Computer Science in MCPS; my kid is utterly lost

[Anonymous]

She has a learning disability and this is a required class for graduation (she’s a senior). She will likely pass the semester because she eked out C last quarter by the skin of her teeth, but this quarter will likely be an E.

The rest of the class is working on programming robots they built, but my DD is stuck because she can’t seem to build the robot. There’s no way to proceed with the project, which will last the entire quarter. She is trying to advocate for herself and has written several emails to the teacher asking for accommodations of some sort and the teacher tells her to come at lunch, but there are AP students there at that time too (she’s in the regular class) so she’s not really getting any real help. And she just “feels like an idiot” because everyone talks about how easy this class is.

The CM told my daughter to talk directly with the teacher about her policies regarding accommodations, which is good practice for the future, but she’s done that with no change. She’s absolutely stressed out.

Did anyone else’s kid find this class tricky? It’s known to be a “joke”/easy A. She’s basically asking permission to just give up and take the E, which will give her a D for the semester.

I guess I’m just venting and wondering if others have been through it. She’s one of the few seniors in the class - the freshen and sophomores don’t seem to be struggling at all.

[Anonymous]

Also - the teacher just keeps telling my DD, “you have to finish building the robot so you can start programming tomorrow,” but DD does not feel like she can do it. At all.

[Anonymous]

You need to make her do it. A disability is not an excuse. She doesn’t feel like she can do it means she’s not trying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to make her do it. A disability is not an excuse. She doesn’t feel like she can do it means she’s not trying.

Make her do it? What the F does that mean? She has been going to lunch for help. She has pretty profound dyspraxia and leaning disabilities but has a good GPA because she works her a$$ off. That was remarked upon in her recent IEP meeting (last one before graduation). Why are you on the SN board?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to make her do it. A disability is not an excuse. She doesn’t feel like she can do it means she’s not trying.

Make her do it? What the F does that mean? She has been going to lunch for help. She has pretty profound dyspraxia and leaning disabilities but has a good GPA because she works her a$$ off. That was remarked upon in her recent IEP meeting (last one before graduation). Why are you on the SN board?

DP. I agree, it sounds like she needs to get the robot part of the project going so that she can start the next part. If it's a required class, then any of her friends will have taken it or is currently taking it. They can help her with the robot so that she can move on to the rest of the project. She needs to get passed this. What she's currently doing isn't working, so she needs to get heip some other way.

[Anonymous]

She doesn’t have friends. I wish she could take it home - her dad and I would help, or her tutor.

[Anonymous]

I would call an IEP meeting. Insist on the CS teacher being there.

She clearly needs more/different support so that’s a starting place.

[Anonymous]

Can you work outside of class to build paper process tools she can refer to in class? Like a troubleshooting list?

[Anonymous]

This makes no sense

What exactly is this a requirement for?

MCPS no

[Anonymous]

Get a tutor. We use Preply and sone tutors are more affordable. This is why we got the graduation requirements done early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also - the teacher just keeps telling my DD, “you have to finish building the robot so you can start programming tomorrow,” but DD does not feel like she can do it. At all.

You get a tutor and help her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She doesn’t have friends. I wish she could take it home - her dad and I would help, or her tutor.

Ask the teacher to take it home or if it’s a kit, buy her one for at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She doesn’t have friends. I wish she could take it home - her dad and I would help, or her tutor.

Then a classmate. There is someone that she could talk to.

She doesn't need an accommodation. She needs some help, which could be some one-on-one tutoring from the teacher or from another student. The teacher has offered and has asked her to come in during lunch, which she has done. Is she bringing her robot with? One of the AP students there could help her, if she asks. Etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This makes no sense

What exactly is this a requirement for?

MCPS no

You have a cs requirement in mcps for graduation. But at our school they don’t build anything so not sure the assignment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would call an IEP meeting. Insist on the CS teacher being there.

She clearly needs more/different support so that’s a starting place.

We just had her final meeting. The CS teacher had a class and couldn’t go. She is still going to graduate, so I don’t think they are all that concerned.

I imagine the robot pieces are similar to Lego’s - but my DD is someone who couldn’t figure out how to put a card in an envelope until she was explicitly shown - and now she does it all the time. And just needs to be shown first; there’s no intuitive ability with motor skills/spatial skills. She learned to tie her shoes at the end of middle school (not for lack of trying).