Honors classes the same throughout the county?

[Anonymous]

Is the curriculum the same for an honors class at a W school the same as the rest of the county?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the curriculum the same for an honors class at a W school the same as the rest of the county?

It would depend on the class, I think. A "curriculum" is loosely followed in certain subjects and I don't mean that negatively. Topics/units/concepts are required to be covered, but teachers have say in how they will cover those topics. You also have to understand that some high schools ONLY offer "honors" in certain subjects, while others have multiple levels. I imagine there would be a lot of differences at those schools.

[Anonymous]

The curriculum, perhaps. The parts of the curriculum that are taught and how they thoroughly and well they are taught will vary greatly by school and teacher.

[Anonymous]

The curriculum is uniform around the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is uniform around the county.

How can the curriculum for an honors class that is one of many levels in one school be the same for a school that only offers honors classes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is uniform around the county.

Yes, but now how it is implemented. Teachers and schools can choose what to use and what to skip. The experience is different depending on teacher and school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is uniform around the county.

How can the curriculum for an honors class that is one of many levels in one school be the same for a school that only offers honors classes?

This is a GREAT question. Unfortunately, you will not like the real answer. BOE was unhappy with the low numbers of students taking “honors” classes at some schools. Decided that “honors for all” would solve the problem. Except it doesn’t. Now, we have students who need honors pacing/rigor, with kids struggling to keep their head above water, with kids who CANNOT even read… either due to being pushed through the system or students who are EML. Since “they” also decided that it is “inequitable” for students learning English to be in sheltered classes.

The BOE demands differentiation for each level.. which we try to do… but realistically 3+ types of lesson plans for each prep every day is impossible even for the best teachers. The result is chaos and no student actually having their needs met. All the preaching of “equity” really just translates to “equal…” which does not mean the same thing. Some times, different level classes is… gasp and wait for it… actually helpful to meet student needs.

But then again, that would f-up the numbers and make MCPS look bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is uniform around the county.

How can the curriculum for an honors class that is one of many levels in one school be the same for a school that only offers honors classes?

This is a GREAT question. Unfortunately, you will not like the real answer. BOE was unhappy with the low numbers of students taking “honors” classes at some schools. Decided that “honors for all” would solve the problem. Except it doesn’t. Now, we have students who need honors pacing/rigor, with kids struggling to keep their head above water, with kids who CANNOT even read… either due to being pushed through the system or students who are EML. Since “they” also decided that it is “inequitable” for students learning English to be in sheltered classes.

The BOE demands differentiation for each level.. which we try to do… but realistically 3+ types of lesson plans for each prep every day is impossible even for the best teachers. The result is chaos and no student actually having their needs met. All the preaching of “equity” really just translates to “equal…” which does not mean the same thing. Some times, different level classes is… gasp and wait for it… actually helpful to meet student needs.

But then again, that would f-up the numbers and make MCPS look bad.

Can you point to the BOE meeting where this topic was discussed? I have never seen them address this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is uniform around the county.

How can the curriculum for an honors class that is one of many levels in one school be the same for a school that only offers honors classes?

This is a GREAT question. Unfortunately, you will not like the real answer. BOE was unhappy with the low numbers of students taking “honors” classes at some schools. Decided that “honors for all” would solve the problem. Except it doesn’t. Now, we have students who need honors pacing/rigor, with kids struggling to keep their head above water, with kids who CANNOT even read… either due to being pushed through the system or students who are EML. Since “they” also decided that it is “inequitable” for students learning English to be in sheltered classes.

The BOE demands differentiation for each level.. which we try to do… but realistically 3+ types of lesson plans for each prep every day is impossible even for the best teachers. The result is chaos and no student actually having their needs met. All the preaching of “equity” really just translates to “equal…” which does not mean the same thing. Some times, different level classes is… gasp and wait for it… actually helpful to meet student needs.

But then again, that would f-up the numbers and make MCPS look bad.

Their mindless pursuit of equity has turned it into a joke. Now these classes are just regular and nobody leams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is uniform around the county.

How can the curriculum for an honors class that is one of many levels in one school be the same for a school that only offers honors classes?

This is a GREAT question. Unfortunately, you will not like the real answer. BOE was unhappy with the low numbers of students taking “honors” classes at some schools. Decided that “honors for all” would solve the problem. Except it doesn’t. Now, we have students who need honors pacing/rigor, with kids struggling to keep their head above water, with kids who CANNOT even read… either due to being pushed through the system or students who are EML. Since “they” also decided that it is “inequitable” for students learning English to be in sheltered classes.

The BOE demands differentiation for each level.. which we try to do… but realistically 3+ types of lesson plans for each prep every day is impossible even for the best teachers. The result is chaos and no student actually having their needs met. All the preaching of “equity” really just translates to “equal…” which does not mean the same thing. Some times, different level classes is… gasp and wait for it… actually helpful to meet student needs.

But then again, that would f-up the numbers and make MCPS look bad.

Can you point to the BOE meeting where this topic was discussed? I have never seen them address this.

Many of these decisions are made behind closed doors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is uniform around the county.

How can the curriculum for an honors class that is one of many levels in one school be the same for a school that only offers honors classes?

This is a GREAT question. Unfortunately, you will not like the real answer. BOE was unhappy with the low numbers of students taking “honors” classes at some schools. Decided that “honors for all” would solve the problem. Except it doesn’t. Now, we have students who need honors pacing/rigor, with kids struggling to keep their head above water, with kids who CANNOT even read… either due to being pushed through the system or students who are EML. Since “they” also decided that it is “inequitable” for students learning English to be in sheltered classes.

The BOE demands differentiation for each level.. which we try to do… but realistically 3+ types of lesson plans for each prep every day is impossible even for the best teachers. The result is chaos and no student actually having their needs met. All the preaching of “equity” really just translates to “equal…” which does not mean the same thing. Some times, different level classes is… gasp and wait for it… actually helpful to meet student needs.

But then again, that would f-up the numbers and make MCPS look bad.

Their mindless pursuit of equity has turned it into a joke. Now these classes are just regular and nobody leams.

Why would no one learn in a regular class? Regular should be perfectly great for around 80%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is uniform around the county.

How can the curriculum for an honors class that is one of many levels in one school be the same for a school that only offers honors classes?

This is a GREAT question. Unfortunately, you will not like the real answer. BOE was unhappy with the low numbers of students taking “honors” classes at some schools. Decided that “honors for all” would solve the problem. Except it doesn’t. Now, we have students who need honors pacing/rigor, with kids struggling to keep their head above water, with kids who CANNOT even read… either due to being pushed through the system or students who are EML. Since “they” also decided that it is “inequitable” for students learning English to be in sheltered classes.

The BOE demands differentiation for each level.. which we try to do… but realistically 3+ types of lesson plans for each prep every day is impossible even for the best teachers. The result is chaos and no student actually having their needs met. All the preaching of “equity” really just translates to “equal…” which does not mean the same thing. Some times, different level classes is… gasp and wait for it… actually helpful to meet student needs.

But then again, that would f-up the numbers and make MCPS look bad.

Their mindless pursuit of equity has turned it into a joke. Now these classes are just regular and nobody leams.

Why would no one learn in a regular class? Regular should be perfectly great for around 80%

OK, but then why label it as Honors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is uniform around the county.

How can the curriculum for an honors class that is one of many levels in one school be the same for a school that only offers honors classes?

This is a GREAT question. Unfortunately, you will not like the real answer. BOE was unhappy with the low numbers of students taking “honors” classes at some schools. Decided that “honors for all” would solve the problem. Except it doesn’t. Now, we have students who need honors pacing/rigor, with kids struggling to keep their head above water, with kids who CANNOT even read… either due to being pushed through the system or students who are EML. Since “they” also decided that it is “inequitable” for students learning English to be in sheltered classes.

The BOE demands differentiation for each level.. which we try to do… but realistically 3+ types of lesson plans for each prep every day is impossible even for the best teachers. The result is chaos and no student actually having their needs met. All the preaching of “equity” really just translates to “equal…” which does not mean the same thing. Some times, different level classes is… gasp and wait for it… actually helpful to meet student needs.

But then again, that would f-up the numbers and make MCPS look bad.

Can you point to the BOE meeting where this topic was discussed? I have never seen them address this.

Many of these decisions are made behind closed doors.

By central office staff, not the BOE.

[Anonymous]

Same curriculum but the classes aren’t always the same. DS took honors bio and struggled. We found a tutor who was also a bio teacher in MCPS. She told us that his teacher was teaching a lot of material that was not in the curriculum. She covered the curriculum but added content. The class moved fast and was very difficult. Our younger DS later had the same teacher and when he was trying to study with friends in other classes he discovered they were often several weeks behind. So there are variations not only between schools but within schools. It’s a W school if that makes a difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is uniform around the county.

How can the curriculum for an honors class that is one of many levels in one school be the same for a school that only offers honors classes?

This is a GREAT question. Unfortunately, you will not like the real answer. BOE was unhappy with the low numbers of students taking “honors” classes at some schools. Decided that “honors for all” would solve the problem. Except it doesn’t. Now, we have students who need honors pacing/rigor, with kids struggling to keep their head above water, with kids who CANNOT even read… either due to being pushed through the system or students who are EML. Since “they” also decided that it is “inequitable” for students learning English to be in sheltered classes.

The BOE demands differentiation for each level.. which we try to do… but realistically 3+ types of lesson plans for each prep every day is impossible even for the best teachers. The result is chaos and no student actually having their needs met. All the preaching of “equity” really just translates to “equal…” which does not mean the same thing. Some times, different level classes is… gasp and wait for it… actually helpful to meet student needs.

But then again, that would f-up the numbers and make MCPS look bad.

Can you point to the BOE meeting where this topic was discussed? I have never seen them address this.

Many of these decisions are made behind closed doors.

By central office staff, not the BOE.

Yes, these decisions almost never involve the BOE.