Upper grades math: what is typical?

[daylily]

Today I had a conference with ds's math teacher. He's in sixth grade. She told me that the typical progression for math, for kids on the fast track is:
7th grade--algebra I
8th grade--geometry
9th grade--alegebra II and trig
10th grade-pre calculus
11th grade--calculus
12th grade--advanced calculus

Even if you're not on the fast track, you take pre-alegbra in 7th grade and end up in calculus when you're a senior in H.S. I told the teacher that I was pleased to hear this and that this seemed like a really strong curriculum, but she told me that this is typical for most public schools. Really?

When I was in school, in the 1980s--probably the nadir of education in the US-- we took algebra in ninth grade, geometry in 10th, trig in 11th and pre-calc in 12th grade.

What is typical? Did you take calculus or advanced calc in high school or did you only get as far as pre-calc? I vaguely recall that my high school offered AP Calculus, but I wasn't in that class. Anyway, I'm thrilled that my children will get a demanding math program, but I also feel like I was cheated out of a good education, at least as far as math is concerned.

[Artisan]

What you're describing is a typical fast-track. However, most kids aren't on the fast track, and follow the track you experienced in school. Or they may even take the super slow track.

Keep in mind one of the problems: this is probably not an issue with your DS, but algebra is very abstract. An actual change in one's brain must occur to allow someone to think abstractly, and this change usually occurs between the ages of 11-14. It's one reason why some kids do very well in algebra in middle school, but a large majority of kids that age don't do well in it -- their brains just aren't ready.

[Rhonwyn]

Gifted Programs in the late '70s

This is the tract that I followed in the late 70's and early 80's from 7th to 12th grade. I went to a gifted school 5th - 8th and a college prep high school in 9th- 12th. Not everyone took Calculus in high school but the option was there.

sharonal talked about brain development and being ready for algebra. It is funny, when I started taking algebra, I found it a great relief. It seemed way easier than long division!

[CAmomto1]

That sounds pretty accelerated and would be the super fast track around here. The move in CA, these days, is for all students to take Algebra 1 no later than 8th grade. This is not, however, the reality in my area. To hit Calculus as a junior is unusual - not unheard of, but unusual. I started high school in Alg 2 and there were maybe 3 or 4 of us who were at that level as freshmen. I am tutoring a student this year who is in a similar situation, and I think there aren't more than 5 or 6 others like him at the high school he attends.

[pln]

I'm a math hs teacher here in Maine.

The track you describe is more of a super-honors
program here. Very few kids doing it, although they
do exist.

The regular honors program would be 8th grade
algebra I..etc...12th grade calculus or AP calculus.
This was the only honors option available to me in hs in the
late 80's.

The regular ed program would be 9th grade algebra I...
11th grade algebra II...precalculus in 12th grade for the
college-bound.

It ultimately depends on the level of challenge your
child wants and can handle and what level of cognitive
sophistication he/she is at.

[grisandole]

Well, I went to a gifted school in CA, and for the "regular" gifted kids we had pre-algebra in 7th grade; some kids who were in the fast-gifted track went into algebra in 7th grade. This was in the late 80's. So, I don't think that algebra in 7th grade is a "typical" fast track program in public schools; but I guess it depends on where you live.

My ds1 is in 6th grade and they use Saxon math at his school; he's learning a bit of pre-algebra but nothing too heavy.


Kristi

[readtonight]

Fast and faster track

7th grade--algebra I
8th grade--geometry
9th grade--alegebra II and trig
10th grade-pre calculus
11th grade--calculus
12th grade--advanced calculus

The track above starts algebra I two years ahead of the norm for our school district. Students in the gifted program do this. Typical honors students don't do Algebra I until 8th Grade.
Gifted math students advance more rapidly than this though. My eldest did Algebra I in 8th Grade. In 10th grade he did AP Statistics and this year is taking AP calculus. There is no math on offer at his high school for next year - he'd have to go to community college.

It's not uncommon for really smart kids to "get" more difficult conceptual maths earlier than other children but to get hung up on the mechanics of drills and memorization. My family and I love playing strategy games and doing math puzzles and I look for books that emphasize critical thinking and analysis at a young age.

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