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My state is revamping high school math instruction and requirements. Instead of


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Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, etc., courses will now be called Math I, Math II, Math III, and Math IV. The new standards integrate algebra, geometry and statistics at all levels. I think I like this idea. It is what my beloved BJU Math has been doing all along for its elementary-level courses. Now I'm wondering, though, if there is a homeschool-friendly publisher besides Saxon (I know they integrate geometry into their other courses) that also does this this for high school math courses.

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Does this mean that all students have to take the same math and all have to take it for four years? If so, I am very against this. ALso, a certain percentage of students will be attending colleges in other states where they want to see Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II, etc.

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Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, etc., courses will now be called Math I, Math II, Math III, and Math IV. The new standards integrate algebra, geometry and statistics at all levels. I think I like this idea. It is what my beloved BJU Math has been doing all along for its elementary-level courses. Now I'm wondering, though, if there is a homeschool-friendly publisher besides Saxon (I know they integrate geometry into their other courses) that also does this this for high school math courses.

 

 

Singapore's NEM is integrated.

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I don't know if it's homeschool friendly, but my nephew used a math text called something like Sadlier-Oxford. His story shows the potential problems with going that route, however.

 

He was homeschooled K-7, then went to a local K-8 Christian school. Unfortunately, for 9th grade, he's not able to say he's completed Alg 1 or Geometry, so there's some placement issues for next year at a private high school. He will have to take the two concurrently unless he's able to test out of Algebra 1. They've borrowed my Videotext over the summer to try to get him up to speed.

 

Frankly, I was astonished that the school would take such an approach to math knowing that all of their kids would go on to other schools, probably most of which would expect to see Algebra or Geometry on their transcripts.

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That's interesting. Here in NY, they had an integrated math program, which they called Math A, Math B1, B2. It was crazy, and the kids were doing poorly on the Regents, so the SED changed it back to a more traditional course of Algebra, Geometry, Alg II/Trig. The Algebra for 9th, is still integrated, though.

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Does this mean that all students have to take the same math and all have to take it for four years? If so, I am very against this. ALso, a certain percentage of students will be attending colleges in other states where they want to see Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II, etc.

 

The new math program in Georgia was at the request of Georgia Tech and University of Georgia. Professors from other universities, both public and private and in state and out of state were consulted. The original poster's explanation of the system did not mention that there are three different math tracks and that there can be switches made between them if it is necessary. The most advanced track will put students in calculus as juniors and taking multivariable calculus long distance from Georgia Tech as seniors. (Or for those in the Atlanta area, the students can take it on campus.) Georgia has switched to requiring four math credits for high school graduation. A friend who is an admissions officer at a private college in South Carolina said they have been dealing with different math program like this from other school districts for years. She mentioned New York as an example.

 

Since this will be the second year Math I and Math I Accelerated have been taught, a lot of people are still confused as to how it all will work. However, I have seen the texts our county is adopting, and the standards that are supposed to be taught, and it looks very rigorous. I think the biggest problem is that some of the school districts are not prepared to teach at this level, as shown by the 8th grade standardized test scores. However, the schools that taught the course well had no drop in the scores. The reason the 8th grade scores are the ones to look at is they are the first students in the new program.

 

I would be happy to answer any questions you all have. I'll be up at school soon and can check on which books my county is using. Since I teach upper level courses, I am not affected by it. Calculus is still calculus. Although precalc will now be part of accelerated Math III. For those we use multiple texts including my favorite, Foerster.

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Caroline, this is somewhat unrelated, but I've heard that many Georgia students failed the ITBS and exit exams this year and that record numbers of students have to attend summer school. What was the reason for it, if it's true? Is it a change in curriculum/standards?

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Caroline, this is somewhat unrelated, but I've heard that many Georgia students failed the ITBS and exit exams this year and that record numbers of students have to attend summer school. What was the reason for it, if it's true? Is it a change in curriculum/standards?

 

Not unrelated at all. First of all, I don't know how the state did on the ITBS. But I do know you cannot fail the ITBS. On our CRCT's, we did have a higher failure rate across the state in the 8th grade. And that is due to the test being on the new curriculum. If a school did not teach the new curriculum, then their students did not do well on the test. At my son's school, the pass rate on the 8th grade math CRCT was 97%. The only students who did not pass were in special ed. No Child Left Behind makes every student, regardless of disability take the same exam. Anyway, that school taught the new curriculum. The new curriculum, for an on-track kid, covers 90% of Algebra I and 50% of geometry by the end of eighth grade. It is rigorous, not just hard math, but proofs and concept understanding kind of math. We haven't expected that out of students in Georgia in years, if ever. So our abyssmal test scores are a result of the new curriculum.

 

Georgiastandards.org is the place to start reading. The hyper-accelerated track is not on there because the state is not happy with the three counties that implemented it. Essentially, students take 6, 7, 8th grade maths in 6th and 7th grades and Accelerated Math I, the advanced 9th grade course in 8th grade.

 

I don't want to hijack this thread any more, but please feel free to pm me with any questions.

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Does this mean that all students have to take the same math and all have to take it for four years? If so, I am very against this. ALso, a certain percentage of students will be attending colleges in other states where they want to see Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II, etc.

 

Colleges and universities must be dealing with it. Many of the high schools in our area have gone to this approach instead of the Alg 1, Alg 2, etc. This includes the prestigious private schools. I actually think it's an attempt at raising math scores by integrating the course areas and showing how they interrelate. My brother-in-law, who is a physicist presently teaching math in the University of Cincinnati system, was talking just a few weeks ago about the dismal state of freshman math knowledge and the need for a more integrated approach to mathematics in high school. So maybe this trend is a good thing. Maybe.:001_unsure:

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That's interesting. Here in NY, they had an integrated math program, which they called Math A, Math B1, B2. It was crazy, and the kids were doing poorly on the Regents, so the SED changed it back to a more traditional course of Algebra, Geometry, Alg II/Trig. The Algebra for 9th, is still integrated, though.

 

I had heard this, too. But I'm not sure what you mean about 9th still being intergrated?

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I had heard this, too. But I'm not sure what you mean about 9th still being intergrated?

 

The new 9th grade Algebra course is called Integrated Algebra. The largest percentage of the course will focus on Algebra, but they will be doing some Geometry as well. They will also cover statistics and probability.

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Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, etc., courses will now be called Math I, Math II, Math III, and Math IV. The new standards integrate algebra, geometry and statistics at all levels. I think I like this idea. It is what my beloved BJU Math has been doing all along for its elementary-level courses. Now I'm wondering, though, if there is a homeschool-friendly publisher besides Saxon (I know they integrate geometry into their other courses) that also does this this for high school math courses.

 

 

There is a British math program called Mathematics Enhnacement Programme (MEP) that is a very good integrated math program. Many folks who use Ambleside (Charlotte Mason) curriculum use MEP. There is also a Yahoo group set up to help MEP users. I have used a few lessons and it is very similar to BJUP's math.

 

Here is the link:

http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm

 

HTH,

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Which 3 counties implemented it? I know some kids in Peach County who did integrated math this past year, and that's what got me researching it. Is Peach County one of the three "officially" piloting integrated math, or were they just doing it on their own?

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This is how this math program is set up. You can take 3 tracks. Standard, Academic and my brain went blank and I am feeding baby so can't look it up right now. I personally love this approach and have been using MEP for several years now.

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  • 6 months later...
That's interesting. Here in NY, they had an integrated math program, which they called Math A, Math B1, B2. It was crazy, and the kids were doing poorly on the Regents, so the SED changed it back to a more traditional course of Algebra, Geometry, Alg II/Trig. The Algebra for 9th, is still integrated, though.

 

Hi Lisa. :) Would you be so kind as to direct me to a website that discusses these changes? I'm still seeing Math A & Math B here: http://www.nysedregents.org/ and no Integrated Algebra.

 

 

ETA - Nevermind. Found this:

 

 

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/new-math.htm

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Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, etc., courses will now be called Math I, Math II, Math III, and Math IV. The new standards integrate algebra, geometry and statistics at all levels. I think I like this idea. It is what my beloved BJU Math has been doing all along for its elementary-level courses. Now I'm wondering, though, if there is a homeschool-friendly publisher besides Saxon (I know they integrate geometry into their other courses) that also does this this for high school math courses.

 

 

when i saw your subject line my first thought was "oh no, let her not live in GA!"

 

the implementation new math is a NIGHTMARE!!!!!! once again, GA has messed up and the class of 2012 are the guinea pigs that will pay for it. sorry if i seem extreme. i am absolutely distraught over this. my son entered public school for the first time last August. he has always struggled with math but we had had great success with Teaching Textbooks Algebra. probably finished 80% of it - if school had started in September like our homeschool did we would have been done.

 

all the info i had indicated he would start with Algebra I; a review for him but i thought that would be fine given the adjustment to conventional school. but noooooooooooooooo! GA implemented Math I. there were 3 sets of texts the schools could choose. the Carnegie Learning Series was chosen by Decatur High School.

 

when i looked at his books (3 of them for Math I) i was totally perplexed. it's one thing to look at a book to find the methods for arriving at an answer. with these books i couldn't even figure out what the questions were. practically no explanations of how to do anything.

 

i'm going to stop myself now. as evidence of how totally BAD the state mandates are - for the second semester the school has dumped the books altogether. they have no textbook. the teachers are looking at the standards the state wants them to meet and devising worksheets.

 

if you google georgia math you will probably find hits on articles and letters from parents around the state in a fit. at curriculum night last week, the principal again apologized for the mess the math department is caught in and assured us they are trying to figure it out.

 

i think it's a promising idea to mix the disciplines. georgia is implementing it poorly.

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