Compacted 4/5 math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"My DC is accepted to HGC and qualified for compacted 4/5 math. Almost all the kids who are going to HGC received the score of 48 (maximum)."

How do you know?

Interesting. Which HGC is your kid going to? Are some of the HGC's more "math" HGC's and more general?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20 out of approximately 110. I was told that every 3rd grader was evaluated and only 20 made the cut.

In my son's class only a few were even tested.

My son did not even realize he was being tested. Did your child know he/she was being tested? My kid is not that clueless -- knew when it was map testing, etc. -- so I found this odd.

[Anonymous]

For those whose children were recommended for compacted math, did your letter state scores? My understanding is some clusters listed them and some did not.

[Anonymous]

Will all MCPS elementary schools offer compacted? My child did not receive a letter. Is it possible it will not be offered at all at some schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, some kids are being held back in comparison to before. I've got a current 5th grader finishing up grade 7 math. Still taking IM next year at a magnet.

You are right. The math advanced kids in non-2.0 track are in Algebra in 6th. Under compacted, the math advanced kids will take Algebra in 7th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, some kids are being held back in comparison to before. I've got a current 5th grader finishing up grade 7 math. Still taking IM next year at a magnet.

You are right. The math advanced kids in non-2.0 track are in Algebra in 6th. Under compacted, the math advanced kids will take Algebra in 7th.

But Algebra I will be more rigorous than it was in the past.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, some kids are being held back in comparison to before. I've got a current 5th grader finishing up grade 7 math. Still taking IM next year at a magnet.

You are right. The math advanced kids in non-2.0 track are in Algebra in 6th. Under compacted, the math advanced kids will take Algebra in 7th.

But Algebra I will be more rigorous than it was in the past.

BS. Someone has been drinking too much of the MCPS Kool-Aid. Has anyone seen the new curriculum for Algebra? By what measurement will MCPS use to determine if the new Algebra is more rigorous than the old? And what is the county doing about the large number of kids failing the high school level math exams (Algebra is one of them) when they are supposedly otherwise passing the class?

At some point the county should stop trying to reinvent the wheel and go with a well developed and tested program.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why there is so much negative reaction to the compacted math.

[Anonymous]

Seems to me it gets the top kids to Alegbra in 7..same as before. Yes there were a few taking Algebra in 6 before but I assume there still will be because someone is always bending a rule or making an exception.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why there is so much negative reaction to the compacted math.

MCPS has earned a bad reputation for not delivering, creating empty programs covered in PR spin and lacking substance, not being transparent on selection criteria, and not being consistent in adhering to any criteria.

If MCPS offered everyone a free chocolate bar no one would not eat it. They would think it was probably shit hidden in a wrapper. Sadly, based on their track record it probably would be shit hidden in a wrapper.

[Anonymous]

Everyone complained when their kids were not accelerated and they complained when their kids were accelerated without parental buy in. Plus the process of identifying kids or acceleration is now uniform across the county. So what exactly is the problem?

[Anonymous]

The problem is that the old system allowed children to advance at their own pace. My older children did not have to be bored to tears till 4th grade to be accelerated and then still be limited to the 4/5 combo model. It seems that even with 2.0, some principals are telling parents their kids are on track for Algebra by 8th grade (my school letter) and some are under the impression their kids will be in Algebra by 7th and still possibly 6th? Why is it so confusing for all the schools to be relaying the same message? Ah, that's right - it's a new program, never tested, and no one implementing it knows WTF will be in the curriculum for 4th graders next year. They are after all the disposable test group in this 2.0 phase period.

[Anonymous]

DS and DD have always been in accelerated Math. DS has been chosen for compacted 4/5 for next year in HGC. DD is HS HGC with a accelerated and challenging curriculum.

I may be the only parent who says this but for me it is more important that the Math concepts are taught in-depth as well as taught well. I feel more Math homework and projects needs to be given so that the foundation is rock solid. I am ok with the slower pace of curriculum 2.0 as long as what the kids learn, they learn well and there are no gaps in their knowledge.

There is no victory medals being awarded if your child gets to Calculus in 10th grade. What is important is that they fully absorb and internalize the concepts in Math and so when they reach higher math they are able to make sense of the abstract concepts.

I have no problem with curriculum 2.0 provided that 2.0 does a better job of laying the math foundation that our kids need.

[Anonymous]

Fallsmead parent here. We got the letter last week. RE: all your questions, I am surprised your principal did not provide an overview. Ours came to our May PTA meeting and went through a presentation explaining how this compacting 4/5 would work. She was pretty transparent. The bottom line is with 2.0, the goal is to have all students taking AP math by 12th grade. Those who are "accelerated" will take be able to take AP math in both 11th and 12th grade. IM is phasing out; however, it will be offered to those in the accelerated track. Additionally, in our school all of the 3rd graders were tested. I don't know the percent that made it though as that was not communicated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS and DD have always been in accelerated Math. DS has been chosen for compacted 4/5 for next year in HGC. DD is HS HGC with a accelerated and challenging curriculum.

I may be the only parent who says this but for me it is more important that the Math concepts are taught in-depth as well as taught well. I feel more Math homework and projects needs to be given so that the foundation is rock solid. I am ok with the slower pace of curriculum 2.0 as long as what the kids learn, they learn well and there are no gaps in their knowledge.

There is no victory medals being awarded if your child gets to Calculus in 10th grade. What is important is that they fully absorb and internalize the concepts in Math and so when they reach higher math they are able to make sense of the abstract concepts.

I have no problem with curriculum 2.0 provided that 2.0 does a better job of laying the math foundation that our kids need.

PP - I think most parents would support a math program that teaches skills in-depth and is taught well. What most parents who have experienced this 2.0 model is that it skips around in concepts and thus does not teach the kids core fundamental skills that they can build upon in higher level math.

For example, everyone would agree basic math facts are fundamental skills that all children should know by the end of 3rd grade. Kids should also be able to use these skills to do long addition, long subtraction, long multiplication, and long division. These skills were not soundly supported in 2.0. They were introduce, taught for a unit, then the curriculum changed courses when the majority of the class was ready. With young kids, if these skills are not consistently reinforced, they will learn the skills for the test then with time forget skills they are not continuing to use. That was the main problem with the Everyday Math curriculum and is exacerbated in the 2.0 Curriculum.

I would support any math program that would allow for teachers to spend the first 5 minutes of class having the kids practice their basic math skills. A program like Mad Minutes works great and can be given on many levels. One student can take level A and another level I so they are practicing where they are at the time. Do this everyday with a class for a whole year, you will see a remarkable change in the functional abilities in the student population.