Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Middle School Why Is Algebra a Big Deal?

The real world is ALL WORD PROBLEMS!!

If I had one piece of advice to give it is that most math is not number crunching. Its talking to someone about their issue, gathering information, choosing a method, setting up the problems, making sure conditions are met, then finally running the numbers, then convincing others you are right.

I usually get a phone call or an email, go to lunch, listen to a tale of woe, then get to dig in, fix the issue, write up the issue, then discuss it with the person, provide further background if they have another audience to communicate with. Sometimes I go with a much simpler approach that is wrong in some respects, but which is more easily grasped and used.

Just being good at math is not enough!! You have to be able to talk about it.

I think most intelligent people have an intuitive grasp for math, they just do not know how to communicate in mathematical terms nor do they know how to BE SURE they are right.

Our Middle schools have had a very unique approach to math. There is an advanced math program called GEM (Great Explorations in Math) which children can start in the 6th grade. The GEM program is separte from the gifted program. Not all gifted kids get in and quite a few children who are not gifted get in. They are looking for very high scores on our states standardized math test and they also need to have a passable reading score. In 6th grade they take Pre-Algebra, In 7th grade, they take High School Honors Algebra I, and in 8th grade, they take High School Honors Geometry II. In 9th Grade when they start High School, they have 2 high school credits in math and then move on to Algebra II. I believe most kids stay with the Honors math classes as well as through High School. The school district however has decided that this year would be the last year they would let 6th graders into the program. The children in the program will be allowed to continue on the same pass as before, however in the future new children will not start until their 7th grade year keeping them only one math grade ahead of the majority of the children versus two years previously.

Yes Kriston, I think it more depends on the teacher and the DC interest. But I can see if a person is not very visual, manipulating shapes in space might be more difficult.

Where Algebra came to me easily, I had to "work at" geometry and some of the Calculus problems that involved rotating on an axis. When I teach my students, I try to remember how this feels since I am fortunate enough to usually understand most of this fairly fast.
I worked at picturing where and how a shape would end up if changed and it took some time and effort - just like the distributive property did for my students.
Derivatives and such, I absolutely loved.

I think that Algebra is the first course where you can really distinguish which kids understand math and which were merely memorizing up to this point. In our charter school you are tested into an appropriate math class.
Taking algebra early will not make one a good mathematician. Starting to problem solve early will. My 8th grader is in pre-calc righ now but it is not helping him be good in math competitions. In fact none of the competitions up to USAMO (included) require any calculus knowledge. Yes, you might solve certain problems faster if you know calculus, but speed is not a problem once you reach AIME

I am probably beginning to sound like a broken record on this board, but I will repeat it again. So what that so and so has started in algebra early? Proves nothing! If your kids are interested in math forget about fighting the school about curriculm and begin problem solving journey with them. Involve them in mathcounts, math olympiad, american math competition etc.
Charging ahead in math curriculum is not going to make your kid learn faster and be less bored. Chances are he/she will still end up in the class of regular kids, no math geniuses, and no matter what the class is, it will still be too slow for your kid.
Yes, you have to take matters into your own hands most of the time, but you will love the results...

Ania, I hope this doesn�t come across as hero worship, but I am very grateful for the information that you post, specifically regarding math. As a direct result of info you have provided in the past, my son has taken an AoPS algebra course and has been participating in a math circle at a nearby U since the beginning of the school year. As a result of a conversation I had with a YSer parent I met at math circle, ds will likely start with a local summer/after school math program (number theory/counting and probability, ect.) designed just for gifted middle school kids. I will keep looking for the opportunity for math team competitions-No, I�m not qualified to lead one.
Thanks!

Yes, sometimes faster is the best available, but that doesn't mean it's the best. It's good to be reminded that sometimes these kids really need different--in the form of problem-solving and critical thinking when it comes to math.

I third the thanks, Ania!

Hm.
My dad taught me some light algebra before I took the sat when I was in 7th or 8th grade, I think I picked it up ok. I am very strong verbally and visually although pretty sketchy with actual computation. (At least one of our apples did not fall far from this tree.)
When I got to 9th grade to take it (again) it was soooo boring, it was one of the few classes I really hated. Geometry I have very much enjoyed and did well in calc.

OT, but on the 'manipulating shapes in space' thing, one real 'aha!' moment for me in school was in college chemistry class; the spectography just really clicked for me. I found myself raising my hand with 'wild' guesses about 'what molecule this is' and getting a lot right. Very bizarre.

I am currently taking gemotry right now. I jumped out of algebra in the middle of the year. I think that algebra shouldn't be a full semester class because as soon as you know one thing in algebra you know them all. The only reason I got out of algebra so late is because the school didn't want me going ahead.

First why can't all Algebra be named the same so as not to confuse those of us who are already confused?

Could someone please share more about the AoPS textbooks mentioned?

My DD9 is working on ALEKS LV6 using yourteacher.com pre-algebra to make sure she gets a little more on each topic. The school district said that based on testing from the beginning of the school year she would be in 7th or 8th grade math by their "standards" from that point in time. She has moved forward exponentially from then. It doesn't help much because standards are so varied.

We are looking for suggestion and ideas when deciding a path from here. We are looking at the PLATO Algebra I which would be a pre-algebra or middle school algebra. Some of the examples look like review but it would be a start. She would then be able to take their Algebra II and then Geometry.

"PLATO� Algebra I, Part 1 is a pre-algebra curriculum that teaches students the foundation skills they need to understand and apply basic algebraic concepts. In Part II, students work with sets and numbers, polynomials and factoring, and equations and inequalities."

Would the AoPS textbooks be a good companion to this plan? Are their other suggestions or curriculum? We have considered other classes from the online virtual school but PLATO would allow her to move at her pace. I was also looking at the AoPS online classes. I'm sure I remember someone using them as well, please share?