disgrits
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2006
- Messages
- 5,306
Speaking of math, our school is considering not offering Algebra at the 8th grade level next year. (Let the kids wait and get it at the high school.) DD will be in 8th and she took pre-algebra this year.
My question is did your kids take algebra in 8th? Our HS has gone to the trimester system so she will still have time to work up thru math thru Pre-Calculus if she can.
I'm really disappointed that our school system keeps making moves that hurt regular and high-achieving kids to document that efforts to help the slower kids, really to meet NCLB. That's why the HS went to the trimester--to give more chances to pass classes for those who didn't the first time around.![]()
A regular kid could take Spanish I fall of freshman year and not take Spanish II until spring of Sophomore year or later. How much retention would their be? The same is true for lapses in math classes.
Sorry to vent, but what are your schools doing now?
Thanks, Tanya
My DD Emily is in 9th grade and is taking Geometry. She took Algebra last year in Monterey. Here in Quantico they take Algebra in 8th or 9th grade, depending upon their skill level. Quantico is a DoD school, but the school in Monterey was a public school. Also, here, I think 7th graders can "test in" to Algebra if they have the skill level. We're lucky that our kids are good in Math. On the other hand, I can't get my DS Derek to write a book report that doesn't sound like a Drake & Josh script.


Does your school follow block scheduling? Here at the Middle School/High School the kids have 8 classes. They have Gold Days and Red Days, alternating. On Gold Days they have 4 classes, 1 hr, 25 min each and the next day it is Red Day with the other 4 classes. I was so nervous when we first moved here, but they seem to have handled it ok. The school here on base is very small so I think that may be why they can keep up with such a rigorous (sp?) schedule. The best is that they can offer many different classes, which is not the norm for a small school. Derek is actually taking a class called Video Production (it's not his fave, though), and he is only in 6th grade.