Math is often considered the most specialized subject in the Oak Park Unified School District. There are various pathways available to students depending on their levels in both mathematics and logical thinking. However, oftentimes students are allowed to transfer into classes they aren’t ready for.
Rob Large is a math teacher at Medea Creek Middle School. He is known for his rigorous teaching style and the high level at which he teaches. He’s also known for his role in the district’s math department, and for being the club adviser for the middle school’s MathCounts teams.
Large has a unique perspective on math in OPUSD as the only Geometry teacher at MCMS. Eighth graders go into his class expected to handle more material in greater depth. It is often the pathway to higher-level courses beyond middle school.
“The class is taught for the level of a higher-end student,” Large said. “Some students who barely qualify make it and do fine. Most students that don’t qualify make it and work harder than they ever have in their life.”
In fact, according to Large, more and more students have requested to be moved up into classes they aren’t prepared for as time has gone on.
“Students tend to believe that Geometry should be as easy as Algebra I. If you wanted to get into Algebra I in seventh grade, which would be skipping two grades of math, you should have to adhere to an advanced level of proficiency and knowledge to make it into that class,” Large said.
From what Large has seen, the main cause of students moving up to classes they shouldn’t be in is the influence of parents. Some parents tend to push their children into more advanced courses without fully understanding how rigorous these classes can be.
“If your kid needs a little pushing because you know that they can do it and it’s generally pretty easy for them then yeah, it’s okay to push them,” Large said. “But if you’re a parent that’s pushing your kid into something they aren’t ready for, which we see a lot here at Medea and at the high school, then that’s a really bad thing. You’re ruining the student’s foundation, and their overall mood towards math.”
A major example of this is with one course in particular at the high school. Students coming fresh out of Geometry in eighth grade often have to face the tough decision between Algebra II and Algebra II Honors. They often question which class would suit their best interests and how to make that decision.
Algebra II is a course that spans one year. Algebra II Honors consists of all of Algebra II added with half of Math Analysis in the same year. Then, in Math Analysis Honors, students take the second half of Math Analysis and part of Calculus AB.
“You’re doing a year-and-a-half’s worth of material on that particular pathway each year for two years,” Large said. “Lots of students drop out of the class because they’re simply not ready for the speed and the rigor.”
Large acknowledges that making the choice between classes can be difficult, especially when you have to self-assess and determine which class is best for you. It’s important to choose based on your own abilities, he said. The shortest path to the highest class isn’t always the right way.
“It’s not a popularity contest,” Large said. “If you’re ready for Algebra I in seventh grade then you will know it by your test scores and abilities in math, and if you’re not then don’t jump into the class. You’re not being left behind, and you’re going to have a miserable year in eighth grade if you’re not ready.”
