Blowing off SOL prep from FCPS? (Orange, Cana: sales, coupon, school)

[CaliTerp07]

Originally Posted by Alltheusernamesaretaken

The elementary and middle school kids don't have to, though.

This is middle school. Algebra is technically a high school course, but the majority of FCPS students now take it in middle school.

[CaliTerp07]

Originally Posted by Alltheusernamesaretaken

Which is infuriating because the reason the school is so invested in the scores is because of the $$$ it makes for them. Sigh.

That is likely why the district/county is concerned. At the individual school level, we're concerned because if we don't get the pass numbers we need, we get in huge trouble from the county. At my student teaching school, they took away the ability to offer electives and forced remedial math classes instead after student pass rates didn't rise high enough. They also began forcing core teachers to submit lesson plans to county officials ahead of time for "review". It was a really authoritarian, depressing atmosphere to teach in.

[Alltheusernamesaretaken]

Originally Posted by CaliTerp07

That is likely why the district/county is concerned. At the individual school level, we're concerned because if we don't get the pass numbers we need, we get in huge trouble from the county. At my student teaching school, they took away the ability to offer electives and forced remedial math classes instead after student pass rates didn't rise high enough. They also began forcing core teachers to submit lesson plans to county officials ahead of time for "review". It was a really authoritarian, depressing atmosphere to teach in.

Right. I understand. (I used to teach.)
The current atmosphere takes all the enthusiasm and creativity a lot of teachers have to offer and just squashes it.
Which really sucks, to put it bluntly.

[Alltheusernamesaretaken]

Originally Posted by CaliTerp07

This is middle school.

I was under the impression it was just high school. I stand corrected, then.

Algebra is technically a high school course, but the majority of FCPS students now take it in middle school

There was a great article in the Post, I think last year?, about how the middle-school brain
is not ready for algebra but so many schools/parents push it anyway.

[CaliTerp07]

Originally Posted by Alltheusernamesaretaken

There was a great article in the Post, I think last year?, about how the middle-school brain
is not ready for algebra but so many schools/parents push it anyway.

Completely, COMPLETELY agree. I have recommended that about 20% of my students retake algebra next year in high school. I will be shocked if any of them actually do (other than the handful who end up failing all 4 quarters and will be required to).

There is an unspoken belief that it is better to have students take algebra twice if they fail the first time than to let them languish in math 8 and take algebra for the first time as freshmen. And that many kids will step up to the challenge and succeed in algebra if give the chance in 8th grade. Personally, I think that's just a huge self esteem killer and makes kids hate math all the more. At best, those borderline kids are getting C's, which sets them up to get C's in math for the rest of their high school career. (If you only know 70% of algebra, there's no way most people will get an A in geometry the next year--since geometry is essentially applied algebra.)

I would love to see math 8 done away with and spread algebra over 2 years for the kids who need extra practice and more time to process. I could easily cover a whole year on just one/two step equations and manipulating variables to graph lines, so that by the time they took "real" algebra as freshmen they had a solid understanding of the basics that are built on in all the other units.

Instead, students struggle in algebra, or sit in math 8 learning about venn diagrams and the real number system, and then struggle in algebra as freshmen.

BUT...that's a whole 'nother thread.

[Yankeesfan]

Bravo, CaliTerp! Too bad that in this case the problem of pushing kids too soon comes from both the schools AND the parents.

[Yankeesfan]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

My wife and I both teach elementary students in FCPS. We have never seen a sign-off sheet like that go home with students. I personally don't send home very much for review. It's pretty much business as usual up into May and then some pretty typical review a little before testing. No reason to stress the kids out about it.

Once again, you're a voice of sense and reason regarding the schools. I remember the first year kids had to take the SOLs, FCPS drove parents into a frenzy of anxiety. Then I would hear my kids' friends and teammates talking about them and they would shrug it off -- no big deal to them. To them it was just another test and they were fine with it.

[jillabean]

My daughter is in second grade. I know she doesn't take the SOLs in her grade, but she has had some standardized testing and I never prepare her for it. I figure the point of those tests is to be a measure of where she is (either academically, mentally, etc.) Studying for those kinds of tests kind of ruins the point.

Originally Posted by CaliTerp07

There is an unspoken belief that it is better to have students take algebra twice if they fail the first time than to let them languish in math 8 and take algebra for the first time as freshmen. And that many kids will step up to the challenge and succeed in algebra if give the chance in 8th grade. Personally, I think that's just a huge self esteem killer and makes kids hate math all the more. At best, those borderline kids are getting C's, which sets them up to get C's in math for the rest of their high school career. (If you only know 70% of algebra, there's no way most people will get an A in geometry the next year--since geometry is essentially applied algebra.)

On an aside, I hated algebra for the very reasons you mention. I was put in an "advanced placement" class in middle school and took algebra. I did miserable and I couldn't understand it (I needed to know "why" not just "how"). I didn't like that there was no practical application for some of what we learned either (I am looking at you imaginary numbers!).

I ended up taking it again in high school and hated it there too. I struggled to get Cs. Interestingly enough, I received an A in Geometry--and it was an easy A for me. I really think it's because it was more visual and I could understand "why." Or maybe my teacher was just really good. When it came time for algebra II--I passed since it wasn't required to graduate. I already "knew" I "hated algebra" and "wasn't very good at it." Sad thing is before I decided I hated algebra, I had plans to be a civil engineer and giving up on math killed that dream. So yeah, I have to agree with everything you just said.

[OrangeFish]

Originally Posted by OrangeFish

Interesting. I received nothing and my 5th grader took the first part of the writing SOL yesterday.

Follow-up: My 5th grader's teacher told the class yesterday that this "silly stuff" would be over this afternoon. (The short paper portion of the writing SOL is today.) The teacher is keeping it very low key.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by jillabean

On an aside, I hated algebra for the very reasons you mention. I was put in an "advanced placement" class in middle school and took algebra. I did miserable and I couldn't understand it (I needed to know "why" not just "how"). I didn't like that there was no practical application for some of what we learned either (I am looking at you imaginary numbers!).

I ended up taking it again in high school and hated it there too. I struggled to get Cs. Interestingly enough, I received an A in Geometry--and it was an easy A for me. I really think it's because it was more visual and I could understand "why." Or maybe my teacher was just really good. When it came time for algebra II--I passed since it wasn't required to graduate. I already "knew" I "hated algebra" and "wasn't very good at it." Sad thing is before I decided I hated algebra, I had plans to be a civil engineer and giving up on math killed that dream. So yeah, I have to agree with everything you just said.

Amen, Jillabean! I hated it too. In my school district, you could take it as early as 7th grade. Even in 8th grade, I struggled with it. After-school tutoring didn't help. Graphing an equation--what does that even mean? F of X?! Agh! Nightmares tonight for sure.

But like you, I loved geometry! Those proofs were a word lover's dream.


I think American schools should have career tracking--like in Europe, but even moreso:

• Verbal kids like you and me (no math courses beyond arithmetic and basic equations, so they can convert miles to kilometers if they meet a Canadian in a dark alley)
• Math kids (only basic business writing required--no essays about whether EE Cummings was a transcendentalist [which he was])
• Mechanically oriented kids who will become plumbers/electricians/BMW mechanics (and will make more money doing so any of the kids in the preceding two groups)
• Computer nerds, who will end up out-earning everyone else.