What Math Class is Your 9th Grader In?

[Pin Wizard]

When it comes to math, I'm pretty clueless. Was never my best subject. I thought I was told that Algebra II best followed Geometry. I don't know because I never went that high in high school.

What I'm trying to figure out is why, at least in our school system here, all of this math is mandatory for all kids. Let's face it, not everyone is going to be an engineer or go into the math/sciences field. My DD was horrible at math and she just limped along through Geometry and Algebra II. Agony I tell you. And for what? So she could go to college and be a psych major and take ONE easy math class in her 4 years. I never thought she should have been forced into those math classes. It just doesn't make sense to me.

My son is a different story and is more mathmatically inclined and has some desire in engineering so the track is okay for him.

One easy math class in college? Where? I got hung up in college while in FL because you needed a certain number of math classes no matter what your major was. I am not a math person. Where can you attend a college and graduate with one math? I'm ready to move!!

 

[Christine]

One easy math class in college? Where? I got hung up in college while in FL because you needed a certain number of math classes no matter what your major was. I am not a math person. Where can you attend a college and graduate with one math? I'm ready to move!!

At WVU, she only needs Math 126 for her degree.

 

[clutter]

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.

My dd's on the same track. Surprisingly, the school discourages it. I'm not sure why. The standard has been Algebra 1 in 9th grade, but they are now pushing as many students as possible to 8th grade by offering Algebra 1 non-honors.

 

[marciemi]

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.

Well, the thread seems to be about kid more who are behind so probably some of us with kids further ahead hesitate to post because it may be seen as bragging. I finally decided to click on the reply after reading your post.

My son is a freshman and is in AP Calc. Public school district, and yes, they allowed him to start in Honors Geometry at the high school as a 6th grader. Next year he'll take AP Stats and the following year he'll go over to the college.

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.

Unfortunately ours also starts at the junior level, which is why my son will have to take a year of stats before taking the college classes, unless we want to pay for it. My oldest son had Pre-Calc as a freshman, then AP Calc sophomore year. Last year he took Calc 2 first semester and Multivariate Calc second semester at a local college. This year he's taking some additional math classes (Linear Algebra/Differential Equations) and also Organic Chemistry at the college since he finished AP Chem last year as well. There are some great options out there if your state offers it.

Here Geometry is considered "grade-level" for 9th grade.

My younger daugter took Algebra 2 in 9th, Geometry in summer school, Trig in 10th and is in Calculus this year (11th) and will take second year Calculus next year.

Here in Wisconsin, "normal" kids take Algebra 1 in 9th grade, then Geometry, Algebra 2, and then College Math (kind of an overview) or PreCalc as seniors. Usually about one classful of kids takes Algebra in 8th grade and is a year ahead and finishes Calc as a senior.

Where we moved from the metro Detroit area, however, ALL kids took Algebra in 8th grade (barring a special need), There were several classes of kids who began it in 7th or even 6th grade. Then we moved here and my kids are WAY ahead of the sequence. Honestly, based on my kids, I think kids can learn it as early as they are begun to be taught it. Since my 9th grader has had all the pre-courses, I see no reason why he can't do as well in Calculus as a freshman as the seniors in his class.

 

[dis-happy]

I have to wonder what a teacher thinks when no one in their class gets a good grade on the test? My DD, who is in her first few weeks of college just had her first Biology exam. The teacher published the class average for the exam. Now, realize there are 300 people in this class. Class average was a 66.

My dd is in her junior year of college, majoring in biology. Just so you know, Bio 11 (or whatever they call introductory biology at your dd's school) is a weed-out class for anyone thinking of going to med school. Professors think nothing of flunking out half the class, it's a killer. Tell your dd to hang in there. My dd has found the subsequent classes more reasonable (although o-chem, another weed-out class, didn't help her GPA one bit).

 

[FINFAN]

Our HS basic ( not AP) college prep path for public is:
9TH---Algebra 1
10th---Geometry
11th---Algebra/Trig
12th---Probablility/Statistics or Calculus

 

[Sparx]

i graduated high school in three years, but this is my order of math classes:

9th grade: algebra 1
10th grade: algebra 2 and geometry (two separate classes)
11th grade: (i skipped the eleventh grade)
12th grade: (i didn't take a math class)

 

[daisyduck123]

DD15 is a Junior taking AP Statistics.

Last year in 10th Grade she took Honors Pre-Calculus.
9th grade: Algebra II
8th grade: Geometry
7th grade: Algebra I

**Public School here in Anne Arundel County Md....not too far from you.

 

[barkley]

Oh, I already understood what dual enrollment is. My question was about your comment on taking too many math classes so soon being counterproductive. I was always under the impression that the more math classes taken before the SAT's (espeically if you're taking any math subject tests too), the better. So starting the courses in 8th grade would set the student up to complete pre-calc before their senior year - perfect timing for SAT's.

I don't quite understand why your HS would require that a math has to be taken in the senior year. If they take their last math class in their junior year as a dual enrollment course, wouldn't they still get the credit (possibly) and get the information in time for the SAT's?

the way it was explained to us is that colleges and universities have seen trends where many more entering freshman, despite having done well in highschool math classes were needing to take what the colleges perceived as remedial coursework. the state and private colleges here reported this with both students originating from within our state as well a coming from others. the belief (on the college/university part) was that if given the choice most highschool students will take all of their math requirements prior to the start of their senior year which leaves them with a minimum of an entire year absent math before they traditionaly (absent a dual program) take their first college setting math class (and those classes are SO different vs. traditional highschool). so the state says you have to take your last math requirement in your senior year (apparantly they are looking to up the requirement such that 4 years of math is required for graduation).

it's interesting how much input the colleges/universities have here in regards to the structure of highschool. the other night dd's english teacher was saying that there's a push to bring back more of the old style grammer instruction to the highschool curriculum with a refresher unit in the senior year because upper education is complaining that with the advent of texting college students are developing horrendous writing skills.

 

[Christine]

My dd is in her junior year of college, majoring in biology. Just so you know, Bio 11 (or whatever they call introductory biology at your dd's school) is a weed-out class for anyone thinking of going to med school. Professors think nothing of flunking out half the class, it's a killer. Tell your dd to hang in there. My dd has found the subsequent classes more reasonable (although o-chem, another weed-out class, didn't help her GPA one bit).

Interesting you should say that!! My friend (who went to this college also) told me that Biology 101 was their "wash out" class. I meant to ask "wash out class for what" since most freshman are in it? Wash out class for college...period? He told me that Calculus was their wash-out class for engineeers. That I understood. Well, we know DD isn't going to med school so I guess a good portion of average freshman will not pass their required science.

 

[Christine]

DD15 is a Junior taking AP Statistics.

Last year in 10th Grade she took Honors Pre-Calculus.
9th grade: Algebra II
8th grade: Geometry
7th grade: Algebra I

**Public School here in Anne Arundel County Md....not too far from you.

daisyduck--

Do you know if this is the "normal" track for high schoolers or is this the advanced track?

I know that in the public school system here and in Fairfax County (and the neighboring Catholic schools, the normal track is just as another poster said a bit upthread:

9th Grade - Algebra I
10th Grade - Geometry
11th Grade - Algebra II
12th Grade - Pre-Calc or some other College Concepts course

This is just the basic "college prep" course track. There are many kids ahead of that track and virtually none below it.

Does Anne Arundel County have a more advanced track?

 

[Patricia]

My daughters attended a private Catholic HS. My oldest took Algebra in 8th, Honors Geo. in 9th, Honors AL. II in 10, Pre-Calc. in 11th and Honors Calc. in 12th. She is now a HS Math teacher. She wanted to stay away from the AP Calc in HS knowing she would have to repeat it in college anyway as a Math Major.
My younger daughter took Algebra in 8th, Honors Al.I in 9th (decided to repeat to strengthen her level - although she is great in math, she never liked it), Second half on 9th she took Honors Al. II, took Honors Geo/Trig in 10th, pre calc in 11th and then AP - AB in 12th. She earned A's in all courses and scored very, very well on the SAT's. Such a shock to her.. proved my point that you might not love something you are good at doing. She is a BSN major and the push in math has been a help with the requirements for college.
My two girls attended college in two different states. Obviously, my math major took math courses, but she also had to take 3 different English courses and she said many times that if she was not as strong in writing, she would have been in trouble. Same goes with younger daughter. She has 2 English courses with her degree which concentrates on science. There is clearly a push for a well-rounded education regardless of degree.

The thing I love about our school is the open policy toward taking various levels of courses. There are requirements and recommendations,but if a student, like my oldest, wants to take a different route ( not taking the AP calc. when she had other AP classes) they are open to it. By the same token, if a students shows promise in one particular area, they can excel there while not taking the AP course work in another area. God Bless block scheduling.

 

[daisyduck123]

daisyduck--

Do you know if this is the "normal" track for high schoolers or is this the advanced track?

I know that in the public school system here and in Fairfax County (and the neighboring Catholic schools, the normal track is just as another poster said a bit upthread:

9th Grade - Algebra I
10th Grade - Geometry
11th Grade - Algebra II
12th Grade - Pre-Calc or some other College Concepts course

This is just the basic "college prep" course track. There are many kids ahead of that track and virtually none below it.

Does Anne Arundel County have a more advanced track?

My daughter is on the "advanced track". There are quite a few kids at her school on it though.

For many more kids, everything is bumped up a year...so that the kids start Algebra I in 8th grade, rather than how she did in 7th.

Then all the rest of the kids start Algebra I in 9th grade.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

I was in Algebra I in 8th grade.

Pre-Algebra (honors): 7th grade
Algebra I (honors): 8th grade
Algebra II (honors): 9th grade
Geometry (nonhonors): 10th grade
Trig/Analytical Geometry (nonhonors): 11th grade.

I'm most likely taking Probability/Statistics next year (Prob/Stats)

For those who did not take Algebra I in 8th, they take it in 9th, and Algebra II in 11th.

 

[Pin Wizard]

At WVU, she only needs Math 126 for her degree.

Thanks! Might start hunting around.

 

[SydSim]

the way it was explained to us is that colleges and universities have seen trends where many more entering freshman, despite having done well in highschool math classes were needing to take what the colleges perceived as remedial coursework. the state and private colleges here reported this with both students originating from within our state as well a coming from others. the belief (on the college/university part) was that if given the choice most highschool students will take all of their math requirements prior to the start of their senior year which leaves them with a minimum of an entire year absent math before they traditionaly (absent a dual program) take their first college setting math class (and those classes are SO different vs. traditional highschool). so the state says you have to take your last math requirement in your senior year (apparantly they are looking to up the requirement such that 4 years of math is required for graduation).

it's interesting how much input the colleges/universities have here in regards to the structure of highschool. the other night dd's english teacher was saying that there's a push to bring back more of the old style grammer instruction to the highschool curriculum with a refresher unit in the senior year because upper education is complaining that with the advent of texting college students are developing horrendous writing skills.

Ok, I can understand that. Thanks for the info

 

[Pin Wizard]

Interesting you should say that!! My friend (who went to this college also) told me that Biology 101 was their "wash out" class. I meant to ask "wash out class for what" since most freshman are in it? Wash out class for college...period? He told me that Calculus was their wash-out class for engineeers. That I understood. Well, we know DD isn't going to med school so I guess a good portion of average freshman will not pass their required science.

Course paths seem to vary widely between states and high schools, and colleges also. In FL there was a Biology program for those headed into the medical fields, and a separate Biology program for those not geared to medical.

I'm still floored that your daughter only needs one math in her entire 4 years of college!!

 

[Christine]

Course paths seem to vary widely between states and high schools, and colleges also. In FL there was a Biology program for those headed into the medical fields, and a separate Biology program for those not geared to medical.

I'm still floored that your daughter only needs one math in her entire 4 years of college!![/QUOTE]


Here's the deal on her major: She is required to have 13-15 credits of GEN Science/Math. Of that 13-15 credits, 4 of those credits MUST be in Biology/Biology Lab, 3-6 hours of the credits MUST be a Math/Stat Course(s), the rest can be taken in Natural/Physical Science, Natural Resources, or Environmental Science. So *technically* she only needs a three-credit math or statistics course. The drawback to that is that she must fulfill the rest with science courses, which aren't a whole lot easier for her than math. However, she does do much better in Natural Sciences than she does in match so I suppose she can go in the direction. Anything but math. She's just horrible with it.

 

[IDoDis]

My DD is in the 8th grade and taking the advanced Algebra 1 class which moves at a faster pace than the regular Algebra. If all goes well, she'll be placed in honors Geometry in 9th grade.