Algebra for 8th Graders...

[pingtheduck]

Here's the link..

Top Stories - Eighth grade + algebra = $3.1 billion, O'Connell says - sacbee.com

The article says 50% of 8th graders are taking Algebra. Should much more even be a goal? What about 9th grade? Is that more reasonable and cost effective? Honestly, I think this is more contortions to make the school system look good. And more forcing all kids into one tiny, cookie cutter ideal. I just hate it. Sometimes we don't act like a society that prizes individuality.

[BarbiE]

I hate this! Not all kids are ready for Algebra in 8th grade-so they get to struggle and feel like failures??

[Luke]

Requiring Algebra in 8th grade is ridiculous, IMO. There really is no reason for it. Frankly, too many kids, my son, included, are pushed into Algebra as low as 7th grade. There really is no reason for it, and if I had to do it over again, I would have insisted that he had taken pre-Algebra in 7th grade.

Unfortunately, the reality is that California has Algebra as an 8th grade standard, and therefore, the feds under NCLB have come down on the state for not testing all 8th graders in Algebra. Hence, the response is to require all students to take Algebra in 8th grade. The curriculum will, of course, be watered down so all can pass.

[Martha]

Kids are getting "pre-algebra" in 4th grade. It's ridiculous.

There is NO mastery of the basics. I've got a going-in-to-7th-grader, and homework around here is awful. "No Child Left Behind" my butt. There are plenty being left behind. I fear when they get to the real world, they will struggle with simple things like figuring out sales tax on things, managing their checkbooks and, it's already a problem, people aren't learning about the "evils" of credit.

When I used to walk to school uphill, bothways, barefoot, and in the snow, all we did in 2nd grade was master addition. 3rd was for subtraction; 4th was for division; 5th was long division; 6th was fractions. I never "got" algebra (I was a strong 'D' student), yet I clowned around in geometry and got A's and B's.

Algebra is stoopid. (thankfully, my husband "got it" so he helps with math homework...boy got my algebra gene, I'm afraid)

[Mama Mia]

Originally Posted by Martha

Kids are getting "pre-algebra" in 4th grade. It's ridiculous.

There is NO mastery of the basics. I've got a going-in-to-7th-grader, and homework around here is awful. "No Child Left Behind" my butt. There are plenty being left behind. I fear when they get to the real world, they will struggle with simple things like figuring out sales tax on things, managing their checkbooks and, it's already a problem, people aren't learning about the "evils" of credit.

Wow, I have to agree with you Martha....the today generation has no idea of how to manage money. I have gone to stores and when the register goes down they have no idea of how to give me my change. I usually have to tell them....and when they go into the "real" world, they get into all kinds of trouble because they have no idea about finances. The schools should have a class called " managing money in the real world"...of course I'm from the generation where we had "homemaking" and we learned how to cook and sew and purchase food and items for the home....none of that today!!!! When my kids were teens, I opened a checking account for them and they had to manage those funds....

[feistylady]

My sister is a tutor in the LA area, and she also is grumbling about how early Algebra is being taught in schools. She just had to order a Algebra, and Geometry book in order to brush up on her skills so that she could help the kids she tutors. She has told me that there is some Calculus included as well, although they don't call it that.

[crash]

Maybe if school districts could break the subjects into separate classes with separate teachers, this might make mastering a subject a bit more efficient. Structuring elementary schools in a similar way as middle and high schools where they're learning from a teacher who specializes in that subject. They have science teachers and P.E. teachers, why not math too? I think the kids are bright enough to "get" algebra by 8th grade, but the schools don't have what it takes to teach it to them the right way so that once they learn it, they will always 'get it' and not just until the end of the month but for a lifetime.

I find my child struggles because she's never had a teacher really "teach" math (especially algebra!) No math logic, no mastering of the skills or equations, just "here's the new chapter, do your homework and by the way, there's a test this Friday on it so you better know it" way of screaming through the curriculum. I know that teachers have to get through so much in a short amount of time, but maybe the districts need to re-evaluate how they teach the curriculum and find a better way rather than this "rotational" system they have now where kids forget everything they've been taught as soon as the first page of the new chapter is assigned. There is no mastering of the skills and that's where our kids will lose out.

[RanchHQ]

Originally Posted by Martha

.

When I used to walk to school uphill, bothways, barefoot, and in the snow, all we did in 2nd grade was master addition. 3rd was for subtraction; 4th was for division; 5th was long division; 6th was fractions. I never "got" algebra (I was a strong 'D' student), yet I clowned around in geometry and got A's and B's.

Hey, we went to the same School.

I was a High School Geometry Tutor, but I needed a Tutor for Algebra.

Musta been the Teachers fault.

[Martha]

Originally Posted by RanchHQ

Musta been the Teachers fault.

It most certainly WAS!!! (my dad thought otherwise, but nevermind that!) He really was an awful guy. He actually threw chalk at my friend and I (who sat in the back of the room and were talking during the first day's of 10th grade/first year of HS...back then we went to jr. high 'til 9th grade). His rage wouldn't be tolerated today, but he certainly didn't make me want to learn.

(I think he scarred me for life!)

[joaquinmurieta]

Algebra is concerned with solving equations, uses symbols instead of specific numbers, and uses arithmetic operations to establish ways of handling symbols. The word algebra is also used, however, to describe various modern, more abstract mathematical topics that also use symbols but not necessarily to represent numbers. Mathematicians consider modern algebra a set of objects with rules for connecting or relating them. As such, in its most general form, algebra may fairly be described as the language of mathematics.

In other words, algebra tries to teach problem solving rather than mere number memorization. I think alot of people are intimidated by the name algebra. If the concept were actually taught sooner, children would more likely be able to solve problems logically rather than struggle with memorization of numbers. There will always be those who do better or worse than others. Should we coddle children or find their strengths and weaknesses sooner rather than later?