What Math Class is Your 9th Grader In?

[Christine]

DS just started 9th grade. In 8th grade he took Algebra 1 and got an A throughout the year. When he took the Geometry placement exam for high school, he didn't do so well on the test. That didn't surprise me as DS always kept telling me that his 8th grade Algebra teacher didn't seem to be very hard. I was happy enough for him to repeat Algebra I. The high school put him in Algebra I Honors, probably because he had taken the class before. Now his teacher has told him that he would like my son to be in Geometry, wants him to retake the exam, etc. I'm letting the school and DS figure out what they want to do. I was just curious what math level your freshman are? My son goes to private school and sometimes they seem a little behind in the math as compared to the public schools but not sure if that's true.

So, what math are your kids in and do they go to public or private.

Thanks!

 

[Cindy B]

My son is in public high school 9th grade. In 8th grade he was in Enriched Algebra I (choices for 8th grade were Enriched Algebra (the 9th grade class) , PreAlgebra, or Cognitive Tutor). He didn't do well in Enriched Algebra due to his laziness and a teacher change throughout 8th grade. In fact of the 18 kids in the 8th grade class, 15 failed the course for the year due to this teacher--but that is another complaint for another time!

Because of his grades, he was put in Algebra I but not at the honors level. He says its too easy but after last year I would rather him get success at his other classes and not struggle so much in math. This math course is his only "lower" level class he has so he needs to concentrate on his 8 other higher level courses.

If it is too easy, we can switch after the first marking period. To complicate things further, if he goes up on a higher level it changes his IEP for the year.

 

[barkley]

dd is in 9th grade and although she got an 'a' in algebra one last year i offered to let her repeat it this year.

reason was because she was going from a small private school to a public highschool. i figured that it was going to be enough of a change along with having her first experience having multiple teachers that she needed one class she did'nt have to worry about. she's also planning on going into a dual college/highschool program in her jr. year and it's counterproductive if she takes anything higher than algebra one at this point (we'de rather save the higher level classes for when she can take them and earn tuition free college units which will count towards her general ed).

i don't know that the private schools are behind the public when it comes to math-just the other night at the highschool open house i questioned the math teacher when he remarked that algebra one is always a challenge to kids because it's like teaching them a foreign language they've never been exposed to. my kid's private schools have had elements of algebra in their text books going back to the first grade-that apparantly is not the norm with many of the popular math books used in the public schools.

 

[DVCLiz]

DD15 took regular Alegebra I in the 8th grade, repeated it in the 9th, and still is recommended to have a "refresher" course during the second semester this year in order to be able to tackle Algebra II in 11th grade. She has consistently kept a B/C average but I wouldn't say she really knows the material even now.

She is in the most basic Geometry class this year and at the moment has a 97 average. I'm not expecting that to hold, but it's wonderful for all of us to see an A in math!!!

She is a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful girl but math is not her strength, to put it mildly. None of us are or were good at math.

We read a lot adn we have great vocabularies and fun personalities, though!!!!!

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

DS15 took Algebra I in 8th grade. He passed the course but failed the End of Course exam. His teacher recommended that he repeat Algebra I in 9th. We agreed because he has to have a strong foundation to continue with higher level math. Our son has learning differences but math seems to be a strength.

He is on a block schedule. He has Algebra I this semester and will have Geometry next semester.

 

[Christine]

i don't know that the private schools are behind the public when it comes to math-just the other night at the highschool open house i questioned the math teacher when he remarked that algebra one is always a challenge to kids because it's like teaching them a foreign language they've never been exposed to. my kid's private schools have had elements of algebra in their text books going back to the first grade-that apparantly is not the norm with many of the popular math books used in the public schools.

I should have clarified that "in my area" it has been noted through many years and many parents that the parochial schools have been a tad weaker in math than the public. A few reasons are that the parochial schools often have trouble attracting some of the better teachers due to pay and due to smaller size, some of the higher math is not offered at the middle school level. For instance, in our public school system here, Geometry is offered at the middle school level and is available for those kids who can do it. It is not offered at the parochial middle school. In our instance, the parochial school my son attended--well, they haven't had a decent math teacher in many years so many of the kids are weak at the Algebra level.

My son is amazed at how much math some of the kids coming in from other schools (both public and private) know.

This may not be the case in most areas of the country and I should not have been so generalized in my statement.

 

[Christine]

DD15 took regular Alegebra I in the 8th grade, repeated it in the 9th, and still is recommended to have a "refresher" course during the second semester this year in order to be able to tackle Algebra II in 11th grade. She has consistently kept a B/C average but I wouldn't say she really knows the material even now.

She is in the most basic Geometry class this year and at the moment has a 97 average. I'm not expecting that to hold, but it's wonderful for all of us to see an A in math!!!

She is a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful girl but math is not her strength, to put it mildly. None of us are or were good at math.

We read a lot adn we have great vocabularies and fun personalities, though!!!!!

For not being strong in math, I think she's doing great!

 

[golfgal]

Our math placement is goofy. Our twins are in Algebra I. They had Algebra last year in 8th grade and somehow got put into it again. We could have moved them into Geometry but our school offers a summer geometry class for kids that should have been in it during 9th grade. It catches them up and then they go to Algebra II in 10th grade. Our oldest did this and it was a 6 week course that counted for a years credit in Geometry. It is a GREAT way to take Geometry-you don't have time to forget all the theorems . We just plan to have the twins do this next summer. This way they get 5 years of high school math so it looks pretty good on their transcripts for college too.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

i don't know that the private schools are behind the public when it comes to math-just the other night at the highschool open house i questioned the math teacher when he remarked that algebra one is always a challenge to kids because it's like teaching them a foreign language they've never been exposed to. my kid's private schools have had elements of algebra in their text books going back to the first grade-that apparantly is not the norm with many of the popular math books used in the public schools.

Our public system teaches algebra in first grade---the kids just don't know that the concept is called algebra.

 

[SydSim]

dd is in 9th grade and although she got an 'a' in algebra one last year i offered to let her repeat it this year.

reason was because she was going from a small private school to a public highschool. i figured that it was going to be enough of a change along with having her first experience having multiple teachers that she needed one class she did'nt have to worry about. she's also planning on going into a dual college/highschool program in her jr. year and it's counterproductive if she takes anything higher than algebra one at this point (we'de rather save the higher level classes for when she can take them and earn tuition free college units which will count towards her general ed).

Are you saying that if she took Algebra in 8th grade, Geometry in 9th, Algebra II in 10th grade, some sort of Pre-Calc type class in 11th, that it would be counterproductive to take a dual Calculus class in her senior year?

For some reason, I thought that was the usual accelerated track for dual programs.

 

[mom2travel]

DS took algebra I in 8th grade and is currently taking geometry in 9th (and doing very well with it) - this is our district's standard course of math study, although provisions are made for those behind or able to be ahead.
DS has told me to make sure DD takes algebra in 7th and geometry in 8th bc he wishes he had been able to do so (we moved in the middle of his 5th grade year and he missed the test/was a few weeks behind at first due to timing difference in school years). My sister, who is a math teacher, told me that the SAT was changed a few years ago so that students really need some of the Algebra II/trig for it and those who take that as Juniors may not be as prepared as those students who take it as freshman and sophmores. Don't know if your child is planning to take the SAT (and I know nothing about ACT) but that could be a consideration

 

[golfgal]

dd is in 9th grade and although she got an 'a' in algebra one last year i offered to let her repeat it this year.

reason was because she was going from a small private school to a public highschool. i figured that it was going to be enough of a change along with having her first experience having multiple teachers that she needed one class she did'nt have to worry about. she's also planning on going into a dual college/highschool program in her jr. year and it's counterproductive if she takes anything higher than algebra one at this point (we'de rather save the higher level classes for when she can take them and earn tuition free college units which will count towards her general ed).

i don't know that the private schools are behind the public when it comes to math-just the other night at the highschool open house i questioned the math teacher when he remarked that algebra one is always a challenge to kids because it's like teaching them a foreign language they've never been exposed to. my kid's private schools have had elements of algebra in their text books going back to the first grade-that apparantly is not the norm with many of the popular math books used in the public schools.

In our state kids can start taking the post-secondary courses as juniors. Most of the kids that do that take their pre-calc class at the college and then calc as a senior at the college level too. Some kids come out of high school with enough credits to start college as a junior. It is a GREAT program.

Our kids have had algebra concepts in math since they started school too.

 

[clarabelle]

DD is in Geometry
Private Prep school
Geometry is the "normal" for 9th graders in her school. If you are transfering in -or have a math weakness -you take Algebra 1 in 9th grade -if you are advanced you take Honors Geometry

 

[NewCrew42]

We go to a collegiate private school.

My son took Algebra I last year in 8th grade and did well. I think he averaged around a 95. The first semester was the hardest, by second semester he was breezing thru the math. I think our Pre-Algebra teacher was not as good as our Algebra I teacher.

Our Algebra I teacher suggested that DS take Honors Geometry and Pre-AP Algebra II. She is the Pre-AP Algebra II teacher, so I trust her judgement. (I love her as she teaches College Algebra at night and in the summer at the local college. She really knows her stuff and is trying to get them ready for college math.)

DS is doing well in Pre-AP Algebra II this year. I think having the same teacher has helped. He didn't have to learn a new teacher's style of teaching.

The Geometry teacher scared me to death at the back to school parent night. He stated that many students do not do as well in Geometry as the math is so different. He also said don't be surprised if your "A" student makes a "B" the first nine weeks in my class. The first test came around and DS made a 99 on it. I am not relieved yet, I want to wait to see what he does the rest of the 9 weeks before I relax about this class.

Geometry is just so different than Algebra.

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

I currently tutor students in Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry at a private American school in Chile...about three-quarters of the students take Algebra I in 8th grade, geometry in 9th, and Algebra II in 10th.

Can I just say that I HATE the American system for math education? I've taught math in Australia and Canada, and I'm currently also tutoring math in the British system (Cambridge), and all these other systems use a spiral curriculum. Kids are taught 'math' until Grade 11 o Grade 12 (when they can then have the option of taking straight Grade 11/12 math, or pre-calculus and calculus). I really don't see the advantage to separating out the courses at such a low level.

 

[barkley]

Are you saying that if she took Algebra in 8th grade, Geometry in 9th, Algebra II in 10th grade, some sort of Pre-Calc type class in 11th, that it would be counterproductive to take a dual Calculus class in her senior year?

For some reason, I thought that was the usual accelerated track for dual programs.

the dual program here is one where the universities and colleges have worked with the highschools to determine which of the higher education courses they offer will both fullfill the highschool requirements for graduation (not all college courses are acceptable to meet the requirements) as well as meet that university's lower division general ed. requirements. the idea is that a student who does the program will graduate from highschool as a senior but will have allready completed all of their freshman and sophmore general ed. requirements (so they graduate as a highschool senior with college junior standing).

so-a student interested in doing it needs to look at what other requirements the colleges they want to go to require for admission (or realy want to see on their highschool transcripts) but don't require as part of their fresh/soph general ed. students also need to look to the major programs they are interested in to see what they require (before and during).

in dd's case the programs she's interested in (and the bulk of the non math/science majors) only require calculus for a degree. to take that she would need to have done intermediate algebra and pre-calculus. now, her highschool requirement is 3 years of math-one has to be taken in 9th, one in 12th. she's better off to take math in 11th and 12th when she can at least earn college credit for it. so we were left with the choice of having her do intermediate algebra this year and then an entire year without math to go into pre-calculus with. we feel she's better off taking a year off math with very strong algebra 1 skills and then going into algebra 2 (she'll end up needing to take only one math course for her lower division requirements and since she will be fresh out of pre-calc we will encourage her to do it right off the bat).

if we had her take math all 4 years it would have eaten up her one of her 2 elective periods in 10th grade, one of which she needs for spanish 2 (needs 2 years of foreign language for college) and the second to hopefully take an extra honors english program that will help her qualify for the higher level english/writing courses she needs if she's to get into the college program she wants.

2 benefits to this program for us-it's got dd realy jazzed about school and if she sticks with the dual program we're looking at her first 2 years of college tuition free

 

[barkley]

In our state kids can start taking the post-secondary courses as juniors. Most of the kids that do that take their pre-calc class at the college and then calc as a senior at the college level too. Some kids come out of high school with enough credits to start college as a junior. It is a GREAT program.

Our kids have had algebra concepts in math since they started school too.

yeah-i made the mistake of calling it algebra in front of my son's 2nd or 3rd grade teacher and she took me aside and told me "we don't use the 'a' word-it makes it less appealing to the kids-for now we just call it our fun number/letter math"

 

[binny]

DS is in grade 9 and takes honours Geo. I know he needs this as a foundation but he is so bored. He finished his "60" minute class in 20 minutes (we do virtual school)

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

I took algebra 1 in 8th grade. I failed the placement in my high school. (Everyone had to start with geometry freshman year because of the ciricculum.) I spent 2 weeks in summer school, and passed the test.

I took geometry freshman year, algebra 2 sophomore year, and now I'm taking precalc.

 

[squirrlygirl]

Interesting...ds is in 8th grade and taking geometry. He had Algebra I last year, and will do Algebra II in 9th grade. He gets high school credit for the the classes even though he's taking them in middle school.
I'm surprised I'm not seeing more people with their kids on an accelerated math schedule.