Math sequence (algebra I and II and Geometry)

[KrisM]

DS1 take Algebra I this year, Geometry next year, and Algebra II in 9th grade. This is what I did in the mid 80s.

My nephew, is taking Geometry this year, Algebra I next and then Algebra II.

I had dinner with a friend yesterday and her son is doing Algebra I, Algebra II, and then Geometry.

I found it interesting there are 3 versions out there. Just curious what other schools are doing and if anyone know why one is preferred than another.

[vonfirmath]

When I was a kid, I think Algebra I was always done first. Sometimes followed by Geometry and sometimes by Algebra 2 then Geometry.

The reason for having Geometry before Algebra II was to give the kid more time to mature to be able to understand Algebra 2 better. I've never heard of Geometry before ALgebra I.... It seems having Algebra I first would help with learning Geometry.

[bigsis]

When I was a kid, I think Algebra I was always done first. Sometimes followed by Geometry and sometimes by Algebra 2 then Geometry.

This was me too. DD is taking Algebra 1 now in 8th grade, but I don't know what comes next for her.

[essnce629]

DS1 took algebra 1 in 7th grade and is taking geometry now in 8th grade. I have no idea what he'll take in 9th grade!

All I know is that I took algebra 1 in 9th grade and geometry in 10th grade so DS1 is 2 years ahead of where I was at the same age!

[abh5e8]

Just curious.. what did he take in 6th grade?

[jenmcadams]

Standard around here (and what I did in the dark ages) is Algebra 1 - > Geometry -> Algebra 2

DD did Algebra 1 in 7th, Geometry in 8th and is Honors Algebra 2 in 9th (she'll take Pre-Calc in 10th and Calc BC in 11th, unless we have her slow down and do Calc AB in 11th). That's generally the most accelerated standard track around here. There are only about 10 9th graders (out of a class of 320) taking Algebra 2 as freshman

DS is actually in Algebra 1 as a 6th grader (he took Pre-Algebra Honors in 5th grade). He's young for his grade and I'm definitely nervous about whether this is developmentally appropriate, but he switched to a new school for middle school this year and they tested him extensively and felt like this was the best fit. If it ends up being too hard, he'll take it again next year and be back on the same track as his sister.

[egoldber]

I think that Geometry is often taught before Algebra 2 because many Algebra 2 courses also include trigonometry and conic sections. So you need the foundation of the relationships of angles in order to do the trig part of Algebra 2. But if you de-couple trig from Algebra 2, then you don't necessarily need to take geometry first.

Older DD's school has it's own math sequence that no other school in our county has. I think it's a pain. But it generally follows the flow of Algebra 1 -> Geometry -> Algebra 2.

[KrisM]

Just curious.. what did he take in 6th grade?

My DS took accelerated math, which is the highlights of 6th, 7th, and pre algebra rolled into a year. They moved fairly quickly, but he is excellent in math and had no issues. There is a slower advanced version that does regular 6th grade and then accelerated in 7th and algebra in 8th.

[scrooks]

Back in the day I took Algebra (8th), Geometry (9th), Algebra II/Trig (10th), PreCalc (11th) and Calc BC (12th). This was the most accelerated math sequence my high school offered. Not sure what our current district does.

[SnuggleBuggles]

DD did Algebra 1 in 7th, Geometry in 8th and is Honors Algebra 2 in 9th (she'll take Pre-Calc in 10th and Calc BC in 11th, unless we have her slow down and do Calc AB in 11th). That's generally the most accelerated standard track around here. There are only about 10 9th graders (out of a class of 320) taking Algebra 2 as freshman

We advocated to get ds1 on that track as he was so bored and ahead in k-6. When we noticed a few kids in 6tg getting pulled out for accelerated work AND saw how many levels of math were offered in high school, we asked about moving ds ahead. That was a frustrating conversation as they admitted he certainly could do the work but they hadn't thought about it because he was so quiet and fell under their radar. Grr. So, we spent the summer between 6-7 getting him caught up and ready for algebra. Did great and is now happily done with algebra and geometry and doing honors algebra 2.

Our charter school's new middle school math curriculum isn't going to prepare kids well for high school as they will no longer have geometry. Algebra 1 will be the limit. People are leaving over that decision.

Eta- in my day, the top mainstream track was 8th- algebra, 9th- geometry, 10th- algebra 2, 11th- trig, 12th- AP calc. Dh was accelerated beyond that and finished that in junior year so dos a college stats program through the high school his senior year.

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