Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Algebra 1 at a young age?

Id have to go with Madinuk on this:

"IMO, mental readiness trumps calendar age."

If your son feels comfortable and wants to I highly recommend it. Chances are he will comprehend the math while being able to excel at it. At age 9 I was already reading high school level books in technology. While I did not understand all of it, what I did I enjoyed. And when time came, what I did not understand came easier to me latter "ahhh, I remember reading that. I did not get it but now it makes sense" To me that made it all the more fun.

my dd took algebra 1 in 6th grade and had no problems (she turned 11 two days after starting 6th so she was pretty young too). She took geometry in 7th, and is now taking algebra 2/trig in 8th and so far sailing through. Next year she takes precalc, and in 10th AP calculus. If a child is mentally ready their age should not be a factor.

My 8th grader should be taking pre-calculus in 9th grade and then AP calculus in 10th and 11th grader. No problems so far. The only problem will be in 12th grade, since there won't be any math at the high school to take. We live in a university town and he could hopefully enroll to take a university math class in 12th grade.

I don't have any advice since we aren't quite there yet but my 9 year old (fourth grade) is currently doing a combination of pre-algebra and algebra with 3 5th graders. I'm not sure what will happen next year since the 5th graders will have graduated and gone onto middle school. I think the key is to do it in a school that is flexible. If it doesn't work out will they let the child re-take it? Or back up to a lower level temporarily? Can they be flexible with the assignments? Or are they going to treat little kids like they are 15 with the executive functioning of 15 year olds?

I've posted about my not-especially-mathy DD here before, who was tracked into advanced math based on testing. Last year at age 11, algebra was not really connecting for her. (She was in pre-algebra, but some units definitely involved actual algebra). It seemed developmental. Interestingly enough, this year she's doing much better, with a teacher whose reputation is far less stellar. She says she "just gets it" now. There may be other factors at play, but I suspect there was a brain growth/maturity thing that had to happen and did.

I think our district gives kids an Algebra Readiness test if they are suggesting acceleration. May be something to ask about.