Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments How is compressed CC junior high math working?

This is not just your school district. It comes straight from Common Core. I have been reading a Common Core document that is published by the CA State Board of Education, that is badly copied from a MA state document. It clearly states that compaction should not take place until 7th grade. And then makes suggestions as to 7/8/9 or 9/10/11 compaction plans.

I'm not sure I like it either. My son effectively skipped 4th grade math and it was very easy for him. But that was back when math spiraled and his whole class did this entire grade "skip".

FWIW, our district has made some changes up through Algebra II as we align with common core (or at least I assume the changes were due to our district's decision to adopt common core - it's a little weird in that there was a lot of publicity about common core when the decision was made a few years ago, but the way the post-adopt-common-core math curriculum changes were explained doesn't refer to common core, just to a "recent change" in curriculum specs lol.

Answering the question "where is it best to compact? For kids who are good at math, I'd do it asap starting in early elementary. All I've seen over and over again in elementary school curriculums is spiral spiral spiral (no matter the curriculum used). My middle school dds are now using a math series of textbooks that are relatively new and I believe intended to follow common core, and I'll be honest - I wouldn't know where to start skipping over things, or compacting, or whatever... because the math books skip all over the replace, then repeat things that they learned years ago. Sometimes I honestly feel like my kids should have just skipped their entire elementary math program, it's that crazy-jumbled-up!

Sorry, I don't have much help to offer

polarbear

our district starts compacting in 3rd grade. The kids will complete 3-4-5-6 grade math in 3 years (complete in 5th grade) and then 7-8 grade math in 6th grade. They then take algebra in 7th and geometry in 8th. The magnet program compacts a year quicker for most kids (I do know of a 5th grader in algebra this year). So they have algebra II in 8th grade.

So the question becomes if your daughter had to do common core math, how would you like her to become accelerated given that nothing in the K-12 curriculum can be 'skipped'. At what point would be best for the subject matter to be taught faster. My experience tells me for kids gifted in math is it's really at the elementary level. [/quote]



I agree. My daughter who's District has a Magnet Program(3rd through 8th) got three years compacted into one in 3rd grade. I think now kids from 1st grade on get grouped by their ability. I'm guessing this would lessen the change with common core and have less of an effect by any junior high implementations. On a side note our District Junior high has a Discovery program which is a step below the Magnet Program but above the regular classroom. For example her Geometry class has magnet kids (7-8), Discover kids (8th) and 8th graders who are good in Math.

This type of obfuscation is not uncommon, however it IS possible to know what has shifted in your district's curriculum. Public (government run) schools in the United States are subject to transparency laws sometimes called sunshine laws, which require open records to be shared upon request. Specifically, a parent or taxpayer can request to see the alignment documents. These will show what was added, deleted, changed, moved up one or more grades, moved down one or more grades.

Nicoledad.. they "say" they are grouping by ability in the lower grades but that isn't really happening until 3rd grade and even then my son is not in a class with anyone even close to him in ability. He has said all he has learned in math is to write neater. If he had gotten into the magnet, he would be in a much different place in math. (they are in the middle of 4th grade math in the accelerated 3rd grade math program)

I am from lonestar state and the document I got says the new CC for Algebra I includes 30 of previous Algebra I, 1 of grade 8, 1 of Geometry, 6 of Algebra II, 2 of preCal, 6 brand new TEKS and 35% new content to grade level. Geometry has 24% new contents and Algebra II has 13% new contents.

My DD is 10, 6th grade and doing Algebra I and she will be doing dual enrollment in HS. I am not in a rush for her to go to college and compacting more from here on out won't be as beneficial. And AP/honor classes (at least in her would be HS) have tons of homework. If she desires, she may do online classes like Coursera, too.

IMO, keeping kids in holding pattern during elementary years will stunt their growth. When they get older (in MS and HS), they could pursue other interests. HS in some sense is like elementary; they give a lot of homework to make sure the kids get it but sort of repetitive to PG kids.

Some may say this conflates giftedness with opportunity. Possibly the example of Geometry by 8th grade is predicated on a student placed at grade-level with chronological age peers, then subject accelerated in math, therefore taking Geometry at age 13-14 (if red-shirted, age 14-15).

As frequently read on parent discussion forums of gifted issues, some schools do not make this opportunity available for various reasons, some of which may include the school being evaluated on closing the achievement/excellence gap: Students may be allowed to advance not in reflection upon their ability and readiness as individuals, but based upon the schools' desire to mirror the statistical representation of each ethnicity in the school population, in its advanced academics courses.

Yes, there are many articles on underachievement which raise awareness of this. A quick search of the Davidson Database shows 234 entries on underachievement.

With public schools being evaluated on closing the achievement/excellence gap, stunting the growth the gifted kids (sometimes referred to as cutting down tall poppies), may be employed purposefully as a strategy to ensure equal outcomes.

I think the problem with a District that has 22 grade schools is that not all of them are doing the same thing. As MAP and ISAT indicate some schools are better rated than others. There are 23 magnet kids in 7th grade. 5 came from her original grade school. I think unfortunately as others said before me that with common core there is really no benefit for gifted kids.