I’ve been through the math decision with DD20 recently. Yes, we are in a more affluent, mainly white, suburban district.
DS16 is currently pursuing an Electrical Engineering UG degree. Liked math in HS but disliked the way AP Calc BC students were pushed so took AB instead junior year and AP stats senior year. Math placement test started him in Calc 2 in college and he has made Dean’s list 3 of 4 college semesters, so no lasting negative effects from no BC in HS.
DD has been on exactly the same accelerated math track as DS since 4th grade, with all the same teachers even, but 1. I am big on “”you are just as good at math as you want to be” so any “girls are not good at math” talk was squelched long ago. She earned the recommendation to take AP Calc AB next year but will be taking Non-AP, regular College Calc instead. Why? Two reasons: first, she is also good at everything else.
With 4th year of Latin, Honors Physics (no AP Physics 1 offered), APUSH, AP Lang, and AP Research, math was the logical place to give herself a little breathing room. She plans to pursue a STEM career but more likely biochemistry, than engineering so the other classes get her closer to where she wants to go.
I’ll admit it took me a while to agree to let the higher level math go. I think it was a bit about the whole way math is so clearly tracked—nobody had to take a test in elementary school to get on the track to take APUSH next year—but APUSH is known as the hardest AP class at her HS. AP physics and AP Calc BC are probably next in difficulty and include very few female students, while most students take APUSH. Which brings us to the 2nd reason she will take regular college Calc: the teaching style. The years of being “tracked” convinces many that they are either good at math or they are not AND EVEN THE TEACHERS BELIEVE IT.
Beginning in 8th grade they do not teach math but instead really make the kids struggle through teaching each other. Class time is group homework time and many additional hours are invested outside of class (Kahn Academy, tutors, group problem solving, etc) trying to figure it out. From my perspective this is the only discipline “taught” in this way. Very frustrating for the students. So, it becomes a choice of where to invest resources: time, energy, $s, blood, sweat, and yes, tears.
Simply put, I think my DS stuck with the higher math track one year longer because he was not as interested in upper level FL and only did 3 years. DD20 learned by watching him struggle through and has chosen a path more “valuable” to her. She won the Honors Bio and Honors Chemistry awards so I think she is on the right path, for her.
We need to stop being so obsessed with “girls are good at English and boys are good at math”. There are other subjects that matter also.