New math pathways at South aim to increase opportunities for advanced math, a change that is impacting IHS sophomores this year. 

This new system, the details of which South administrators and teachers are still finalizing, will ensure that any student can go from taking Algebra I, the standard 9th-grade math class, to taking calculus by senior year. 

With the current class offerings, freshmen in Algebra I could take Geometry and Statistics sophomore year, Algebra II as juniors, and Pre-Calculus as seniors. For many students, this is a great path. However, students who want to take more advanced math classes are limited. 

Assistant Principal Rhiannon Boettcher explained that the change to the pathway is the addition of a compaction course that will combine Algebra II and Pre-Calculus into a one-year math class. There will still be the option to take year-long Algebra II and Pre-Calculus classes, but the compaction class will offer a new opportunity for acceleration.

A downside of the compaction course is that when combining two years of content into one year, not everything can be covered.

Packing two classes into one year means that “things fall out,” Boettcher said, explaining that the content covered would be just what is needed for success in taking calculus afterward. This will mean that while it increases opportunities for advanced math, students won’t be able to go into as much depth with Algebra II and pre-calculus content.

Additionally, these changes are already impacting IHS sophomores who were previously in advanced math.

In the past, IHS sophomores would take AP Statistics if they had taken Algebra II the previous year (as freshmen). That put them on the path to take IB math junior year, and if they chose, AP Calculus senior year.

This year, however, all IHS sophomores who took Algebra II or Geometry and Statistics last year were put into AP Statistics. For some, this was confusing as they had forecasted for Algebra II and weren’t expecting the change in their schedules.

South sophomore Jill Chihorek is in IHS and is two years ahead in math. She took Algebra II last year and now, she’s in AP Stats—along with some friends who haven’t yet taken Algebra II.

So far, “it’s been easy,” Chihorek said, adding that “Algebra II isn’t as necessary” for AP Statistics. There are certain parts of the course, however, where knowledge of Algebra II comes into play, like using logarithms.

“The teacher said Algebra [II] experience is useful,” Chihorek said and admitted that her previous math experience will give her an advantage in the class. She explained how she has a friend who had forecasted for Algebra II and submitted a request to change into the class when she was placed in AP Statistics at the beginning of the year. 

It was “confusing and frustrating” when her friend was told the change wouldn’t be possible and didn’t receive an explanation. The changes for IHS sophomores were intentional though.

A lot of this restructuring of advanced math pathways is due to changes in the way that IB math will be offered at South in future years.

There are multiple options for IB math: Applications and Interpretations, which South Principal Kee Zublin described as a “softer” class with more statistics and less calculus, and Analysis and Approaches which is “more calculus aligned.” These classes can also be offered at two levels: Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL). 

Zublin explained that South currently offers a compacted version of the Standard Level Applications and Interpretations course, which is the lowest level for the IB math experience. In the future, Zublin wants to offer two years of IB Math, the first year covering Algebra II and Pre-Calculus content, and the second year covering calculus.

 If current sophomores took Algebra II this year, then an IB Math course that covered Algebra II/Pre-Calculus next year, it would be repetitive. 

“Why make you repeat stuff?” Boettcher stated. 

Zublin also spoke about how there are upper-level options for students other than Algebra II. These alternative math courses include Financial Algebra and Geometry by Design, which add to the many math options for South students.

As the new pathways for math at South are increasingly available, more opportunities are opening for students at South.

Article by Aria Lynn-Skov