MCPS Enrichment Prior to 4th Grade?

[Anonymous]

What type of enrichment and/or acceleration do the other MCPS elementary schools offer in the early grades (particularly in the area of language arts)? I know that there are accelerated programs that you can apply to attend in the 4th and 5th grades, but before that is there nothing?

Our current school does not do a very good job with differentiated instruction. Our son is bored and I'm frustrated. We are getting an new principal next year and I'm hoping to gather some examples of how other schools are handling enrichment or acceleration in the early grades before I meet with her.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Non-existent.

They talk a lot of talk and the kids end up doing BCRs all year.

[Anonymous]

Our school offers Jr Great Books and the William and Mary reading curriculum to the higher reading groups. Depending on the teacher depends on how much differentiation there is though...

[Anonymous]

How much acceleration/differentiation depends on your school and grade. In general, the options are:

1) for math -- movement into a class of same-age peers that includes instruction from a higher grade math. For example, a 3rd grader might be in a math class which is "3rd grade w/ exposure to 4th grade math) or might be in a "4th grade math" class. What is available depends greatly on whether there are enough same age peers with similarly advanced skills.

2) for reading -- there should be reading groups within the classroom (usually about 3) each of which is reading a different level text on the same theme. For example, the class might be studying the biography genre, but the difficulty of the biography text should be different for each group. The problem for advanced readers (reading ahead more than 2 grades) is that there often aren't enough really advanced readers within any one classroom to form a separate reading group for them. There are also advanced reader programs like "William and Mary" and "

[Anonymous]

oops, sorry, cut myself off above.

Advanced reading programs are W&M and "Great Books" I know these happen in 3rd grade, but not sure about earlier grades. The extent to which these 2 programs are implemented depend greatly on how many peers in a class are capable of working at a more advanced level.

If you are unhappy with the acceleration/differentiation at your school, you should be able to get information/support from MCPS' AEI division (accelerated and enriched instruction).

If the principal isn't cooperative, you can try to get AEI to weigh in on your behalf with helpful suggestions/support to the principal, or if that doesn't work, you can go over the principal's head to the community superintendent.

[Anonymous]

Our school supports acceleration of individual children into higher-grade reading and math classes as necessary--e.g. I've know of cases where they do this if kids perform at a level 2 or grades higher than the grade they are in. Otherwise the differentiation occurs within the grade.

When I toured schools and asked about differentiation for this sort of case, I found that responses from administrators varied. One reason we chose our neighborhood was that the principal at my kids' current school was not defensive or combative on this point and made a point of explaining how they differentiate as necessary. I think this attitude shapes the teachers' responses as well, as they have been very pro-active at this school in meeting kids' needs.

[Anonymous]

it is amazing how much MCPS schools vary depending on the staff

[Anonymous]

Why won't the county provide enrichment for TAG kids at an earlier age?