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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
#102[deleted]
Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide
#103Here's a revolutionary idea that pretty much all of the world adopts, if students are having trouble with a topic, get them to do more of it, instead of running away from it. I always find it hilarious that the pre college education in US is so messed up. Instead of doing Algebra 1, Algebra 2, calculus, geometry as one subject that you do in a year and then completely forgetting about it till the next time you have t…
This policy has nothing to do with the topic of algebra. This is code for advanced math, because algebra is typically considered advanced for < 9th grade children. Since the organizations feel ashamed that they're failing certain demographics as evidenced by being under-represented in the advanced classes, they're just scrapping the advanced classes for everyone. Truly disgraceful
How old is a 9th grade student in the US? My cohort started Algebra in year 7 in Australia, which is 12/13 years old. And similar to GP's proposal, we learn age appropriate topics every single year, every single week.
Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide
#104Everything about this movement is rotten.
SFUSD claims their reforms pushing algebra to 9th grade decreased the algebra re-take rate from 40% to 7%. However, the drop in re-take rate was actually caused primarily by the removal of the requirement to pass a curriculum exam. Quite simply, if “knowing algebra” is removed as a requirement to pass algebra, more people will pass algebra.
More at https://www.familiesforsanfrancisco.com/updates/inequity-in-...
Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide
#105It’s the official shift from “we can lift everyone up” to “we need to hold everyone down”. It wasn’t that long ago the California was touting the success of Algebra for everyone in 8th grade.
This "single standard" to me is like outlawing adjustable seats in cars. In the UK, they start separating students into separate tracks around 8th grade. Some will excel in math and science, so give them the opportunity to really go for it and take hard classes. Others will excel in other areas. But if everyone is lumped together in the same bucket and forced into the same mold, the average student's highest level of…
Get labelled incorrectly in grade 8 and get shutout of any advanced math/science classes which disqualifies you from a good university program.
Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide
#106It’s the official shift from “we can lift everyone up” to “we need to hold everyone down”. It wasn’t that long ago the California was touting the success of Algebra for everyone in 8th grade.
> It’s the official shift from “we can lift everyone up” to “we need to hold everyone down”. No, its based on empirical evidence that the way things were done previously holds everyone down, and they should be done differently if you want to lift everyone up. Educational approaches are technologies, and old familiar technologies are, often, just not as good at their purpose as newer ones.
what evidence and what data? I studied math in Syria and was doing Calculus at 8th grade, came to the states and was forced to redo basic algebra. Do you know how soul crushing it is to redo those classes?
edit: I dont understand how poor war-torn countries can have a better educational system than the most developed country in the world.
Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide
#107It’s the official shift from “we can lift everyone up” to “we need to hold everyone down”. It wasn’t that long ago the California was touting the success of Algebra for everyone in 8th grade.
> It’s the official shift from “we can lift everyone up” to “we need to hold everyone down”. No, its based on empirical evidence that the way things were done previously holds everyone down, and they should be done differently if you want to lift everyone up. Educational approaches are technologies, and old familiar technologies are, often, just not as good at their purpose as newer ones.
How does the current system hold everyone down?
Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide
#108They should stop lowering expectations for students. There isn't any reason that they can't start teaching it in 6th grade.
Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide
#109Earlier quoted context omitted.
They're thinking that teaching people stuff is promoting a diversity of outcomes , which is anathema at the moment. Diversity is supposed to only extend as far as categories one mustn't use to discriminate (age, race, sex, religion, etc.). If it occurs in other areas (achievement level, ability in particular subjects) ... oooh that's bad. Must make it stop.
I don't understand what this means. Where I went to school there were no gifted programs but we all were doing algebra and word problems much earlier than in the US. If people want consistent outcomes then teach everyone the same thing and hold everyone up to the same standards by investing more resources in students that are underachieving. That to me seems like a much better way of equalizing outcomes.
If you teach "hard" things to average US public school students, a minority of them will excel as a result. The rest will nod off, get bored, not pay attention, and not benefit.
So it benefits a minority (those who care) and differentiates them from the rest -- that's what they don't like. Because those who care come from "privileged" backgrounds more often than not, thus perpetuating the gap between privileged and non-privileged.
Re: California moves to recommend delaying algebra to 9th grade statewide
#110Earlier quoted context omitted.
This policy has nothing to do with the topic of algebra. This is code for advanced math, because algebra is typically considered advanced for < 9th grade children. Since the organizations feel ashamed that they're failing certain demographics as evidenced by being under-represented in the advanced classes, they're just scrapping the advanced classes for everyone. Truly disgraceful
How old is a 9th grade student in the US? My cohort started Algebra in year 7 in Australia, which is 12/13 years old. And similar to GP's proposal, we learn age appropriate topics every single year, every single week.
9th grade is the US is freshman year of high school, so most students would be around age 14 ~ 15