<p>NavalTradition, I have PM’d you; however, it is my understanding that this is throughout MD. I am more informed on my county, but have heard it was fully embraced and endorsed by the State.</p>
<p>ANNE1389, Thanks</p>
<p>Totally agree.</p>
<p>Will the California CC standards be statewide or will individual districts make decisions about Algebra in 8th grade?</p>
<p>Common Core standards are state-wide.</p>
<p>Individual school districts can accelerate math, but they don’t have any incentive to do it. Especially now, when they spend all possible resources to train teachers and align curriculum with Common Core. Districts simply don’t have resources for anything else.</p>
<p>SamuraiLandshark ,</p>
<p>Forget AP Physics and AP Chemistry. HS students won’t have enough math to approach these subjects.</p>
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<p>I believe common core covers these topics by the end of algebra 2. The courses do not have the same traditional content.</p>
<p>8th grade CommonCore math is more rigorous than the old CA algebra 1…students will have to actually be able to do something with the algebra and there are numerous statistics and geometry standards that have been added.</p>
<p>Students will be able to accelerate in grades 6 and 7 and then take algebra 1 in 8th grade. The only difference is that students will not be allowed to “skip” standards. This is because common core does not continually repeat standards from algebra 1 to algebra 2.</p>
<p>The new math standards also create a pathway for advanced topics to be covered in algebra 2 ( it would need to be an honors course for public school) that would allow students to skip Pre-calculus and go right into AP Calculus.</p>
<p>Californiaaa, I think we must think the same way!</p>
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<p>This is only true for those students who are not ready for algebra as an 8th grader. There is a lot of data that shows that “algebra for all” often resulted in “algebra forever” for those students who did not have the adequate background before algebra 1. CA definitely still has the goal of algebra 1 in 8th grade…if it is appropriate.</p>
<p>Here is an example from San Diego Unified [Common</a> Core Standards / Mathematics | Grade 8](<a href=“http://www.sandi.net/Page/38171]Common”>http://www.sandi.net/Page/38171).</p>
<p>Not sure if californiaaa will share the district they are in, but I don’t think it is typical.</p>
<p>Limewine, I appreciate your input. I have been able to find a course sequence for my county and they do have a sequence in which 8th graders will be able to take Algebra…it seems that will only be available at STEM schools, but maybe that is just my understanding. We were told at the last two high school meetings it would only be available in High School, so there are still many mixed messages. </p>
<p>It also appears that in order to enable students to reach higher level math classes, the suggestion is that they double up in 9th or 10th grade with geometry/algebra 2 concurrently and then PreCalc/AP Statistics concurrently. </p>
<p>NavalTradition, I will try to send you the link.</p>
<p>Anne, from what I know, high schools are looking at ways to accelerate students that would benefit from it. Many kids don’t reach their potential until they are a little older,so a 6th grade acceleration is not appropriate for all.</p>
<p>There are no teachers, that I know, who would prefer students to achieve less than their potential.</p>
<p>@Anne - what classes are the kids missing out on if they have to double-up in high school? I’m in Washington State and our high school only has six periods so doubling up on math classes would be problematic because of the graduation requirements (students have to take certain types of classes–math, science, history, occupational ed, etc.). The HS here has Honors Algebra II which combines Algebra II and pre-calc but the teacher who taught it retired at the end of the last year and the teacher currently teaching it should be fired. I feel sorry for any kids in that class.</p>
<p>My D was able to start skipping ahead in math in 5th grade but they no longer do that. I think within a few years there will be no students who are able to take calculus in high school. As is it, there is only one BC class.</p>
<p>I think average, normal, healthy non-gifted kids can successfully begin to learn algebra at age 4. In fact, I’ve done that with children of my clients for more than a decade.</p>
<p>"There are no teachers, that I know, who would prefer students to achieve less than their potential. "</p>
<p>Are you kidding me? Our school system’s administration has done this to my child, even though it would have been easy and cost nothing for them to help her achieve her potential. In fact, they even offered to spend extra money to keep her from developing her potential. I was patted on the head and told it would be better for her to wait for her age-mates to catch up to her.</p>
<p>Quote: “Students will be able to accelerate in grades 6 and 7 and then take algebra 1 in 8th grade.”</p>
<p>Is this true for all Common Core states??? My daughter is currently in 7th grade and taking Algebra one. As far as I know, she is slated to take Geometry in 8th grade. Does this have to change with Common Core standards? I hadn’t really paid attention to Common Core until this article came out. Also, I don’t know if it makes a difference, but she is in a GT program. I guess I am going to make a quick call to the GT office to find out what is going on with this.</p>
<p>All states will have their own policies. My child also took geometry in grade 8, so I am a believer in putting kids in an appropriate math class. I do believe common core math is more rigorous. It will take a while to shake out placements. From actually reading the standards, I can tell you that common core 8 is definitely a better course than the old algebra 1.</p>
<p>The problem, I fear, is that people are hung up on course names without looking at course content.</p>
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<p>It is probable than babies fresh out of the womb will also be able to understand algebra before they start the process of unlearning. Hence, I do not doubt that with the right approach a four year old will be able to understand basic abstract concepts and algebra. </p>
<p>Of course, the above assumes that the child also knows how to read as the learning without reading capabilities will be reactive to the directions of the “teacher.” </p>
<p>However, the point that kids might learn algebra at a young age is not particularly relevant to the basic issues of how children are taught and learn in our schools. More relevant will be the fact that more than 1/3 of elementary and middle schools MATH teachers never passed an algebra class and more than 1/2 never took two semesters of basic calculus. </p>
<p>For all the hoopla and debates about how testing of the children should NOT be the measuring stick of the abilities of the teachers, perhaps we ought to consider a combination of reduced student testing and drastic increases in … teacher professional testing of the subject taught. After all, should it be that hard for a teacher to pass the tests he or she is supposed to help the students pass? </p>
<p>Unfortunately, it is not hard to understand why the powers in education have been foughting tooth and nail against any “testing” and prefer to rely on tenure and academic “achievement” in the form of degrees from obscure and mediocre education colleges. </p>
<p>And it is not hard to understand that we are where we are because getting to the core of the problems has never been possible. As usual, “we” will do the right thing only after exhausting all the other alternatives.</p>
<p>James Milgram is a professor emeritus of mathematics at Stanford University. He served on the validation committee for the Common Core mathematics. He did not agree to approve the standards, because Common Core is WEAK IN MATH.</p>
<p>" the only math at the high school level, aside from a snippet on trigonometry, is
material from Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry. Moreover, the
Algebra II component does not describe a complete course."</p>
<p>Prof. Zimba’s definition is taken verbatim from his March 23, 2010 testimony
before the MA State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.</p>
<p>In a recent policy paper, two professors on the Common Core Validation Committee, R. James Milgram and Sandra Stotsky, observe that the math progression does NOT REACH PRE-CAL. </p>
<p>College students who did not take a precalculus course in high school rarely go on to earn a bachelor’s degree in a STEM area. In point of fact, the Common Core does not prepare students for careers in science, mathematics, engineering, finance, or economics. “At this time, we can only conclude that a gigantic fraud has been perpetrated on this country, in particular on parents in this country, by those developing, promoting, or endorsing Common Core’s standards.”</p>