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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,489
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,489 |
My older son really wants harder classes.
I really wish they could dial up Spanish for him. I realize that it is hard to do that while building vocabulary and grammar from scratch but he HATES with a passion the stupid group projects that just waste time (really if you could hear him talk about them you would agree...I know not all group projects are stupid, these particular ones just happen to be). Spanish is really practical for where I live but I think he might have been happier in a very rigorous Latin course of study (unfortunately not offered by his school). From what I understand Spanish III (becomes honors level at that point) and the two AP Spanish classes are where the challenge and intensity pick up. Unfortunately he has to slog through the rest of this year in Spanish I and next year in Spanish II.
Honors math classes aren't hard enough for him but it isn't like he knows the math already. He needs the class. He gets 100% on practically everything. This is one where if they would just pick up the pace to one and a half speed it would make it more challenging for him (but then lose the other kids in the process).
BUT even though he would love harder, harder, harder. Sometimes I think it is nice that school isn't 100% a grind. (He doesn't look at it that way). Spanish is my DS's easy easy A right now. I'm not complaining. I almost put this class as my 3rd point, last year second semester he had a teacher who according to DS he learned a lot more from, but he got a worse grade from him. Mostly because of one assignment DS would just freeze on. Learning the vocabulary is really a piece of cake for him. I'm glad because I really struggle myself with learning languages. I wanted him to take Latin, we have a great program. But I left it up to him and I can't exactly complain about learning Spanish when it's such a practical language.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 3,428
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 3,428 |
It's a real mixed message: "You don't have to be perfect. But if you don't get all A's, you limit your choices." Blergh. Yeah.
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,007
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,007 |
It's a real mixed message: "You don't have to be perfect. But if you don't get all A's, you limit your choices." Blergh. Yeah. It's all about being the perfect level of perfect. It's extremely difficult to hit that target, but those who hit it can achieve true greatness.
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,181
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,181 |
Whether that comes with inpatient care is the only real question.
Schrödinger's cat walks into a bar. And doesn't.
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,035
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,035 |
How much homework would he have if he chose a couple of sure to get an A courses? Would it be feasible to take an on line course for challenge? We have such a different system but we do run into the no time for wkectives which is sad for high school but has been that way at least since I was there.
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,363
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,363 |
My son will be a junior next year. Regardless of if he takes BC or AB Calculus next year, there is the question of what to take for math senior year. The standard for these students in my district is to either take AP Computer Science or AP Statistics. Not really satisfactory. Most of the juniors who take Calculus takes BC because they are the ones on the fast track. My son fell off the top track because of grades last year and is in regular pre-calc with juniors & seniors. The juniors will mostly take AB Calc next year. Our ds is in the same place - will take AP Calc as a junior. I'm anticipating he'll take BC Calc. The choices here for the next course for seniors (or others) who've gone through the full AP Calc BC course are either AP Stats, AP Computer Science, or taking a higher level math course at our local uni. polarbear
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 235
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 235 |
It seems strange the school doesn't have a multivariable calculus class for kids who take BC junior year. The AP Computer Science and AP Stats can be taken before senior year.
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 128
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 128 |
DS is in 6th and taking Alg II/Math III. Any math courses he takes at the middle school will show up on his hs transcript and the number grade will be listed but not included in his hs gpa calculation. (His school is on a 4 pt grading scale and number grades are never seen so this will be interesting as apparently they do track his actual grade. It is practically impossible to get a 4 yet a 2 is an unlikely grade so he has straight 3s...)
Most likely he will finish middle school with Math I/Alg I, II/Geo, III/Alg II plus pre-calc and another math class. We struggled with trying to "play the game" by having him not take math til high school but decided to go ahead and be challenged. I am not certain if we made the right decision from a college perspective but he has done very well and enjoyed the math this year...this discussion has been very interesting to see others dealing with the same issue.
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,489
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,489 |
It seems strange the school doesn't have a multivariable calculus class for kids who take BC junior year. The AP Computer Science and AP Stats can be taken before senior year. Yup.. since we have a HUGE number of students who take it junior year. And we are an 'award' winning school with kids who win national math awards every year. But the administrator of the district doesn't believe in offering multi-variable. (This has been the top track for over 20 years) AP Stats can be taken as soon as you have passed a course with trig in it and AP Computer Science after Algebra II. It's an issue that we discussed in the committee I was on the the general consensus was to re-tool the program so more kids (even the honors track) took AP Calc senior year rather than in junior year. It's all changing over the next few years because of Common Core anyway.
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 235
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 235 |
Our district seems to be going in the opposite direction. On the Math curriculum night at middle school they handed out a sheet with all the possible tracksThey have had multivariable for a while in the district but this was the first it was part of the actual sequence. some kids can actually take it junior year
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