Question about Leaving Cert Math

is mise spartacus

I posted this on my study log but got no reply so I'll try here... Can a teacher force you into ordinary level? My teacher recommended that I drop down. I have been thinking about it because I get between 20-55% on tests and I take a bit longer than others to grasp the material, which can be time consuming. However I would like to stay in higher level (for the bonus points).

vamos!

is mise spartacus wrote: »

I posted this on my study log but got no reply so I'll try here... Can a teacher force you into ordinary level? My teacher recommended that I drop down. I have been thinking about it because I get between 20-55% on tests and I take a bit longer than others to grasp the material, which can be time consuming. However I would like to stay in higher level (for the bonus points).

As far as I'm aware you can't actually be forced to take a lower level. However, it is your teacher's job to advise you. I would be advising a student with those grades to consider ordinary level. Yes there are bonus points for maths (totally disagree with this but c'est la vie) but you are risking failing and not getting these points. You are also potentially taking study time from other subjects, which could cost you more than 25 points. What do your parents think? I can't imagine very many teachers making such as recommendation unless they felt seriously about it. They have nothing to gain by dropping you from their class.

is mise spartacus

vamos! wrote: »

As far as I'm aware you can't actually be forced to take a lower level. However, it is your teacher's job to advise you. I would be advising a student with those grades to consider ordinary level. Yes there are bonus points for maths (totally disagree with this but c'est la vie) but you are risking failing and not getting these points. You are also potentially taking study time from other subjects, which could cost you more than 25 points. What do your parents think? I can't imagine very many teachers making such as recommendation unless they felt seriously about it. They have nothing to gain by dropping you from their class.

Thank you for replying. I have discussed this with my parents and they said it would be better to get a higher grade in ordinary level than fail higher level. I got 31% in my summer exam. I'm fine with some topics but absolutely terrible at others. I'll give this a thinking over with the few weeks I have left.

rainbowtrout

I'd agree with what vamos said.

You can't be kicked out of higher level if you want to do it, but do weigh up the time spent on HL maths for an extra 25 points versus the extra time that could be spent on other subjects.


E.g. if you could get an A1 in OL maths, and if you move you will find a massive difference between the two levels, you would get 60 points.

If you continue with HL maths, struggle through it and scrape a D3 in the end, with the bonus points you will get 70 points.

It's only 10 points. Could you get those extra 10 points in an another subject, or 5 extra points in two subjects if you were able to give them more time?

is mise spartacus

rainbowtrout wrote: »

I'd agree with what vamos said.

You can't be kicked out of higher level if you want to do it, but do weigh up the time spent on HL maths for an extra 25 points versus the extra time that could be spent on other subjects.


E.g. if you could get an A1 in OL maths, and if you move you will find a massive difference between the two levels, you would get 60 points.

If you continue with HL maths, struggle through it and scrape a D3 in the end, with the bonus points you will get 70 points.

It's only 10 points. Could you get those extra 10 points in an another subject, or 5 extra points in two subjects if you were able to give them more time?

That's what I was considering. I could improve economics and irish easily. I have a few weeks to decide anyway.

pdog2468

Hi I sat my leaving cert this year and am waiting on my results (2 days)..I did ordinary level maths as maths is my weakest subject. From all my friends that were doing HL they were really stressed out at the mock time because of maths. I am still bad at maths however I was under less pressure than them and could spend time on languages and geography other subjects which I am good at and now I will get just as close in points as those who did the HL paper .. in the end OL turned out to be more tricky but hey its done now and without the stress... Its really not worth it

is mise spartacus

pdog2468 wrote: »

Hi I sat my leaving cert this year and am waiting on my results (2 days)..I did ordinary level maths as maths is my weakest subject. From all my friends that were doing HL they were really stressed out at the mock time because of maths. I am still bad at maths however I was under less pressure than them and could spend time on languages and geography other subjects which I am good at and now I will get just as close in points as those who did the HL paper .. in the end OL turned out to be more tricky but hey its done now and without the stress... Its really not worth it

I have decided on OL, seems to be the best option. Best of luck for Wednesday!

linguist

One can't force a student to take ordinary level however other pressures can come into play. After so many cutbacks the number of teaching groups (you might call them streams) has been cut to the bone. Teachers of general subjects, including Maths, are only supposed to take a maximum of 30 students according to union directives - and frankly they should stick to that in the interests of the students. If you have huge pressure on the one 'top honours' class, it is quite legitimate that the places in it be given to the top thirty performing students. Thus you could lose your place in it after a common exam sat by all higher level students for example. You might then end up in a mixed higher/ordinary class. I know these are less common in Maths than say English, French etc.

rainbowtrout

linguist wrote: »

One can't force a student to take ordinary level however other pressures can come into play. After so many cutbacks the number of teaching groups (you might call them streams) has been cut to the bone. Teachers of general subjects, including Maths, are only supposed to take a maximum of 30 students according to union directives - and frankly they should stick to that in the interests of the students. If you have huge pressure on the one 'top honours' class, it is quite legitimate that the places in it be given to the top thirty performing students. Thus you could lose your place in it after a common exam sat by all higher level students for example. You might then end up in a mixed higher/ordinary class. I know these are less common in Maths than say English, French etc.

I think the OP is going into 6th year so space probably isn't an issue, but certainly would be for students trying to get into HL maths in 5th year in some schools after the Junior Cert results come out.

miissjuly

I'd say stick to higher level and keep practising exam papers; start early though. You can decide after the mocks it isn't that difficult to move down to ordinary after covering all the material in higher level, but if you decide to move from higher level without covering everything in the higher level course then it will be challenging to grasp ordinary level maths. You can switch to OL a month or 2 months before and even on the day of the exam (I don't recommend the latter). Higher level will help you in college if you wish to study science related courses or business. Good luck.

is mise spartacus

Things have changed. I sought advice from people who I knew that struggled with higher level and they said to go for it. If I start to struggle I'll drop down after the mocks.
This is such a difficult decision but I hope it'll work out okay.

sammydev

I really struggle with maths for the last 2 years. I failed tests, panicked and dropped to ordinary in other subjects for it. In the end it was all worth while. I got a B2 and was delighted so go for it!