Raini Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 My ds is looking into an arts school for 11-12th grade. He will be going into 9th this fall at home and will be starting Lial's Algebra. He completed 1/3 of Chalkdust Alg and 4 chapters of LOF. (Death in the family and overwhelming outside class schedule... and we're switching to Lial's at his request.) I was just looking through the school's academic information and found... ****** Classroom Resources for Precalculus A Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry (University of Chicago School Mathematics Project). TI-83 graphing calculators. Statview-statistical software. Graph Explorer-graphing software. Videos: Project Mathematics: Sine and Cosine, Parts 1, 2, and 3. Classroom Resources for Geometry Discovering Geometry: An Inductive Approach by Michael Serra, Key Curriculum Press, copyright 1997. Four Function Calculators. Software: Geometer’s Sketchpad, Letterforms and Illusions, Tesselmania Videos, laserdisks, slides: The Shape of Things, Geometry in Nature (NCTM slides), Platonic Solids, Donald in Mathemagic Land, Project Mathematics: The Story of PI, Theorem of Pythagoras, Similarity. Classroom Resources for Precalculus B Precalculus and Discrete Mathematics (University of Chicago School Mathematics Project). TI-83 graphing calculators. Classroom Resources for Advanced Algebra Advanced Algebra Through Data Exploration: A Graphing Calculator Approach (Key Curriculum Press) TI-83 graphing calculators. Classroom Resources for AP Calculus AB Calculus Single Variable-second edition (McDougal Littel) TI-83 graphing calculators. MAA Calculus Films ******* I think he can work through Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra 2 before going to this school. Are the Precal/Calc classes....OK? I believe I've heard horror stories about Chicago Math... What do you think? Scary? Should I be hyperventalating? Thanks, Sherry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 If this is a school focused on the fine arts, why are these descriptions for so extensive a math track? (Just curious) My eldest son used UCSMP for his 7th grade math program, some years ago. It stank, to be blunt. After we were finished, I bumped into reviews that trashed the program fairly across the board. Perhaps there are current reviews of that math program? Perhaps the program has been revised and improved ? ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raini Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 I'm still trying to figure it out. It looks like students choose one of six art areas (music, dance, etc), and also take English, math, science, social studies, and world languages. It's a public school for 11th and 12th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoriM Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 So it looks like if he completes Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 with you, he'll be on track to take Geometry and either Advanced Algebra or PreCalculus with them in 11th and 12th grades. Don't assume artsy kids don't do well in math. My dd was a double major art/math until she decided to get married, and changed her art major to a minor. She *loves* the combination of art and math, and will probably do some form of engineering design for grad school. Ultimately, the school has a responsibility to train the students to the minimum high school standard, while allowing them to pursue their passions in art. It's not surprising that they would have a range of high school math courses to meet the varying capabilities of their students. Oh, and if you are asking about UCSMP as a curriculum, it is fine, with a good teacher. :) Nearly any high school math curriculum works just fine, particularly in a classroom setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raini Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 Ultimately, the school has a responsibility to train the students to the minimum high school standard, while allowing them to pursue their passions in art. It's not surprising that they would have a range of high school math courses to meet the varying capabilities of their students. Oh, and if you are asking about UCSMP as a curriculum, it is fine, with a good teacher. :) Nearly any high school math curriculum works just fine, particularly in a classroom setting. Here is my concern. I'm hoping the school's description of 'rigorous acedemics' is accurate. If the English, Math and Science are strong, great! If academic classes are more on the minimum standard side, I'll be harder to convince. Ultimately I'll have little say in the matter at that point- ds will be 16 :D So, clarifying my question...Would the description given of these math classes concern you if you wanted your child to have 4 strong years of math in HS? (Again, I think he can move through Alg 1, Geometry, and Alg 2 before attending the school.) Thanks Lori and Orthodox6! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 The descriptions sound fine. Are you thinking that the parents are required to purchase all the referenced software and equipment? (I'd be panicking, were that the case !) My instinct is that the description is detailed, so that students/parents will know what is used for the courses. I would expect the school to own the required software, to be used at school. Calculators, however, would be an expected student expense. Of course a fine arts student can do well in math ! I asked only because some of these schools focus so heavily on the "magnet subject" that they provide only cursory coverage of other subjects. This school sounds potentially good ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raini Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 It's a public school, so parents shouldn't have to buy texts, etc. And yes, I didn't want a school that was strong in arts with a little bit of academics mixed in! :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjones Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 This looks like a typical sequence of high school math classes to me. I don't see Statistics offered, which many of my husband's more capable math students take their senior year. However, some schools offer that on an occasional basis, depending on the demand. How you'll feel about the Chicago math depends on your preferences for math instruction and your son's learning style. My guess is the only item you may need to purchase would be the graphing calculator (about $130!). I know some schools offer them for check-out, but not all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 If statistics is taught at all in any public school, then this is relatively new, and is a very good thing ! My dh has taught statistics to graduate students who never "touched the stuff" prior to his course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjones Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 If statistics is taught at all in any public school, then this is relatively new, and is a very good thing ! My dh has taught statistics to graduate students who never "touched the stuff" prior to his course. Most of the high schools here in Seattle offer statistics. It's for the kids who take Calculus as 11th graders. It's usually a small-ish group of Seniors, but at our high school it is offered every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoriM Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 AP Statistics is fairly common, nationwide. Some students opt for AP Stats instead of AP Calc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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