<p>Actually, to think about it, I have an idea. Let students homeschool themselves. Those who play too many computer games and consequently make too little progress should then be warned. If they disregard the warning, then they can be sent to public education (providing a disincentive against being sent to public schooling).</p>
<p>Another thought: Computer testing programs in the course material in conjunction with progress-measuring charts. Students can check off (or test out of) specific modules in the course as they finish each module. They can then use charts/computer to compare their progress with the expected progress of the course. If the student moves at course progress, well, that’s no worse than what the student is doing in school.</p>
<p>there are potential better motivational aids than hours of lectures every day (motivational aids that just haven’t been tried out at all - perhaps due to the lack of a market receptive to such aids).</p>
<p>…a lot of unschoolers actually do enter college at age 19/20 though, which is interesting. Though many of them did it to travel the world…</p>
<p>I suppose the key word I used was “everyone”. I guess “if more people were homeschooled” would be a better word to describe the situation. But this assumes a change in parental attitudes that I can’t make. Then another alternative is simply self-paced learning in public schools. </p>
<p>Taking geometry in 9th grade is perfectly compatible with Calculus BC in 10th grade. In fact, in a normal curriculum, it often isn’t significantly behind Calc BC in 10th grade. You criticized the “10th graders with Calculus are unexceptional” statement, but yet you could be easily taking Calculus in 11th grade. A 1 year difference isn’t exceptional.</p>
<p>Damn all the really smart kids.
9th: Honors Geometry
10th: Honors Algebra II
11th: Honors Pre-Calculus (tried to test out of but failed on trig concepts)
12th: AP Calculus AB and AP Statistics</p>
<p>I couldn’t “easily” be in calculus in 11th grade, because that would require skipping Pre-Calc, which I don’t have the mathematical skill for it. Taking Calc BC after geometry would mean I would miss Algebra II AND Pre-Calc, which I certainly cannot do. I am an English and foreign language person, and I have skipped the equivalent of three years of high school Spanish, but I still think people taking AP languages in 10th grade like I did are exceptional. </p>
<p>Maybe for the group of arrogant math freaks on this board taking Calc in 10th grade isn’t “exceptional,” but compared to the rest of the country that normally only takes math through Algebra II or perhaps Pre-Calc, it is amazing, and should be honored as such.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t “honor” a trait that is caused more by (the educational system one goes through) than by (the person’s innate intelligence/motivation). At least in the top few percentiles of ability, Calculus BC in 10th grade is caused more by the educational system one goes through. Congratulate someone on that, eh?</p>
<p>It may seem that the most intelligent/motivated students in a particular school are the ones taking Calc BC - but such is hardly the case when you compare students from different schools with each other. Caltech accepts students who took Calculus in 12th grade, and rejects some who took it in 10th grade. Same with MIT.</p>
<p>7th - Algebra 1
8th - Geometry
9th - Algebra 2 Honors
10th - Algebra and Trigonometry <a href=“I%20messed%20up%20freshmen%20year%20and%20did%20really%20bad%20in%20math”>regular</a>
11th - PreCalcululs Honors
12th - AP Statistics or AP Calculus…I don’t know which one to take (I’m still in tenth)</p>
<p>There’s the key…“at the top few percentiles of ability.” Just BEING at the top few percentiles of ability is impressive. </p>
<p>I do understand what you’re saying about differences in schools and education systems. I go to a public school that offers a total of 6 AP classes and no honors; when I see people talking about whether to take 13 APs or 14 by senior year, I’m a little frustrated. I can’t be named an “AP Scholar with Honor” if I don’t have those tests or classes available to me. We certainly don’t offer anything beyond Calc BC. Maybe it’s just me as a non-math perosn, but I refuse not to be impressed by a sophomore who’s taking a college-level math class. I don’t care what kind of school they went to, I just think that’s amazing. Just because they happen to go to a school with more opportunities doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be commended for taking tough classes.</p>
<p>Okay InquilineKea, you seem to be fond of citing the “Nurture Assumption.” You would like to see more people homeschooled. And yet what if the “failures at homeschooling” are sent to public schools, along with all the other “failures at homeschooling?” The students would then associate with the other unmotivated “failures at homeschooling!” They would develop their own anti-knowledge peer groups (which would be highly expected). This certainly is not a valid outcome. Surely, I think there are better ways to motivate students (especially with the tools of the Internet age).</p>
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<p>Yeah, that depends on values. We both have our own values. I value highly abstract modes of thought - which very few people are able to really appreciate - which is why I’m not overly impressed by many people at the 99th percentile. I actually used to be impressed by them, until I realized how superficial many of them really were. </p>
<p>One could say that all who manage to take calculus in 10th grade are exceptional with respect to the rest of the population. That they are able to do such a task proves it. Others may be even more exceptional - they just have to rely on other ways to prove such “exceptionality.” But yes, I’m highly skeptical that anyone below the top few percentiles of ability could take calculus in 10th grade (technically, everyone can - but we generally assume that a person actually is able to catch up with a class that he’s learning from).</p>
<p>8th Grade: Algebra I
9th Grade: Geometry Honors, Algebra II
10th Grade: Pre Calculus Honors
11th Grade: AP Calculus AB
12th Grade: AP Calculus BC and Multivariable Calculus Honors (I think that’s what it’s called)</p>
<p>whatevers, im starting university in the fall and im a biology major. math is not my strong point nor is it crucial to my field and i do well enough to get by, so i’m content.</p>
<p>8th: Integrated II (mostly geometry)
9th: IB Math Studies SL
10th: AP-IB Calculus
11th: IB Higher Level
12th: umm … U of M college-in-the-schools multivariable, probably, not sure</p>
In fact, in a normal curriculum, it often isn’t significantly behind Calc BC in 10th grade. You criticized the “10th graders with Calculus are unexceptional” statement, but yet you could be easily taking Calculus in 11th grade. A 1 year difference isn’t exceptional.</p>