While Woodside provides a variety of classes over the summer, a popular choice for incoming freshmen and sophomores is geometry. Covering a year’s worth of content in just six weeks, the class gives students the opportunity to accelerate their math knowledge and skip the traditional geometry class. This means that they can take either algebra II or algebra II/trigonometry the following year instead of taking geometry.
Taking place in the summer, each class usually contains around 32 students. They last from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. from June 15 to July 27, consisting of two sections of geometry, including finals.
“I got too lazy to take it over the summer, but I should have because you’re not just wasting your time,” freshman Paige Beauchamp said.
Beauchamp took the class as a freshman and said it was a lot easier than algebra 1, which she took last year. She said there isn’t a lot of homework, leaving free time and a bit of a break between classes.
“I feel like I could have used my time better by taking it over the [summer],” Beauchamp said. “Then take algebra II/trig this year to get ahead of the curve in high school.”
Woodside math teacher Ramon Pulido teaches the summer geometry course. He said that something that he finds enjoyable about the class is getting to take the students outside and do some classwork and homework.
“It’s like a five hour block,” Pulido said. “So we do a lot of activities with movement [by] going outside, and we break things up so it doesn’t feel as long.”
Most students end up taking the class because of the academic boost it provides. For senior Natalie Gerola, she said taking the class as an incoming freshman enhanced her academic profile as it helped her reach multi-variable and linear algebra studies.
“I chose to take summer geometry to gain an advantage in not only the college application process, but also just advancing my math and engineering skills,” Gerola said.
Another student who took the class as an incoming freshman is senior Tyler Yuen. Yuen said he took the class because he found math easy and didn’t really mind spending six weeks doing it if it meant he could take algebra II/trigonometry the following year.
“It kept my skills sharp,” Yuen said. “And it definitely prepared me well to take a more rigorous class as a freshman.”
Yuen said he also enjoyed being able to work independently and at his own pace after learning new lessons every day. Along with the academic side of the class, both Yuen and Gerola said they enjoyed learning from Pulido, who Yuen said he found very helpful and friendly.
“I feel like he taught us very efficiently,” Yuen said. “And it was a great introduction to high school classes.”
However, one part Yuen found difficult in taking the class over the summer was getting to school in the summer heat.
“It was really hot and I had to bike every day,” Yuen said. “Also the classroom got really hot.”
Despite these challenges, Yuen said he had no regrets for taking the summer class, and believes that depending on your math level, it is up to students to determine if it is the right fit for them.
“If you really like math like I did and find it easy, then definitely do it,” Yuen said. “If you aren’t as great at math and enjoy other things, it’s not really necessary.”
Similar to Yuen, Gerola said she found the class to be worth her summer, finding all her summer plans worked out while she was still able to get ahead in math. Gerola found that the class went at a good pace and helped her secure a strong understanding of previous and current math classes.
“I don’t think there were any gaps in my geometry knowledge,” Gerola said. “If anything, it helped solidify my algebra I knowledge which helped a lot with algebra II.”
Pulido said he agreed that the class strengthens algebra skills and geometry and finds it a great opportunity for students to advance.
“If a student has the time and that’s where things line up in their math path, I highly recommend it,” Pulido said.
