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Health & Fitness

Why Algebra is Important

According to National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), math scores haven’t improve much for the last few years. 8th grades Math score 285, while 4th grades score 242. Scores increased only a few points for eighth graders and fourth graders, continuing a sluggish five-year trend of slowing achievement growth. We are still 15 points away to bring 100 percent of students to math proficiency by 2014, which is the target of all schools by 2014.

What does this mean for your child? Parents are better to stay on top of their kids’ academic development and make sure they are on track for high school math with this guide to algebra.

The Importance of Algebra

It is frequently called the gatekeeper subject. It is used by professionals ranging from electricians to civil engineer to computer scientists. It is no less than a civil right, says Robert Moses, founder of the Algebra Project, which advocates for math literacy in public schools.

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Basic algebra is the first in a series of higher-level math classes students need to succeed in college and life. Because many students fail to develop a solid math foundation, an alarming number of them graduate from high school unprepared for college or work. Many end up taking remedial math in college, which makes getting a degree a longer, costlier process than it is for their more prepared classmates.

The first year of algebra is a prerequisite for all higher-level math: geometry, algebra II, trigonometry, and calculus. According to a study by the educational nonprofit ACT, students who take algebra I, geometry, algebra II, and one additional high-level math course are much more likely to do well in college math.

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Algebra is, in short, the gateway to success in the 21st century. What’s more, when students make the transition from concrete arithmetic to the symbolic language of algebra, they develop abstract reasoning skills necessary to excel in math and science.

Algebra I: What’s the Best Time to Learn?

Students typically take algebra in eighth or ninth grade. The benefit of studying it in eighth grade is that if your child takes the PSAT as a high school sophomore, she will have completed geometry. By the time she’s ready to take the SAT or ACT as a junior, she will have completed algebra II, which is covered in both of these college admissions tests.

There’s a growing movement to require algebra in seventh grade, especially in the new Common Core coming for 2015 school year, but many seventh-graders aren’t prepared for it, math educators say.

“Some kids get turned off of math because they start math too early,” says Francis “Skip” Fennell, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). If you’re wondering whether your child is ready to advance, he recommends talking to her current teacher. The goal is for your child to learn algebra well and stay engaged in math, not to push her through the curriculum as quickly as possible.

Homework is the Key

Club Z offers this advice to parents trying to evaluate their children’s math instruction:”If a student isn’t bringing home work that requires lots of manipulation and word problems, then there is probably a problem.”

Club Z suggests talking to your child and her math teacher about how homework is assigned, specifically:

  • How often is the homework assigned?

  • How long in average should the student spend on homework?

  • Does my child complete all the homework correctly?

You don’t need to be a scientist or teacher to ask good questions about your child’s math curriculum. Something like “When my child finishes his math course this year, will he be ready for the next subject?’”

Experience and Advice

Math is one of the most popular subjects we tutor, especially Algebra II. There is a big transition in math between middle school and high school. Students that do not build a solid foundation in Pre-Algebra or Algebra I will struggle when it comes to Algebra II. Parents don’t realize until we explain to them how math is built one on top of the other. If student doesn't remediate the math knowledge he lost along the way, it will just get worst when it comes to Calculus. They will be frustrated and lost confidence. Parents need to keep track of your child’s math grade closely and seek for help when you see symptoms. Waiting to see improvement usually doesn't work, grades will slide further.

Please visit Matt Wu's official Blog for different topics on tutoring and SAT/ACT Prep.  Matt also serves as Area Director of Club Z In-Home Tutoring of Walnut Creek, Lamorinda and Castro Valley.

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