Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Which math class?

Oh, and FWIW, the DC described above went from a traditional (one might say, the anti-CC) curriculum (Saxon 6/5 & Saxon 8/7) into Pearson CC Algebra I.

On the MAP, the survey with goals test should have around 52 items. There is also a briefer survey test that only has about 20 items. If he had way more items, then possibly the others didn't take the long version, and possibly he took both versions.

longcut - maybe this is one you are looking for?

http://giftedissues.davidsongifted....7632/Preparing_for_the_new_math_SAT.html

http://giftedissues.davidsongifted.org/BB/ubbthreads.php/topics/227906/More_algebra_talk.html

FWIW, would recommend that your child does the AoPS preAlg before anything else.

We also live in a rural area (within low shot as well as bow shot of real live cattle) so we too have felt the pain of having a child that would be an outlier in city populations let alone where we live.

We managed to get our child's 4th grade teacher to allow her to do the AoPS preAlg chapter work (we would print it out so as not to make her too conspicuous) during class time and then do the class one evening a week. After doing this class she ceilinged on the Maths section of the Explore.

In 5th the wheels came off a bit as the Maths teacher was very anti-gifted so our child had to do the AoPS Alg I after school which sucked a bit but she stayed interested and challenged (just not in school).

Middle school starts in 6th here in our SD and after a placement test that the teacher did her best to sabotage DD still was placed into the CC 'advanced' Alg I class (8th grade). We went along to try to get her in a class with more 'peer like' kids. Now almost at the end of the year DD reports that AoPS preAlg was harder so the link up thread about Alg I being diluted may have some merit.

Next year DD will be bused to the HS honours Geometry program which will be on trial as far as we are concerned. Maths is first period so if DD is not comfortable in the HS (she is 11) then we will just have her do the AoPS Geometry from home and then take her to the MS for second period on. If the HS works out then DD will circle back through the AoPS curriculum once done with PS Maths.

We are in no hurry for her to go to college - she has been whole grade accelerated already and while she complains about the slow pace of everything we are not willing to put her through any more skips. This seems to be the best plan given what we know so far but we have already learned to write plans using pencil not ink LOL

One thing that I have to say that I am deeply grateful for is the MS principal and her current Maths teacher have been massively supportive of our DD. I read posts everyday here about the willful ignorance and pigheadedness of some SDs - my DD is online friends with a fellow DYS girl whose mother is a frequent poster here, her friend has an even higher LOG than her but a much stupider SD administration so she is still stuck in regular 5th grade Maths A lot just comes down to luck...

Yes! Thank you! Much to think about.

And thank you madeinuk, as well. I asked DS about taking an advanced class independently and he's intrigued. I might have him do the AoPS pre-Algebra regardless, and keep it in mind for DD here in a year or two.

Being stuck in a class when you are in the 99% is he'll on earth. I don't reccamend it.

I am interested in your thoughts on this -- what makes a class or way of learning work for you?

I find it very interesting that people on this forum seem to have experiences that indicate that the version on the RIT/MAP test changes the question bank and therefore greatly impacts how to interpret the scores. My DS6 in first grade, scored a 147 on his winter MAP-P, and was then switched into a 3rd grade math class. I questioned the district's acceleration/enrichment specialist on the version of the test and whether or not he could take the 2-5 version with his math class instead of his homeroom. They were very clear that the test would automatically move into the next set of questions and there was no difference. I doubted this information, based on what I've learned here and read on the NWEA website. My son just took the end of year test (I don't know how he scored), but his "scrap" paper that he used had some pretty impressive problems on it. He was trying to figure out 14 divided by 4, as he said he need it to solve a larger problem. He said the test was hard. He has strong mathematical reasoning skills, which I think helps him to make correct guesses when given multiple choice questions, even in topics he has little experience with.

Personally, I'm not putting too much weight on his score. I think his needs are being met, as he will be in a compacted 4th/5th grade math program next year as a second grader. Just wanted to add what our school district is saying about the test. (BTW, our school district is the largest in our state). Either NWEA is not communicating clearly with our school district, or perhaps it's true that the tests can access other question banks?

According to this NWEA info, there are criteria for switching test level at least for the 6+, but I recall seeing a mention of when to switch to the 2-5 test somewhere else, will see if I can find it. If I'd know it was 231, I'd have requested it this spring - how frustrating the schools don't know this. Common Core MAP Mathematics: NWEA Recommendations for Transitioning Students from 2 – 5 to 6+

"Although the items contained within the 2 – 5 and 6+ versions of the test are all calibrated to the same RIT scale, the differences in content between the two versions of the test can mean that a new sixth grade student, particularly a high-performing one, may see items within the 6+ test that measure content areas to which s/he has never been exposed. This can result in a perceived drop in performance when transitioning between the 2 – 5 test in the spring of fifth grade to the 6+ test in the fall of sixth grade. This may partially explain why the drop in score is higher for high-achieving students than for lower-achieving ones.

Based on these observations, our recommendation is that students who score at the 90th percentile (231) or higher on the 2 – 5 mathematics test in the fall of fifth grade be transitioned into more advanced sixth grade (or higher) instruction, if their teachers and parents agree that they are ready, and if other indicators such as grades are consistent with their high MAP test scores. Going forward, they should be transitioned into the 6+ MAP test during any subsequent testing seasons, after they have begun to receive instruction in the more advanced content."

HiMom2R&R - I know that we've chatted before on this issue: http://giftedissues.davidsongifted....st_time_here_RIT_math_sc.html#Post218414, but I'll just share that my DYS DS7 has now had an identical score on the MAP-P and the MAP 2-5 and the types of problems that he needed to solve on the 2-5 to get the same score are not even comparable. So, oddly, although his score does not reflect it, I feel strongly that he has made growth. I believe this both based on the questions he said that he needed to answer on both versions, as well, as yes...I saw his scratch paper.

Since we are talking about RIT/MAP test a bit here, I have a question regarding the test.

DS9 in third grade scored 224 on his spring math MAP test. He is in challenged math class which is about half year accelerated in math. A girl in his homeroom class who is in the advanced math class (one full year acceleration) scored 250 something. Does the exposure to the material have an effect on the score if the same test is given?

I am wondering about this because I have been advocating for my DYS DS7 to get into third grade challenged math class (instead of differentiation in class) when he's in 2nd grade. However, the school will not consider this option until he takes the MAP test and CogAT in the fall. I currently use Beast Academy as supplement for him on the weekends and will move in a faster pace during the summer. I am wondering if this will help with his MAP test score in the fall.

TIA