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California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

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Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#23
JKR was really spot on with the Dolores Umbridge character. For those who didn't read HP, the plot was that their ministry of education sent Umbridge to the (only) school with the only goal: prevent students from learning certain subjects. I feel like this Umbridge character is the inspiration for the radical left.

Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#27

What age is ninth grade? We were doing Algebra by eleven.

The difference between education across the world and USA is that you treat algebra as one subject and therefore don't do it every year. In India, you had to do algebra starting grade 6 all the way to grade 12. The more complex the theory, the later you learn it. Makes sense to have that kind of gradual learning imho.

Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#28
My parents introduced it to me at home around 4th-5th grade? So I was ~9-10yo? Not sure why delaying it will help, if anything the earlier the better. Everything I hear about "equity in education" seems to be making it worse, but more equally I guess.

Like another poster already mentioned, reminds me of the Harrison Bergeron story by Vonnegut - seems like we are rapidly approaching that point.

http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/harrison.html

Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#29
post #3

Well that's stupid. If anything they should introduce it sooner. There's tons of research that show the sooner it's introduced the better they are able to digest that (as in it becomes more second nature and are later able to reason with it and build off that knowledge better).

It's hard to introduce Algebra much earlier than 8th grade - the students just don't have the mathematical maturity for it. What you can do though is challenge and expose them to slightly more complex applications of ordinary math (often stated via increasingly elaborate "word problems") that make the introduction of algebra a lot more natural when the students are finally up for it. You tend to see this approach in…

Seems entirely arbitrary (if not false?). I was taught the basics of algebra and even trig (at least, how pi and radians work) in the 4th and 5th grade

Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide

#30

I was doing algebra and Russian math word problems in 4th grade (maybe earlier, it's been a while). What exactly is the logic of pushing back mathematical training to later grades? [1] 1: https://www.edhelper.com/geography/Russia_Math1.htm

" . . . as a means of promoting equity" and "The intent of the state mathematics framework, its designers say, is to maintain rigor while also helping remedy California’s achievement gaps for Black, Latino and low-income students, which remain some of the largest in the nation. It's Harrison Bergeron Math.

Is there an achievement gap for other groups such as Asian students?
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