7 Math teachers are leaving Richard Montgomerry HS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

While an 18 yo may be "legal" and somewhat mature, when we allow seniors to coast simply b/c they've been accepted into a college, we tell them that learning is NOT important.

DP IB is a program. If you sign on, you need to fulfill your obligation to YOURSELF. Academic stamina doesn't die in 12th grade. In fact, it should be much stronger.

senior rite of passage? lol - Tell that to a college senior. What is his/her rite of passage?

This is a ridiculous discussion - and one I've had to handle with kids and parents. How about this? Learning doesn't stop. Should teachers of seniors give up at the end, too, b/c of this "senior rite of passage?"

See how that works?

When we (whoever we is) allow seniors to do that, we tell them that certificates of completion are a means to an end, not an end in themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the real value of completing the IB diploma for the senior who has already gotten into college, if the student doesn’t care about trying to get college credit? I can imagine an advantage to the school and program, but what benefit does the kid going to HYPS get? Imagine a responsible kid who has followed through on lots of things and long term goals in his life, so the abstract benefit of completing something is not so important.

There's something known as the "love of learning" that appears to be lost on you.

I'm sorry if following through is a foreign concept to you as well.

pathetic

DP.

One can passionately love learning without finishing a program of study. I left my doctoral program because at that particular time, I had to choose between producing my dissertation or a second child. I went for the second child and have never regretted it. My love of learning didn’t evaporate or diminish. I’ve continued taking courses and attending seminars. I spend a lot of my free time and disposable income on learning. I just didn’t finish that formal program of study.

I can see a smart senior making a rational decision to reduce their workload by one paper or one exam in order to savor being 17 or 18 in spring. A friend had DDs go through both Blair’s CAP and RIMB. They said they didn’t enjoy senior rites of passage because of the pressure.

While an 18 yo may be "legal" and somewhat mature, when we allow seniors to coast simply b/c they've been accepted into a college, we tell them that learning is NOT important.

DP IB is a program. If you sign on, you need to fulfill your obligation to YOURSELF. Academic stamina doesn't die in 12th grade. In fact, it should be much stronger.

senior rite of passage? lol - Tell that to a college senior. What is his/her rite of passage?

This is a ridiculous discussion - and one I've had to handle with kids and parents. How about this? Learning doesn't stop. Should teachers of seniors give up at the end, too, b/c of this "senior rite of passage?"

See how that works?

You're getting really emotional and disrespectful in your answers, but not actually providing good analysis of the benefit to the kid of sitting for those last tests. The fact that you feel so passionately about this, have had numerous prior discussions with parents and kids, but are not able to articulate a real benefit beyond "completion" is telling. Sure, there is value on sticking with something, but if you have already displayed that in other ways in your life, the value of this particular completion is much less -- perhaps enough to be negligible in the scheme of things for the student's particular circumstances, particularly since the kid in this scenario is finishing the class, getting good grades, doing all the work, etc. just not sitting for the final IB exams. I'm all for the IB program and rigorous study and inculcating love of earning. My question is very small and focused on the benefits of sitting for those last exams. It would be great if someone could give a real defense of why that is so valuable for the student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Then fine - whatever works! But most DP kids LOVE the program. They love learning. They embrace the challenges.

So even if the love of learning is absent, then focus on the obligation. Are you telling me that you have the privilege of telling your boss that - "eh - not finishing this project b/c I'm simply not feeling it" - ????

Academic stamina carries into college and follows you into the workforce.

sorry - not buying into these crappy excuses

What obligation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Then fine - whatever works! But most DP kids LOVE the program. They love learning. They embrace the challenges.

So even if the love of learning is absent, then focus on the obligation. Are you telling me that you have the privilege of telling your boss that - "eh - not finishing this project b/c I'm simply not feeling it" - ????

Academic stamina carries into college and follows you into the workforce.

sorry - not buying into these crappy excuses

What obligation?

These is no obligation! Students are free to make the choices that serve them best. I know an IB student who was successful all the way through senior year but then became very stressed at the end. She did not complete all of the exams/earn the diploma. She still benefitted from the program and is a successful MPCS grad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the real value of completing the IB diploma for the senior who has already gotten into college, if the student doesn’t care about trying to get college credit? I can imagine an advantage to the school and program, but what benefit does the kid going to HYPS get? Imagine a responsible kid who has followed through on lots of things and long term goals in his life, so the abstract benefit of completing something is not so important.

There's something known as the "love of learning" that appears to be lost on you.

I'm sorry if following through is a foreign concept to you as well.

pathetic

DP.

One can passionately love learning without finishing a program of study. I left my doctoral program because at that particular time, I had to choose between producing my dissertation or a second child. I went for the second child and have never regretted it. My love of learning didn’t evaporate or diminish. I’ve continued taking courses and attending seminars. I spend a lot of my free time and disposable income on learning. I just didn’t finish that formal program of study.

I can see a smart senior making a rational decision to reduce their workload by one paper or one exam in order to savor being 17 or 18 in spring. A friend had DDs go through both Blair’s CAP and RIMB. They said they didn’t enjoy senior rites of passage because of the pressure.

Most, if not all, of IB kids are not worried about having a child in HS. The significance of IB diploma is not whether you get college credit or not. For IB kids - regardless which HS IB program you attend - it means you "finished" something you started 4 years ago. While it may not matter to some, it means a LOT to others. All those countless sleepless nights and weekends, it's finally done and they've done it. Then again, if you don't get it, you don't get it.

+1. Thank you. This is well said. Those arguing against IB are those who just do not understand it. And are perhaps a little invious of the program.

[Anonymous]

I have 3 kids, one is a sophomore in Wootton, and two older ones graduated from Blair magnet and RM IB. Overall, having experienced all 3 schools, my DS had a great experience with the Blair magnet program. STEM experience was good, which is expected but the non STEM teaching was very good as well. Since he enjoyed writing, he was able to take an elective with the newspaper publication. I would highly recommend the BLAIR program for parents deciding between the two 'magnet' schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the real value of completing the IB diploma for the senior who has already gotten into college, if the student doesn’t care about trying to get college credit? I can imagine an advantage to the school and program, but what benefit does the kid going to HYPS get? Imagine a responsible kid who has followed through on lots of things and long term goals in his life, so the abstract benefit of completing something is not so important.

There's something known as the "love of learning" that appears to be lost on you.

I'm sorry if following through is a foreign concept to you as well.

pathetic

DP.

One can passionately love learning without finishing a program of study. I left my doctoral program because at that particular time, I had to choose between producing my dissertation or a second child. I went for the second child and have never regretted it. My love of learning didn’t evaporate or diminish. I’ve continued taking courses and attending seminars. I spend a lot of my free time and disposable income on learning. I just didn’t finish that formal program of study.

I can see a smart senior making a rational decision to reduce their workload by one paper or one exam in order to savor being 17 or 18 in spring. A friend had DDs go through both Blair’s CAP and RIMB. They said they didn’t enjoy senior rites of passage because of the pressure.

While an 18 yo may be "legal" and somewhat mature, when we allow seniors to coast simply b/c they've been accepted into a college, we tell them that learning is NOT important.

DP IB is a program. If you sign on, you need to fulfill your obligation to YOURSELF. Academic stamina doesn't die in 12th grade. In fact, it should be much stronger.

senior rite of passage? lol - Tell that to a college senior. What is his/her rite of passage?

This is a ridiculous discussion - and one I've had to handle with kids and parents. How about this? Learning doesn't stop. Should teachers of seniors give up at the end, too, b/c of this "senior rite of passage?"

See how that works?

You're getting really emotional and disrespectful in your answers, but not actually providing good analysis of the benefit to the kid of sitting for those last tests. The fact that you feel so passionately about this, have had numerous prior discussions with parents and kids, but are not able to articulate a real benefit beyond "completion" is telling. Sure, there is value on sticking with something, but if you have already displayed that in other ways in your life, the value of this particular completion is much less -- perhaps enough to be negligible in the scheme of things for the student's particular circumstances, particularly since the kid in this scenario is finishing the class, getting good grades, doing all the work, etc. just not sitting for the final IB exams. I'm all for the IB program and rigorous study and inculcating love of earning. My question is very small and focused on the benefits of sitting for those last exams. It would be great if someone could give a real defense of why that is so valuable for the student.

You think you are so smart but your approach says a lot about you and why your kids would never do well in life. If your kid is playing a game (soccer for example) and her team is down 3-0 with 2 min to go. Do you tell your kid to stop playing? Or do you tell your kid to do her best and finish the game? Sometimes you learn more from the journey than the end point. Being able to complete what you started is a priceless lesson in life. Sigh...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
If you want excellence, you hire administrators who themselves were A students. When you recruit administrators who were C students then you see them lowering standards because high standards is seen as "unattainable" by such people. The RM principal is an example of such low caliber people taking an administrator role. For me he is the same caliber of nitwit as Joshua Starr was.


How do you know the grades of specific MCPS administrators?


New poster, but Starr had a doctorate from Harvard. You may not have liked him, but he’s a smart guy. I didn’t like everything he championed, but I vastly preferred the trajectory the school system was on under his leadership.


He was corrupt as he!!. And remember, that was a doctorate in education, not something like math.


Generally, and for understandable reasons, school administrators' advanced degrees do tend to be in school administration or some such, rather than in math.

An educational doctorate isn't even a Phd. But yes C caliber professionals have deep insecurity and do not do well with high performing staff including teachers. They see them as a threat or a reminder of their own inadequacy. They will always hire people who are either sycophants or people so incompetent that they appear smarter.

DP. wow, I am disgusted at the level of disrespect that some people have for school administrators and teachers. There is no shortage of people disrespecting teachers, as well. I do wonder if these kinds of posters ever consider being a school administrator or teacher if they think they can do it better.

I am neither an administrator or teacher.. just a parent.

You do t know what you are talking about but you open your mouth anyway.
YOU could be a school administrator - go for it!

? I know what I'm talking about, which is the level of disrespect some people have for teachers and school administrators. It must be hard to live in your heads. I feel sorry for your kids because your attitude probably rubs off on your kids. No wonder there are so many kids who are disrespectful to teachers. I was taught to be respectful, even if the teachers were not very good. What were you taught? To be a self absorbed entitled ahole, no doubt.

I am indeed a parent. For all we know, you could be a private school administrator who wants to stir the pot in public schools to steer more people to private.

See how that works?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the real value of completing the IB diploma for the senior who has already gotten into college, if the student doesn’t care about trying to get college credit? I can imagine an advantage to the school and program, but what benefit does the kid going to HYPS get? Imagine a responsible kid who has followed through on lots of things and long term goals in his life, so the abstract benefit of completing something is not so important.

There's something known as the "love of learning" that appears to be lost on you.

I'm sorry if following through is a foreign concept to you as well.

pathetic

DP.

One can passionately love learning without finishing a program of study. I left my doctoral program because at that particular time, I had to choose between producing my dissertation or a second child. I went for the second child and have never regretted it. My love of learning didn’t evaporate or diminish. I’ve continued taking courses and attending seminars. I spend a lot of my free time and disposable income on learning. I just didn’t finish that formal program of study.

I can see a smart senior making a rational decision to reduce their workload by one paper or one exam in order to savor being 17 or 18 in spring. A friend had DDs go through both Blair’s CAP and RIMB. They said they didn’t enjoy senior rites of passage because of the pressure.

While an 18 yo may be "legal" and somewhat mature, when we allow seniors to coast simply b/c they've been accepted into a college, we tell them that learning is NOT important.

DP IB is a program. If you sign on, you need to fulfill your obligation to YOURSELF. Academic stamina doesn't die in 12th grade. In fact, it should be much stronger.

senior rite of passage? lol - Tell that to a college senior. What is his/her rite of passage?

This is a ridiculous discussion - and one I've had to handle with kids and parents. How about this? Learning doesn't stop. Should teachers of seniors give up at the end, too, b/c of this "senior rite of passage?"

See how that works?

You're getting really emotional and disrespectful in your answers, but not actually providing good analysis of the benefit to the kid of sitting for those last tests. The fact that you feel so passionately about this, have had numerous prior discussions with parents and kids, but are not able to articulate a real benefit beyond "completion" is telling. Sure, there is value on sticking with something, but if you have already displayed that in other ways in your life, the value of this particular completion is much less -- perhaps enough to be negligible in the scheme of things for the student's particular circumstances, particularly since the kid in this scenario is finishing the class, getting good grades, doing all the work, etc. just not sitting for the final IB exams. I'm all for the IB program and rigorous study and inculcating love of earning. My question is very small and focused on the benefits of sitting for those last exams. It would be great if someone could give a real defense of why that is so valuable for the student.

You think you are so smart but your approach says a lot about you and why your kids would never do well in life. If your kid is playing a game (soccer for example) and her team is down 3-0 with 2 min to go. Do you tell your kid to stop playing? Or do you tell your kid to do her best and finish the game? Sometimes you learn more from the journey than the end point. Being able to complete what you started is a priceless lesson in life. Sigh...

You are not helping your case by continuing to be disrespectful and insulting -- and devolving to making a personal attack on my kids is, I imagine, beneath you in real life, outside the protection of an anonymous board. It makes it seem as if there is no real argument on the other side. I made a mistake in posting this query in a thread that was not devoted to this topic, which means that not too many people are reading it for this purpose. Reading between the lines of some of the posts, it seems the answer is that the real benefit in the circumstances I described is for the greater good. It helps the program to show successful completion of those last hoops, and that makes it more likely that the program is continued for future generations, and that is a significant value. And, for many children, the value of completion is likely not non-negligible given that the IB program has been such a significant part of their lives, and even for you if it is not so important you help your peers by working together towards completion and so that lifts up the whole class, and so those benefits combined with the good to the future students makes it worthwhile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Then fine - whatever works! But most DP kids LOVE the program. They love learning. They embrace the challenges.

So even if the love of learning is absent, then focus on the obligation. Are you telling me that you have the privilege of telling your boss that - "eh - not finishing this project b/c I'm simply not feeling it" - ????

Academic stamina carries into college and follows you into the workforce.

sorry - not buying into these crappy excuses

What obligation?

Finishing things you start is important.

[Anonymous]

^ let’s just say our approaches in how we live our lives and teach our kids are different. You do what works for you. My kids have done fine (2 in med school and 1 PhD in engineering) thanks to the foundation they built in high school. IB was a huge part of their success. To me, your approach is extremely narrow minded and not helpful to your kids. But whatever... they are your kids not mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ let’s just say our approaches in how we live our lives and teach our kids are different. You do what works for you. My kids have done fine (2 in med school and 1 PhD in engineering) thanks to the foundation they built in high school. IB was a huge part of their success. To me, your approach is extremely narrow minded and not helpful to your kids. But whatever... they are your kids not mine.

This was to 9:13

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Then fine - whatever works! But most DP kids LOVE the program. They love learning. They embrace the challenges.

So even if the love of learning is absent, then focus on the obligation. Are you telling me that you have the privilege of telling your boss that - "eh - not finishing this project b/c I'm simply not feeling it" - ????

Academic stamina carries into college and follows you into the workforce.

sorry - not buying into these crappy excuses

What obligation?

Finishing things you start is important.

As a general principle, yes. But not necessarily in every specific circumstance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 kids, one is a sophomore in Wootton, and two older ones graduated from Blair magnet and RM IB. Overall, having experienced all 3 schools, my DS had a great experience with the Blair magnet program. STEM experience was good, which is expected but the non STEM teaching was very good as well. Since he enjoyed writing, he was able to take an elective with the newspaper publication. I would highly recommend the BLAIR program for parents deciding between the two 'magnet' schools

So RM sucks is what you are saying? Lol

[Anonymous]

You think you are so smart but your approach says a lot about you and why your kids would never do well in life. If your kid is playing a game (soccer for example) and her team is down 3-0 with 2 min to go. Do you tell your kid to stop playing? Or do you tell your kid to do her best and finish the game? Sometimes you learn more from the journey than the end point. Being able to complete what you started is a priceless lesson in life. Sigh...

Except, it’s not like a soccer game (team effort). It’s more like being in the Ironman (individual competition). If my child doesn’t finish, no one else is hurt. But even with a soccer game, if my child wanted to stop because she felt physically run down, emotionally distraught, or otherwise like continuing was not in her best interests, I’d support her decision to stop playing —team or no team.