Why Alg/Geo/Alg as math sequence?

<p>The standard beginning to math is Algebra, then Geometry, then Algebra 2.
Is this true for all schools? Wouldn’t it make more sense to go Alg, Alg 2, then Geo?</p>

<p>It makes the most sense to take Algebra II and Geometry at the same time. Geometry is not a prerequisite course for Algebra II.</p>

<p>My theory is that it is a relic of the time when many students only took two years of math - a year of algebra and a year of geometry. </p>

<p>Not every school system does it this way for years New York had an integrated math curriculum where you did a bit of algebra and geometry every year. I never thought they got as good geometry education as I did. (Way fewer proofs.)</p>

<p>My kids attended a HS in an area where they did a term each of ALG/GEOM/TRIG, it was fine until my D3 changed HSs (and areas) and had 2/3 of a year of each…they did not know where to put her. Luckily she was not a math/science person so she was not aiming for calculus within a certain time frame, but it did limit her confidence!</p>

<p>Believe many math teachers will tell you that older students are better Algebra II students as it requires more abstract thought. By teaching Geometry after Alg I, students are given the chance to mature a bit prior to taking Alg II.</p>

<p>My daughter’s school was Algebara I and II, then geometry. Pre calc followed.</p>

<p>Back in the day we took Alg 1, then Alg II, then geometry. Same HS, kids take it Alg 1, Geometry, Alg II. Alg. II is required to graduate in our state. How about yours? I don’t think it should be a graduation requirement.</p>

<p>Our students start Alg 1, Geometry, then Alg 2 OR Alg 2/Trig. Few students would be ready for Alg 2/Trig, usually as freshman if accelerated, right after Alg 1.</p>

<p>We do have the option of IAG, or Integrated Algebra/Geometry, which takes three years. It is an alternative to Pre Algebra/Algebra 1/Geometry sequence. The integrated sequence does not work well at all. Our oldest son started the sequence in 8th grade and we pulled him after 9th, putting him into a full year of Geometry. He then struggled with Algebra 2, having had his original Algebra instruction fractured with Geometry over a two year period.</p>

<p>The normal curriculum at my son’s high school is Alg 2/Geo/Precalc/Calc. He deviated from this and took both Algebra 2 and Geometry in 9th grade, skipped precalculus and took AP Calculus in 10th. Obviously, skipping a class isn’t for everyone, but several other students in his school have doubled up on Algebra 2 and Geometry with good results.</p>

<p>In the Canadian province we live in, there is no such thing as a course on algebra, a course on geometry etc. Instead, each year is called math (usually 5-7 full year courses during years 8-12). In each, a mix of different topics are covered in a spiral type curriculum. So for example you would cover geometry in 9th grade, 10th grade, 11th grade, 12th grade, trig in 10th and 12th, algebra every year and and so on. I think the thinking goes these are not discrete topics and are best learned together, and at advancing and more complex levels each year. </p>

<p>Science courses are taught in a similar fashion: science 8, 9, 10 cover chem, bio, physics and various other interdisciplinary topical areas, and then you would take two full years of chemistry, two full years of physics in grades 11 and 12 etc. Each time you cover a lot of the same topics, but in increasing depth and sophistication. </p>

<p>Seems to work pretty well.</p>

<p>Our high school used to use the Algeostat program, which was algebra, geometry, and statistics 1, 2, and 3-- there were two different 3s, one of which led to ags 4 and the other prepared you to take pre-calc senior year. Some students took AP probability and statistics senior year instead, and I would guess AP calc was an option but no one I knew took it-- we had a big school and my social circle was small. So, theoretically, you studied algebra AND geometry AND statistics each year. We used that program for a long time. In my memory, we studied mostly algebra all three years (I didn’t take a fourth year of math), with a bigger emphasis on geometry sophomore year (when we did proofs) and it got sprinkled in throughout, and almost no statistics. The program was abandoned the year after I graduated in favor of a more standard sequence, Algebra, Geometry, and then I think Algebra 2 comes next. I am guessing they are vying for higher test scores, since these changes conveniently came at the same time that we started using different exams as our state test.</p>

<p>My school does AlgI/Geo/AlgII. Then you have trig, then pre-calc, and then finally calc.</p>

<p>Part of the reason the integrated approach doesn’t work well for our students, are those lovely standardized tests from the state. They have to take one for each subject. It became a problem of when to test the students who were being taught an integrated curriculum. When not all students are doing this, it is very difficult. Very few do this now.</p>

<p>Even within the current curriculum there is overlap past geometry (alg 2/trig, functions/geo, etc.).</p>

<p>Kids here take Alg.1,(honors or reg.) Geom (honors or reg.),Alg 2 (reg) or Honors Alg.2/Trig. After that there is the choice of Functions and Modeling (reg), Pre-Cal (honors), Discrete Math (honors) then the AP math classes. </p>

<p>Students are required to take four years of math. Math taken in middle school (S1 took Alg. 1 and Geom. in mid.sch) does not count toward the four years req. in h.s.</p>

<p>Our HS does Alg I then Alg II then Geo. (Most college-bound kids, though, take ALG I in middle school as a high school course.) After that its Precalc then AP Calc. Most who take Calc also take AP Stats at some point. Those serious about academics have taken Alg I &II, Geo, Precalc, Calc and Stats. Some skip precalc. We are on block scheduling, with 4 courses a semester. Some will take a math a semester and move over to community college for classes above Calc.</p>

<p>OUr sequence is Alg I, Alg II, Geo, Trig, Calc. Kids that don’t place into Alg I for 8th grade typically go through Trig. Kids that take Alg I in 8th go through Trig and then take Calc or stats as seniors depending on their interest.</p>

<p>Our district is: Alg I, Geometry, Alg II, PreCalc and Calculus. 4 yrs. of math are now required in TX, so most kids just take through PreCalc, but I think our school is trying to come up with an alternative for kids who don’t want/or can’t pass PreCalc. AP Stats is offered as alternative (or in addition for those high achieving kids) to Calc.</p>

<p>It’s amazing how different schools are. We don’t have pre-calc…at that stage we have functions/trig where you can go on to Calc AB, OR functions/analytic geometry where you can go to Calc AB or BC.</p>

<p>For students who have two years of hs math in ms (or skip up in the summer) they can take AP Stats after Calc BC, but they are really board.</p>

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<p>This is what I’ve heard too.</p>

<p>Why Alg/Geo/Alg? Because it beats Integrated Math any day of the week! :)</p>