HGC 4th grade this year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child's teacher said that the former HGC curriculum does not meet Common Core.

Interesting. Yet, presumably, the former seemingly-well-received HGC curriculum represented the best of MCPS. I don't think anyone (even the biggest proponents of Common Core) would suggest that it is the same level or above. So, what's the story? Is Common Core simply different? Is this a semantic question: i.e., yes, the old HGC curriculum was "better" but CC insists on different areas of study? What is it?

I assume that she meant that the former HGC curriculum did not align with MCPS's Common Core-aligned curriculum -- i.e., Curriculum 2.0. For example, the fifth grade science curriculum now has a unit on force, motion, and energy. Maybe the former HGC curriculum for fifth grade didn't have this unit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Met with my child's teacher yesterday and asked about that mysterious letter we all received. She tells me there has been minor changes with the new 2.0 - basically no difference. It has not been "dumbed down" as I've heard people say. The main reason is that the HGC curriculum writers were pulled to write the regular 4th grade curriculum and that the HGC curriculum was being rolled out a quarter at a time - teachers were not getting enough planning time. Since the former curriculum already met common core (and the fact there were to be few changes to it anyway) they will revert back.

Did you actually fall for that b.s.? Hope not. On its face, it is inaccurate. The fact that opportunities for advanced math (anything beyond math 4/5) have been eliminated under 2.0 is a huge change and a "dumbing down" of the opportunities that used to be available at the HGC (and elsewhere). Three years ago when my DD was at the same HGC that my DD is at now, she was able to do Math 6 or Math 7 in 4th grade. This year the maximum opportunity available for HGC students is math 4/5. This is true regardless of the child's math ability. How is this not a dumbing down?

MCPS is great at dancing around the obvious and using semantics to hide-the-ball. That seems to be at work here. Look, I'm quite happy with the HGC - particularly the non-math aspects - but to pretend that 2.0 hasn't impacted (dumbed down) math at the HGC as well as at the home schools, is just not true.

I was not referring to math.

So - I'm confused - does the letter refer to the HGC curriculum EXCEPT for Math? Is there even an HGC curriculum FOR Math? I thought the HGC kids were in math classes with the rest of the school - and thus - had only the Grade 4 or Compacted 4-5 options? (which as I understand correctly is a huge difference from before - when the county allowed for 4th graders to be taking Math 5/6/7 etc. and elementary schools had those classes as an option - whether they be an HGC center or not)

[Anonymous]

At our HGC, the kids stay with other HGC kids only for math. They, like all kids in 4th grade anywhere in MCPS, only have 2 options for math: Math 4 or Math 4/5.

Technically, from what I understand, the "HGC curriculum" has never included math. It seems to me that is because, pre 2.0, there were so many advanced options for math. Basically, pre 2.0, your child (whether at an HGC or not) could take math 4, 5, 6 or 7 in 4th grade. So, there were many choices to fit the child's ability level. Now, under 2.0, there are only 2 options and for a lot of HGC kids, the options are less rigorous than what they are able to do.

[Anonymous]

There did not used to be an HGC curriculum for math.

It's possible that the department of [whatever the department is that sent out that letter] is now working on an HGC curriculum for math, now that the math options are Math 4-Math 4/5 and Math 5/Math 5/6. In fact, I think that it would make sense for them to do this. But I don't know. Would somebody like to ask?

[Anonymous]

The letter is not about math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The letter is not about math.

We get it: the letter is not about math. However, it opens up a different conversation which is: why are we artificially keeping the HGC kids "down" in math by - for the first time - not allowing them to take advanced math (advanced being anything beyond the 2.0 mandated Math 4 or Math 4/5).

That is why the subject of math has come from this discussion of the HGC curriculum in general.

[Anonymous]

My guess is that if they expand options beyond 4 and 4/5 they will need to offer these options to students who are not in the HGCs as well. It wouldn't be about expanding options for HGC students just as the expansion to the compacted curriculum was not limited to HGC students.

[Anonymous]

My guess is that the curriculum is not written or at least wasn't written at beginning of the school year for them to offer another option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My guess is that if they expand options beyond 4 and 4/5 they will need to offer these options to students who are not in the HGCs as well. It wouldn't be about expanding options for HGC students just as the expansion to the compacted curriculum was not limited to HGC students.

They should have an option for everyone to be above grade level if they can show mastery of the material at grade level - HCG, non-HGC - the policy to restrict is ridiculous given the population of students this county is serving. Common core was never meant to restrict students from what they could learn, it was meant to provide a baseline for what they should be able to master. That baseline might have more depth than before - but there is nothing that says students should hit a glass ceiling - no matter who they are. If a child can still cover math with the added depth at a faster pace than grade level, then they should be given the same opportunities they were given before 2.0. Everywhere...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My guess is that if they expand options beyond 4 and 4/5 they will need to offer these options to students who are not in the HGCs as well. It wouldn't be about expanding options for HGC students just as the expansion to the compacted curriculum was not limited to HGC students.

They should have an option for everyone to be above grade level if they can show mastery of the material at grade level - HCG, non-HGC - the policy to restrict is ridiculous given the population of students this county is serving. Common core was never meant to restrict students from what they could learn, it was meant to provide a baseline for what they should be able to master. That baseline might have more depth than before - but there is nothing that says students should hit a glass ceiling - no matter who they are. If a child can still cover math with the added depth at a faster pace than grade level, then they should be given the same opportunities they were given before 2.0. Everywhere...

I agree 100%!!!!! 2.0 needs to be a floor NOT a ceiling! That should apply to everyone.