a handful at each center--which is already only comprised of a handful of kids from each ES) take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade (and on very unusual occasion--like for a math prodigy-- in 5th grade)


A general college prep track might take Algebra 1 H or Algebra 1 in 8th or 9th grade.

So an AAP kid who doesn't get into algebra in 7th grade does math 7 honors in 7th and Algebra 1 in 8th?

yes.

And it seems that this kid can do either Algebra Honors or regular Algebra in 8th. But my question to people is: how does Algebra Honors in 8th compare to the Algebra class that the 7th grader takes? I asked a counselor and he said they were the same but I kind of doubt it.

Is Algebra Honors easier than Algebra I in 8th? I'm soooooooooo confused.

It may depend on the school. In my kid's school, 7th and 8th graders mix for math classes. So Alg I hons is the same because both 7th graders and 8th graders are in it.