softball_parent wrote:The reason they are not ready is because for most the brain is not developed enough to understand the abstact thinking required for algebra. If you read up on Piaget who was one of the leading child development theorists in cognitive development he talked about how a child develops the cognitive thought process. Previously no students took Algebra until high school. As a professional who works with children as well as teaches at the college level I tell parents to have their child repeat Algebra as a freshman even if they got an A in it in the 8th grade. To have the 3 or 4 years required for college if they start in Geometry as a freshman then many have to take Calculus to meet the college requirement. Many are not able to understand math at that level now or most going to need it for their major.
One-size-fits-all recommendations aren't always valid because it really boils down to the aptitude of the individual students and whether they're prepared or not.
- Forty years ago, we had 4-5 freshmen in our honors Geometry class for the first time at our HS and they were top math students for all 3 years we were together.
- Some of the local public schools in my area are doing such a good job with advanced students that some 8th graders are taking geometry at the high school.
- Our district only allows freshmen to skip Algebra I if they pass a readiness test and get a recommendation from their MS teacher. Both my kids passed the test, but only my DD got the recommendation to skip Algebra I. It worked out for both of them.
- Calculus isn't necessarily the only option as a senior - our HS also offers AP Statistics.
On a similar note, students that are eligible to get college credit by passing an AP test should seriously consider still taking the class at college if their major requires them to take an additional year of the subject and they didn't get a high passing score on the AP test.
) in the world behind developed countries in math ...
