Our school district just eliminated all Honors courses and tracks at the middle school level and postponed the teaching of Algebra until 9th grade.
We’re debating whether to supplement with Khan Academy, look into junior boarding schools, or consider applying to boarding school as a repeat 9th grader when the time comes given our daughter will likely be behind in Math compared to other applicants. (Should we also be worried about how she’ll do on the Quant portion of the SSAT as an 8th grader who will not have had Algebra?)
Our girl is just wrapping up sixth grade now and is on the older side for her grade (born early 2004).
I have a feeling she’d do really well in an all girls environment given her interest in Math and Science and how much she loved her all girls camp experience… but I don’t see any all girls’ JBS… Are there any?
I have an entering 6th grader in public middle school. We have been supplementing his math since 4th grade at Russian School of Math. The program is big here in Massachusetts and growing to lots of other states as well. I’ve found that the math education he has received in the public school is no where near to what they receive at BS. Is there anything like that near you?
@periwinkle - We have friends at different parochial schools. They have a higher volume of homework, but the work doesn’t necessarily seem more advanced. @Momto4kids - No Russian Math School, though there is Kumon. (Not sure when we’d squeeze it in between soccer and music, sigh…)
@Momto4kids - I’m also wondering whether we should be considering Groton for II Form. I know getting in is a loooong shot… And We live on the West Coast, which makes BS for 8th grade even scarier. It is very hard to even visit schools… You have a kid at Groton, yes? What kinds of kids have you seen thrive there?
YES! daughter is going to Grier this Fall as a 9th grader. The school serves grade 7-12. While daughter hasn’t started there yet, we have already arranged majority of course selections. They were very accommodating and also encouraging to take courses at your right academic level, even if those are clearly marked for upper grades only on their curriculum.
@CaliMex, have you looked into the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth? http://cty.jhu.edu/welcome/index.html. The CTY offers multiple programs which might be of interest to your family, including online courses and summer programs. There are entry requirements, which include above-grade-level tests, so read the application descriptions carefully.
The online course in math could be done at home. I have a friend who did that for her son.
As your daughter is young, you have time to explore different options. Please don’t take it the wrong way when I say that sending your child across the country should be only one among many options which could prepare her for happy, productive adulthood.
Have you researched the Caroline D. Bradley scholarship? It is open to 7th graders, so you have time to apply. http://educationaladvancement.org/caroline-d-bradley-scholarship/. It is an amazing opportunity. If your daughter won that scholarship, your list of possible high schools could be much longer.
Your school district is now aligned with many others - our top district in NJ, a top state for ed, also does not offer honors classes until 9th . If your child loves math, I would look into summer enrichment programs at private high schools and community colleges. She may be able to do a year of math in a summer. If you just want to be sure her SSAT math scores will be strong, test prep might be enough. If math is not her passion, I would hesitate to take time away from her other strengths just to get ahead in math as long as scores and grades are in the ballpark as it might leave her less time to devote to other deeper interests that will truly make her stand out as an applicant. Most every boarding school offers Algebra 1 to freshman as many kids will not have had the opportunity to go beyond that level as freshman. Many will be in geometry as freshman too or even beyond, but it is not expected or required.
@CaliMex, I do have a DS at Groton. He is in the same form as @stargirl3. As far as kids who thrive there, it’s a mix. There are kids who study all the time, kids who are athletic and kids who are more musically inclined. They can thrive in many areas. It has been said her time and time again. None of these schools are just looking for kids with perfect grades and 99 SSAT scores. So many parents and kids are surprised when their “perfect” grade kids don’t get into these schools. My DS didn’t have perfect grades or scores and was welcomed with open arms into the community. They are looking for lots of different types of kids in all the forms; including second.
As for Groton’s second form; my son didn’t come in that year, but I’ve seen a number of kids go through it. I think that in particular they are looking for kids who are more on the mature side. That’s why you see so many boys in that form who are repeats. I would say that a majority of the boys in second form are repeats. It’s pretty difficult to be living away from home at that age and they need to be careful when they accept a kid that they are really ready for it. We talked about it for my second son, but he didn’t think he was quite ready.
As far as the supplementary math, there are definitely levels at Groton. I think that the majority of incoming third formers are taking Geometry; very few are doing Algebra. It’s interesting to hear that school systems are slowing things down. I have an incoming sixth grader and at his school they just announced that they as well aren’t doing an advanced program for that grade. I assume, however, that they will begin in 7th so that the kids can get Algebra in before 9th. We have been very happy with the after school math program that we are doing for our younger kids. My son who isn’t as strong in math has found that his grades in middle school have soared because everything that they are doing has already been learned in Russian School. He went from a kid who had the low end scores to high As. For us, it has really been worth it. It’s a major time committment (2.5 hour classes once a week with about 2 hours of homework), but it is well worth it. We are still able to get them to two sports, but math class always comes first!
I know this is late, but I would really REALLY like to recommend Fay! Upper School students (grades 7-9) are offered math levels up to Algebra 2, and even pre-cal if a student has demonstrated special knowledge/ability. The math department is definitely great at recognizing potential in students, and all the teachers are super supportive by supplying extra or alternative work. I was moved up to Algebra I in seventh grade (from pre-alg), and I remember my teacher allowing me and two other students to move to a separate classroom once in a while to work on Exeter math problems when work wasn’t challenging enough. Another teacher helped me sign up for brilliant.com and Khan Academy. The science program is great too for those who make the most of it, and there’s a competitive robotics club and something else that has to do with a space simulation game.
To your concerns about SSAT math, Algebra really is a significant part of the test, and even a little geometry helps a lot. Fay also offers SSAT prep on weekends for 8th and 9th graders.
Though many students come in for the 7th grade, most of the boarders that stay through the 9th grade program (100% would recommend, by the way) arrive at 8th (the others opting to leave early for a 4-year high school experience). Many are on significant FA, if that’s of concern. Also, the secondary school placement office is AWESOME and matriculation stats are great. As a grad as of this past spring, I can tell you it was the best experience of my life.
As a person in high-tech and in higher education, I think there are a lot of STEM courses that are just not needed for children to learn. There is such a small percentage of students that need Trig never mind Calc. I think some of the upper courses that students are taking their Jr and Senior year is more about college admission than helpful learning towards a career.
I would rather see students have options in Stats, Econ, Linguistics, etc than upper level STEM.
I would disagree a bit @laenen as most computer science programs would want these high level math classes as would many of the engineering disciplines. I guess it depends on the student’s goal. Funny I’m in in high-tech higher Ed as well:)
My point is really referring to all the careers that are not involved in STEM day to day. A lawyer, banker, doctor, artist, etc. The list is endless really do not need the normal upper level math classes, never mind, the calc I - III that kids are taking to get into an Ivy League but will never need once they are out.
All that time could have been spent on courses to help a student understand where their passions may lay.
In some parts of a CS program, I agree, upper level math is useful, i.e. Algorithms. That said, in a 30 year career at DEC, Oracle, and IBM, I have never used Calc. (although, there are several dept’s that obviously do they are just not the majority of the workforce.)
As an unschooling dad, I have come to believe you take a course or subject matter to enable your learning objective not the other way around. Just my $.02
Got it @laenen I was more focusing on the careers that do involve STEM skills but you are absolutely right. Unfortunately the public school in my town solely places middle students in tracks based on Math which is not very good. If you don’t excel in Math you are in a lower level class period.
