With no classes to stress about, summer is a good time to relax and hang out with friends.
However, this doesn’t apply to everyone; some choose to get ahead during the summer. They spend summer break taking advantage of internships or taking classes at either Hartnell or Alisal.
Taking classes specifically at Hartnell or Alisal allows students to finish credits early and have space in their schedule to take other courses that can be more beneficial or more fulfilling. Various amazing pathways are offered such as completing art credits or participating in the ROP program, but for those who excel in math there is a specific path for them.
Usually students take three to four years of math, but for those who wish to go above these standards, Math 2+ over the summer is the path.
Students have to get recommended to this course and earn an A or B in both semesters in regular Math 1/Math 1+. Students who get a lower grade than a B can still take the course if their teacher gives them a recommendation. “They are amazing teachers that recognize which students can handle the workload of math 2+ and need the extra rigor that they would otherwise not see,” math teacher Pedro Ramirez said, “I think if the teacher recognizes it and believes in their potential, they deserve a chance.”
Math 2+ is usually taken over the course of a school year. This period of time allows teachers to go into greater detail for each module and students to grasp the subject in depth. In contrast, Math 2+ over the summer students are learning math for 7 hours a day and at a faster pace.
There is a price for getting ahead by taking the class over the summer which is having to give up 19.5 days of your summer break. The students are learning 2 units per week followed by the unit tests. They are eating, living, and breathing math. Senior Ayleen Campa felt the extra work given was beneficial, but could be overwhelming at times. “Mr. Ramirez would give classwork that was optional but provided us extra credit and was a good way to get additional practice problems,” Campa said. “Since we were in class for such a long amount of time I eventually joined cross country conditioning to give my mind and body an ease.”
Last year the program had 3 sections with a total of 75 students enrolled in the class, however 11 ended up dropping the class. The total sections increased from previous years where only 2 sections were available with an average of 51 students enrolled and passing the class. The number of students who have taken Math 3 has increased from an average of 6 students enrolled to now 15 enrolled in Math 2 this current year. This number has also increased for Math 3 + which was an average of 46 students and now this current year has 49 students enrolled.
The fast pace of the course can be difficult, but it teaches students to manage their time and have extra space for classes targeted towards their career. “It helped me get that faster pace for AP classes’ quick workload,” senior David Vera said. “Since I want to go into Engineering it helped me get another extra year of math.”
The students don’t go through this process without any aid as their teachers; Mr. Ramirez, Mr. Gallegos, Mr. Ozel and Mr. Mata, are all there to support them. They offer tutorials after school and online, and are constantly helping them in class as well. “It’s really tough because it is really fast paced, but I tell them don’t have a defeatist mentality, you first have to fix that mentality before I can help you,” Ramirez said. “It’s going to go faster, so you just need to have the mentality ‘I’m going to try.’” Ramirez understands that this shift in difficulty level can be tough, but he also wants to ensure that students give the class a fair chance instead of just dropping.
The fast pace can be difficult to keep up with especially for the students who come from regular Math 1. Sophomore Isaac Gutierrez believes that although taking Math 2+ over the summer wasn’t exactly easy, it was manageable, if one has patience. “It was definitely very eye opening because I knew basically nothing going to the course over the summer, so it opened my eyes to new stuff,” Gutierrez said.
Not only does the class teach students how to manage their time, but it also pushes them to ask questions due to the fast pace. Senior Yareli Gaspar feels that despite her wanting to pursue a career in marine biology, she does not regret taking Math 2+, as it taught her how to ask questions. “In Math 2+ it was either you got it or you didn’t or you had to ask for help and I learned how to ask for help from that,” she said.
After students make it through the challenge of Math 2+ over the summer, they face their next obstacle; Math 3+ as a sophomore. Some drop to regular Math 3, but the challenge is still the same as they are taking this course as sophomores.
Despite the challenge, the students perform well due to them having a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. This success has remained consistent with all students passing Math 2+ over the summer not including those that dropped the course. This increased understanding of their abilities helps in deciding what courses they want to take and if they are up to them. “I believe Math 2+ over the summer is important for those students who can handle the workload. It helps to level the playing field when students are applying to college and taking tests like the SAT or ACT,” Natalia Mariscal, head school counselor, said.
Senior Valeria Medel was unsure of what career she would pursue, but Math 2+ helped guide her. “If I didn’t take Math 2+ over the summer, I wouldn’t have been able to take statistics,” Medel said. “Before I thought that I wanted to go into the medical field, but I didn’t really like calculus, so I decided to take statistics and I realized it’s something that I actually see in my future.”
Math 2+ over the summer has its pros and cons, just like any other course. It’s fast paced, but it teaches students various lessons such as managing their time and the importance of asking questions. Most want to spend their summer break relaxing, but taking the class is a great experience.
For students who wish to pursue a career relating to math or just want to advance themselves in credits, this course would be greatly beneficial and worth the 19.5 days of summer break. “I would recommend this course, especially if you’re taking majors that require multiple years of math since it will help in college by potentially saving you money,” junior Erika Castro said.
