Comments on: Algebra Lite?

By: gbl3rd

gbl3rd — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:57:26 +0000

Chris,

I agree with you about high school math being a gatekeeper for college. The reason I question the need for 5 years of pre-college math is a lot of people think a lot of the best colleges require Calculus on their transcript and that is not true. Schools like MIT and Cal Tech do, but the ones that are not as techincally oriented or as selective do not. Maybe this is just part of an arms race to look better in the admisions process.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:50:57 +0000

here’s a good discussion of the math requirements

http://www.ucop.edu/a-gGuide/ag/a-g/math_reqs.html

points 7, 9 & 10 illustrate the gatekeeper role that geometry plays in the freshman year: it’s hard to get to calculus starting with algebra in the freshman year algebra + geometry + adv algebra + precalc/trig + calc = 5 years — but as you point out, it’s not always required.

7. Traditionally, most entering college freshmen have taken pre-calculus and often calculus; however, other advanced courses such as statistics and discrete mathematics can also deepen students’ understanding of mathematics.

9. Students who take calculus in high school are encouraged to take one of the Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus Examinations in order to place out of the comparable college calculus course.

10. College prep courses in mathematics taken in 7th and 8th grades with grades of “C” or higher may be counted toward the subject requirement.

By: gbl3rd

gbl3rd — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:30:45 +0000

Chris,

What is the benefit of early Algebra for the students?

Not taking Algebra in the 8th grade does not derail kids off the college track. It might derail them from some top tier colleges. How many colleges require Algebra in the 8th grade? How many colleges require Calculus in high school to be considered for admission?

In Europe, don’t they derail them from the college track at much younger age?

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:16:27 +0000

let’s translate that question, gbl3rd.

shouldn’t we just select who will be headed for college in the 8th grade?
shouldn’t we just derail kids off the college track in 8th grade?

By: gbl3rd

gbl3rd — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:12:08 +0000

I have never understood the advantage of early Algebra. Unless the kid is going to take Calculus in high school I do not understand the benefit. Long ago when I went to school I would have had to pass AP Calculus with a five to get college credit. The kids with high school Calculus in my college Calculus class had just as much trouble as I did. Shouldnâ€™t we just push early Algebra on the ones who may be going to first tier colleges?

By: Tuesday morning links « Casting Out Nines

Tuesday morning links « Casting Out Nines — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:14:20 +0000

[...] Algebra Lite! Is that better or worse than Algebra 1/2? [...]

By: Reality Czech

Reality Czech — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:03:30 +0000

It is possible to teach algebra to a class of 25 7th graders. That is how I learned it.

By: Math Resources Blog » Algebra Lite?

Math Resources Blog » Algebra Lite? — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:25:19 +0000

[...] By Lisa Schencker The Salt Lake Tribune: [...]

By: Wolf

Wolf — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 01:54:05 +0000

Regarding whether it is “insane” to put 80% in Algebra 1 in 8th grade. Ten plus years ago Japan did it with essentially their whole cohort — something in the mid 90 percent range. I have no information how they did since then. Singapore does it to essentially the whole cohort right now; and they have a highly diverse ethnic student population. Incidentally, they do it with 100% non-native English speakers, in an English-based education system.

Why can’t we do it? Are our genes worse in some way?

By: Sheila Gregoire

Sheila Gregoire — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:02:20 +0000

We homeschool, and this year we added my 13-year-old nephew to the mix.

Unfortunately, because he’s gone through the school system, he was never allowed to perform to his level. So he was doing a lower level math (grade 7) than my 10-year-old (grade 8). I didn’t want to start him on the same textbook as Katie next year, so I decided to make him go through two years of textbooks in the three months that we had him.

And he did it. He breezed through Beginning Algebra, and he’ll be doing high school algebra next year.

The problem isn’t that students aren’t ready in grade 8. Many are. The problem is that you can’t teach it to them in a class of 25 kids. One-on-one it’s no problem. Even my 10-year-old is doing beginning algebra.

Get any kid one-on-one and you could probably move them two grade levels ahead in less than a year. We certainly did that with my nephew, whose scores were dropping in regular school because he was so bored.

So the problem isn’t the kids. It’s the whole system. We weren’t meant to learn in groups like that. What a waste.

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