• D.C. to overhaul ninth grade, separate students who failed
    58 replies, posted
[url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-to-overhaul-ninth-grade-separating-out-students-who-failed/2013/06/26/35680b88-dd99-11e2-948c-d644453cf169_story.html[/url] [QUOTE]D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson plans to overhaul the city’s approach to ninth-grade education, separating out students who have already failed the first year of high school from impressionable incoming freshmen. School officials hope the move will insulate new ninth-graders from the influence of older classmates who have begun to disengage from school. They aim to nurture teens who are making the transition from middle to high school while also providing meaningful alternatives to students who are repeating ninth grade for the second or third time. Nine D.C. high schools will open in the fall with “ninth-grade academies,” small schools-within-a-school dedicated to providing extra support for first-time freshmen. Students who have already failed ninth grade will not be allowed to enroll in the academies. Officials say they are still hammering out plans for those “repeater” students, raising concerns among some advocates that the school system doesn’t know how to effectively educate such students and is perhaps setting them up for additional failure. In ninth grade, for the first time in their school careers, students must pass certain classes — Algebra and English — to advance [IMG]http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/bd/16/bd16af96c521c9cfb21d248f5ccb9d69.jpg?itok=27ZAlIas[/IMG] [/QUOTE] Damn Algebra...
Don't you have to pass Algebra before going onto high school?
[QUOTE=W00tbeer1;41258810]Don't you have to pass Algebra before going onto high school?[/QUOTE] They dont even teach Algebra until the 9th grade in my local school system. I would say this program would be better to separate those underachieving from the mid or higher achieving students so that, as many can tell you, you dont get stuck with people asking really stupid questions that slow the class down.
[QUOTE=W00tbeer1;41258810]Don't you have to pass Algebra before going onto high school?[/QUOTE] 'On level' students take Algebra in 9th grade in my county. It's not a bad idea to separate the students. Super seniors fucking set camp out in Algebra for years, they aren't exactly the best kids either.
[QUOTE=W00tbeer1;41258810]Don't you have to pass Algebra before going onto high school?[/QUOTE] Not in most places and thats completely fair in my opinion. Not everybody needs it.
[QUOTE=W00tbeer1;41258810]Don't you have to pass Algebra before going onto high school?[/QUOTE] Depends on the school. I went to a private school until high school, and I learnt basic algebra in 6th and 7th grade.
[QUOTE=W00tbeer1;41258810]Don't you have to pass Algebra before going onto high school?[/QUOTE] In my 8th grade you had the option of taking algebra before high school, but there was no inter-school communication so there was no point in doing so. You'd just have to take it again in high school.
Hey OP, when you use quotation marks (as in title) you should probably make sure that the quote was actually said by someone in the article, thx Nobody said "hopeless failure". These idiotic titles tick me off so bad.
[QUOTE=areolop;41258828]They dont even teach Algebra until the 9th grade in my local school system. I would say this program would be better to separate those underachieving from the mid or higher achieving students so that, as many can tell you, you dont get stuck with people asking really stupid questions that slow the class down.[/QUOTE] My 8th grade class taught it. It's the reason I almost failed that math class if it wasn't for a extra credit website which I was on every waking hour I would've failed.
In my district Algebra the advanced math class for eighth grade. If you didn't take it, it became your Freshman math class. Used to let you not have to take a math class your fourth year in highschool, but from what I've heard they changed it so you have to anyways.
My school had a segregated freshman class for one year. Everything from elective classes to lunch periods were separated. The only time you'd see a freshman was in an after/before school activity. They even had a separate bell schedule, so we'd get bells during class that didn't apply to us and vice versa. This is the first 'real' reason I've ever heard of the attempt, which makes much more sense than their excuse they were trying to 'transition' middle school students to high school, when middle school was supposed to transition you from grade school to high school... In the end they abandoned the program, the segregated freshman class that no one ever saw created quite the stigma. Once parents really found out about the program instead of reading about it in the entrance packet, they created such a hell that the principal quit the next year. Hopefully this isn't the same concept.
[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;41258844]Depends on the school. I went to a private school until high school, and I learnt basic algebra in 6th and 7th grade.[/QUOTE] yeah man ive seent things like that befo'
"Still hammering out plans for repeat students" I call bullshit. This program sounds like they're just trying to keep repeat students from interacting with regular freshman and "damaging" them. Everyone knows quarantine does not help you if you're the one being quarantined. Looks like you're well and truly fucked in life if you fail 9th grade in DC.
[QUOTE=areolop;41258828]They dont even teach Algebra until the 9th grade in my local school system.[/QUOTE] Damn, it's weird how radically different the level of education is across the country. I learned algebra in 5th-6th grade (although the 3rd grade teacher attempted to teach us algebra). The average kids had to take it in 7th and 8th grade.
[QUOTE=areolop;41258828]They dont even teach Algebra until the 9th grade in my local school system.[/QUOTE] Officially, it is an honors class in 7th-8th grade in the state I live in, but there are little introductory courses to algebra spread out from 3rd-8th grade for those who are in regular math courses. Officially, the first algebra course is 9th grade for Arizona as well, but most people know a lot of what is in it by that time. Still though, everyone is entitled to an equal education in public schools. It just seems wrong to segregate kids at a vulnerable age like high school.
learned algebra in Grade 7, Ontario.
[QUOTE=areolop;41258828]They dont even teach Algebra until the 9th grade in my local school system. I would say this program would be better to separate those underachieving from the mid or higher achieving students so that, as many can tell you, you dont get stuck with people asking really stupid questions that slow the class down.[/QUOTE] You must have a really shitty school. We started learning very basic algebra in 7th grade, i don't remember much of 8th though, just that 8th grade math was worse than anything ever.
this has been happening for decades in my city in Alabama no big deal really
I took Algebra 3 times. Terrible class. I fucking hate math.
I finished reading the article and it feels like these guys did not do their homework. They keep on talking about how 9th grade as being the year that everything either goes well or the kids become repeaters. They seem to be overlooking the reinforcement to do well in years 1-8. They should start while the kids are more impressionable from adults rather than waiting until high school where peer influence becomes a lot more powerful. Not to mention, their plan is still an optional one that kids can opt out of if they so choose because of the age group they are going after. I cannot see it being successful on such a wide scale.
[QUOTE=Baboo00;41259178]Damn, it's weird how radically different the level of education is across the country. I learned algebra in 5th-6th grade (although the 3rd grade teacher attempted to teach us algebra). The average kids had to take it in 7th and 8th grade.[/QUOTE] Where do you live?
Heh i know a 7th grader learning calc.
The American school system is fucked. The school system in my county has had lunches fucked over with and now they have to pay $25 for each and every E.C. So if you want to do 2 bands and 4 sports over the year, you're out $150.
Great way to make a kid feel like they have zero potential in life, classify them as "repeaters" and separate them. Not everyone who is held back is a low-life who hates school.
because segregation works so well
algebra bring out the worse of us.. barely passed it in high school.. it's preventing me from getting my college degree
Math can kiss my ass. The only useful Math class is Finance. You actually learn some useful stuff there.
[QUOTE=prooboo;41259501]I took Algebra 3 times. Terrible class. I fucking hate math.[/QUOTE] But math loves everyone :( [editline]1st July 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Keychain;41260197]Math can kiss my ass. The only useful Math class is Finance. You actually learn some useful stuff there.[/QUOTE] You people are so cruel.
Ninth grade English was easy as shit. Along with Algebra 1.
[QUOTE=W00tbeer1;41258810]Don't you have to pass Algebra before going onto high school?[/QUOTE] When I was in school you took a math test in 8th grade. What you scored determined what math class you took as a freshman in high school. Foundations II, Algebra and Algebra II. It was completely pointless because even if you scored perfect, and got put in Algebra or Algebra II, you'd still HAVE to take Foundations II at a later year anyway in order to graduate. Nothing quite like being in Foundations II with usually freshman as a senior just sitting there being bored shitless And unless you're going to do something specific in college or as a career you're already set out to do, a lot of it is useless math. Finances would've been nice but the closest we had was economics. If you wanted to learn about stuff you'd actually use in your day to day life, ROTC was the only class teaching anything at my high school. Even the American History class wasn't going to be allowed to teach American History BEFORE the Civil War after I graduated. Our country isn't even 300 years old and now a Junior High School American History class isn't going to cover the American Revolution? What bullshit is that What a shame, because the teacher for that class was a good teacher, which is rare
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