Blog: News and Opinion
- Written by Rad Wagner
From what I have seen so far, the Algebra 1 and 2 textbooks have changed. It appears that the District is moving to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Big Ideas Learning's Textbook Series: Big Ideas Math. They appear to be Common Core-friendly. I have not had time to look through the new books thoroughly, but one thing I do notice, which I believe is in order to align with Common Core, some specific math topics that previously were taught at higher math levels have been pushed down to lower levels. For example, exponential functions were first encountered in Algebra 2, but now they show up in Algebra 1; 3-variable systems of linear equations used to be covered in second semester of Algebra 2, but now they show up in Chapter 1 of Algebra 2. One of the most significant changes is that the Algebra 2 textbook, instead of having a few chapters of Algebra 1 topics that although more difficult, are topics the students saw in Algebra 1, the new book starts with new, difficult material right in Chapter 1. It may be that Common Core would have covered some of this in Algebra 1 - it is a bit hard to know since I am used to the pre-Common Core curriculum. One of the criticisms of Common Core that I have encountered is the pushing of specific standards or topics down into a lower age / grade level, where students are not really capable of learning the material, because it would be better taught at a later time. That seems to be the case here. As the year goes on, I will have a better idea of what the new textbooks are like. Parents and students may find that the Algebra 2 course, in particular, is harder than they expected really soon, at the very start of first semester.