Synergy Between ISIS and Tulsa Public Schools

[Gaspar]

I know, probably just a coincidence.

ISIS bans math, social studies for children

Tulsa Public Schools get 49 Fs from the Okla. State Board of Education

Jenks wasn't a part of this, but after pulling the kids out and putting them in private school, it became very apparent how far they were behind. For my daughter, we've basically had to un-teach much of the math and get her back on track with a normal understanding of multiplication and division.

[swake]

I know, probably just a coincidence.

ISIS bans math, social studies for children

Tulsa Public Schools get 49 Fs from the Okla. State Board of Education

Jenks wasn't a part of this, but after pulling the kids out and putting them in private school, it became very apparent how far they were behind. For my daughter, we've basically had to un-teach much of the math and get her back on track with a normal understanding of multiplication and division.

This is just seriously untrue. Jenks is not behind on math, in fact it’s generally very advanced.

All Jenks students that are capable are advanced one year higher in math than is normal, meaning basically all students take pre-Algebra in 7th grade and Algebra I or higher in 8th grade instead of 9th grade, and they push lots of kids faster than that. Any student that is ready will moved up, as far as they are capable of.

[Gaspar]

This is just seriously untrue. Jenks is not behind on math, in fact it’s generally very advanced.

All Jenks students that are capable are advanced one year higher in math than is normal, meaning basically all students take pre-Algebra in 7th grade and Algebra I or higher in 8th grade instead of 9th grade, and they push lots of kids faster than that. Any student that is ready will moved up, as far as they are capable of.

My daughter had just finished 3rd grade and ended up about a year behind what they were teaching at St. Mary's.  The methods she was taught were also not the same. I'm sure that Jenks is on par, or even advanced compared to Tulsa Public.  I think the point would be that "normal" in Oklahoma, seems to be behind what is taught in other schools.

[sgrizzle]

My daughter had just finished 3rd grade and ended up about a year behind what they were teaching at St. Mary's.  The methods she was taught were also not the same. I'm sure that Jenks is on par, or even advanced compared to Tulsa Public.  I think the point would be that "normal" in Oklahoma, seems to be behind what is taught in other schools.

You are making the assumption that because you are paying for it, that St Mary's is the "right" method.

You had some crappy teachers last year, but if your child scored well on the 3rd grade math tests last year then she wasn't "behind"

[swake]

I think maybe you needed to the methods Jenks uses time.

My daughter just graduated from Jenks and took high school Geometry in 8th grade and doesn’t have to take math in college unless she wants to because she took AP Calc BC as a junior and Calculus III/Differential Equations as a senior at Jenks.

My son is in 8th grade and is actually a year ahead of what she did, he’s in Algebra II in 8th grade and is on track to take AP Calc as a Sophomore. Jenks offers Linear Algebra/Advanced Differential Equations for kids that need a math class beyond Calc III/Diff EQ. This summer my son did an physics/engineering program with Duke TIP for gifted kids. As part of the program they studied some trig and the only student in the class that was as advanced in math coming in as my son was another student from Jenks. All of the kids in this class had to take the ACT or SAT and score better than the 50th percentile in math for high school seniors just to be there. Most of those kids were not from public schools and the two from Jenks were the only ones from Oklahoma.

Starting with my son’s age now there is a class of kids a year ahead where he is. This group is taking PreAP Pre-Calc as 8th grade students. Jenks doesn’t yet have a 12th grade math class in place for those kids, but they are working on it. Jenks has years of college level advanced math classes beyond AP Calc BC and is adding more. I checked and Cascia and Bishop Kelly do not any.

Jenks will give you all the math you can handle.

[Gaspar]

I think maybe you needed to the methods Jenks uses time.

My daughter just graduated from Jenks and took high school Geometry in 8th grade and doesn’t have to take math in college unless she wants to because she took AP Calc BC as a junior and Calculus III/Differential Equations as a senior at Jenks.

My son is in 8th grade and is actually a year ahead of what she did, he’s in Algebra II in 8th grade and is on track to take AP Calc as a Sophomore. Jenks offers Linear Algebra/Advanced Differential Equations for kids that need a math class beyond Calc III/Diff EQ. This summer my son did an physics/engineering program with Duke TIP for gifted kids. As part of the program they studied some trig and the only student in the class that was as advanced in math coming in as my son was another student from Jenks. All of the kids in this class had to take the ACT or SAT and score better than the 50th percentile in math for high school seniors just to be there. Most of those kids were not from public schools and the two from Jenks were the only ones from Oklahoma.

Starting with my son’s age now there is a class of kids a year ahead where he is. This group is taking PreAP Pre-Calc as 8th grade students. Jenks doesn’t yet have a 12th grade math class in place for those kids, but they are working on it. Jenks has years of college level advanced math classes beyond AP Calc BC and is adding more. I checked and Cascia and Bishop Kelly do not any.

Jenks will give you all the math you can handle.

I graduated from Jenks and did quite well myself. I am just relating our experience so far. Sorry to offend.
It seems that Oklahoma (Tulsa in particular) has some public school issues that cannot be ignored.
Our experience may be completely isolated, but exists none the less.

[heironymouspasparagus]

This is just seriously untrue. Jenks is not behind on math, in fact it’s generally very advanced.

All Jenks students that are capable are advanced one year higher in math than is normal, meaning basically all students take pre-Algebra in 7th grade and Algebra I or higher in 8th grade instead of 9th grade, and they push lots of kids faster than that. Any student that is ready will moved up, as far as they are capable of.

I started with what would now be called "pre-algebra" in 4th and 5th grades (Iowa).  Then moved back to OK and had Algebra I in 7th - a lot of repeat of 5th grade.  So Jenks has slipped at least 1 full grade level behind in 50 years!!


And mumblety peg!!  Played lots of that when a kid...but it must be barefoot or it doesn't count!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumblety-peg

[Vision 2025]

I think maybe you needed to the methods Jenks uses time.

My daughter just graduated from Jenks and took high school Geometry in 8th grade and doesn’t have to take math in college unless she wants to because she took AP Calc BC as a junior and Calculus III/Differential Equations as a senior at Jenks.

My son is in 8th grade and is actually a year ahead of what she did, he’s in Algebra II in 8th grade and is on track to take AP Calc as a Sophomore. Jenks offers Linear Algebra/Advanced Differential Equations for kids that need a math class beyond Calc III/Diff EQ. This summer my son did an physics/engineering program with Duke TIP for gifted kids. As part of the program they studied some trig and the only student in the class that was as advanced in math coming in as my son was another student from Jenks. All of the kids in this class had to take the ACT or SAT and score better than the 50th percentile in math for high school seniors just to be there. Most of those kids were not from public schools and the two from Jenks were the only ones from Oklahoma.

Starting with my son’s age now there is a class of kids a year ahead where he is. This group is taking PreAP Pre-Calc as 8th grade students. Jenks doesn’t yet have a 12th grade math class in place for those kids, but they are working on it. Jenks has years of college level advanced math classes beyond AP Calc BC and is adding more. I checked and Cascia and Bishop Kelly do not any.

Jenks will give you all the math you can handle.

I have to mirror Swake's comments.  

My youngest (as did I and her two siblings) graduated from Jenks with her this past year.  Due to test scores and mathematics level she was highly recruited both in and out of state.  Today she is a freshman in the state working hard towards dual-majors in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering with dual-minors in Spanish and Professional Pilot.

Mathematics wise, after some arguing she started the university at Calc. 3 after ending with AP-Calc. B/C DifE at Jenks but the amazing part is getting her in that class at took some pushing, not because it was full but because the advisors at her fine university refused to believe where she was despite the recruitment discussions and actually said well it’s because we just don't see freshmen coming in that can make it if we start them above College Algebra, but hey she came in with 42+ AP and TCC hours and local placement test topping math scores (thank you Jenks and to her for a lot of hard work) so I really have to commend what Jenks can and does provide, does it fit all nope in fact she got a late start into higher level math, but it’s darn good in my opinion.

I can't complain about Jenks, all my kids are doing quite well with a public education from there and also gained what I believe is missing at many schools which is a strong since of community pride, you know "Jenks, it's a Trojan thing!"  That said I do think we can agree that much of public education in Oklahoma needs improvement but here’s a thought, why not listen to the schools that really do it well and work to bring everything else up to that standard and then let’s keep going.

Kirby

Ps.  So,  Swake I'm guessing our kids know each other...

[swake]

I have to mirror Swake's comments.  

My youngest (as did I and her two siblings) graduated from Jenks with her this past year.  Due to test scores and mathematics level she was highly recruited both in and out of state.  Today she is a freshman in the state working hard towards dual-majors in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering with dual-minors in Spanish and Professional Pilot.

Mathematics wise, after some arguing she started the university at Calc. 3 after ending with AP-Calc. B/C DifE at Jenks but the amazing part is getting her in that class at took some pushing, not because it was full but because the advisors at her fine university refused to believe where she was despite the recruitment discussions and actually said well it’s because we just don't see freshmen coming in that can make it if we start them above College Algebra, but hey she came in with 42+ AP and TCC hours and local placement test topping math scores (thank you Jenks and to her for a lot of hard work) so I really have to commend what Jenks can and does provide, does it fit all nope in fact she got a late start into higher level math, but it’s darn good in my opinion.

I can't complain about Jenks, all my kids are doing quite well with a public education from there and also gained what I believe is missing at many schools which is a strong since of community pride, you know "Jenks, it's a Trojan thing!"  That said I do think we can agree that much of public education in Oklahoma needs improvement but here’s a thought, why not listen to the schools that really do it well and work to bring everything else up to that standard and then let’s keep going.

Kirby

Ps.  So,  Swake I'm guessing our kids know each other...

Um, yeah. I'm Julia's dad, she and your daughter have known each other for many years. They just finished Girl Scouts together. In fact, my daughter finished her gold award the week before we took her to school.

[Red Arrow]

the advisors at her fine university refused to believe where she was despite the recruitment discussions and actually said well it’s because we just don't see freshmen coming in that can make it if we start them above College Algebra,

That surprises me for an Engineering major.  I started with Calc I as a college freshman way back when dirt was still rocks. I had some "advanced" math in High School but no where as much as your daughter.

[RecycleMichael]

I can't complain about Jenks,

But are the football players proud of the math team?

[swake]

But are the football players proud of the math team?

My son is on the football team.

[RecycleMichael]

My son is on the football team.

Awesome. Is he a freshman?

[swake]

Awesome. Is he a freshman?

No, he's on the 8th grade team.

[RecycleMichael]

I have a tenth grader playing football at Booker T. Washington.