It sounds like our district is not the only one that is eliminating middle school algebra because the common core classes are supposed to have more breadth. Does anyone in this situation know what their high school math offerings will be? I saw the discussion of high school courses earlier on this thread, but does anyone know what sequence districts plan if algebra is moved to 9th grade?
My daughter is only in 4th, but I don't see how she can get through calculus in high school if they don't get to algebra until ninth grade. She is already working on prealgebra using AOPS. So we will have to work out an alternative plan. I'm concerned about the opportunities for other students, though, who may not have other options from what the school provides.
This is an interesting question because I am still unclear on what Common Core dictates for kids who are able to work ahead, as we are in NC where it was just adopted (officially). We were hoping to be in public school but are still in private school so far. For math, we recently discovered AoPS and DD has liked it so far, and we are very lucky this year in being at a private school where her teachers let her bring in her own math books. But we will have to go to another school next year or the year after because this school ends in 6th grade, and I am really dreading that.
Isn't it bizarre to hear (for example on NPR just a few days ago) how other countries' students are so far ahead of US students in math on the one hand, and on the other hand to see post after post on this website from parents who are trying to help their kids get the appropriate (accelerated) math level in school? What a total waste, and a total disconnect
I mean, if we were brainstorming about how to make the US more competitive in math, wouldn't we just 'flip' all the classrooms and let students move ahead at their own rate? How do other countries do it, anyway? Maybe pay the teachers a competitive wage, and treat them with respect?? (Coming from NC, where we are now 47th in teacher pay and the legislature recently decided to revoke teacher tenure and move to I think 2-year contracts. We have friends who are public school teachers, and I really feel badly for them--I can't imagine trying to keep my enthusiasm up in a job where the requirements change every year and every news story is about how teachers just aren't very good and should be measured/scrutinized/evaluated more frequently, and also be found wanting at a predetermined rate.)
Sorry--getting back to your math question, have you seen the essay by Richard Rusczyk (sp?) on the AoPS site about the value of learning more deeply for kids who are ahead in math? It's called the Calculus Trap, here:
https://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Resources/Papers/CalculusTrap.pdfI was trying to help DD move ahead linearly with courses (following her lead!) until recently, when I realized that even if she wanted to, unless we wanted to homeschool she would probably not be able to accelerate even in private school and so probably that would be a waste of time--we should go laterally with the math stuff. Plus now she has gotten into Tae Kwon Do, with a wonderful set of teachers, so I am happy to let that develop!
Best of luck!
