high school math track...help please

[giftof6]

There may be another thread about this same thing, if there is I'm sorry for the redundancy.

 

My question:

If our state (Missouri) requires 3 years of Math and the colleges won't accept any credit for anything given prior to the 9th grade year, then do I:

 

Choice A:

8th-repeat pre-algebra

9th-alg 1

10th-geom

11th-alg 2

12-(optional) pre-calc or trig

 

Choice B:

8th-alg 1

9th-geom

10th-alg 2

11th-required pre-calc or trig

 

I never took anything beyond Alg 2, so I can't even make an educated guess about how successful he will be with cal or trig.

 

Suggestions?

Thanks.

Edited April 11, 2011 by giftof6
forgot something

[regentrude]

Whatever you decide, I would make sure he does take math his senior year - a year without math means he will forget his skills before college.

If your student is ready for algebra 1 in 8th grade, go ahead and have him take it, then continue in the sequence. Statistics is also an option for a later math class. If you have a strong student, there is no reason HE could not take calculus even if YOU did not.

If your student is not ready for algebra in 8th, doing a thorough pre-algebra review is a great idea, and he can then take alg 1 in 9th. Again, he still should plan to take FOUR years of math - even if it is not required.

The important question you need to answer is: is he ready for algebra in 8th grade, or not? Everything depends on that.

[Lolly]

option C

 

8th-Alg.1

9th-repeat Alg. 1

10th-Geo

11th-Alg.2

12th-pre-calc or trig

[MommyThrice]

option C

 

8th-Alg.1

9th-repeat Alg. 1

10th-Geo

11th-Alg.2

12th-pre-calc or trig

 

This is exactly the track we're on. The extra year in algebra has been extremely beneficial. I wouldn't repeat pre-alg unless your child is really struggling. I found the jump from pre-alg to algebra to be much greater than I imagined, and it seems that many on these boards have needed to spend extra time on algebra I.

[elegantlion]

option C

 

8th-Alg.1

9th-repeat Alg. 1

10th-Geo

11th-Alg.2

12th-pre-calc or trig

 

This is what we're doing, but bumped down a year as ds is in 7th. We plan to add either statistics or calculus at the senior year. We're in MO also.

[giftof6]

That's another good option. This may be a silly question, but if we repeat Alg 1 in 9th, the schools aren't going to know or care, are they? I suppose it wouldn't be any different than repeating a class in public school.

Thanks!

[Teachin'Mine]

I wouldn't worry about whether the school will count it for high school credit or not. If he's done with pre-algebra and has done well, then I'd move onto algebra - even if it's before 9th grade. As has been mentioned, there are plenty of math options to complete four years of math even with algebra having been done before 9th.

[In The Great White North]

This may be a silly question, but if we repeat Alg 1 in 9th, the schools aren't going to know or care, are they?

 

You mean, the colleges he applies to? Nope. They only ask for the last four years, in some cases three years (my high school was 10-11-12, and nothing from 9th was on the transcript) At least one of the colleges ds applied to only wanted info on the last three years.

[giftof6]

Thanks! You all made an easy decision out of something I'd been agonizing over.

 

Alg 1 next year and repeating it in 9th grade if need be.

 

You all are great!

[Mandy in TN]

Thanks! You all made an easy decision out of something I'd been agonizing over.

 

Alg 1 next year and repeating it in 9th grade if need be.

 

You all are great!

Using an easier alg text in 8th and a more difficult text in 9th is certainly an option.

 

However, I am another that will caution against not taking math his senior year. Is community college an option? If so, I would suggest looking into what they offer. If you know there are instructional options out there for more advanced maths, this may allow him to work at his own pace.

 

HTH-

Mandy