Science as a special?

[Anonymous]

I'm very confused. My child will be starting at CHML in the fall and they have science as a specials class instead of with their classroom teacher. I've never heard of this in my entire life. Students should have science daily, not once a week. Is this just normal in all DCPS elementary schools?

[Anonymous]

some elementary schools do not have science at all in the lower grades. i think its fine as a dedicated special.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:some elementary schools do not have science at all in the lower grades. i think its fine as a dedicated special.

Other nearby districts have social studies and science as a daily class. Why wouldn’t DCPS? We are just continually failing our kids and accepting it.

[Anonymous]

It’s not common from what I understand but my kids school has one as well. It’s considered a selling point, there is science built into the curriculum with their regular teachers and then the science “special” is an enhancement on top of that where students get to focus on more project based learning. Teachers like having it as it gives them an additional planning block.

[Anonymous]

Having just pulled my upper elementary student out of CHML, I can speak to how infuriating it is. The students afternoon "work cycle" after lunch consists of nothing. Silent reading, making up work, general chaos. There is MORE than enough time for the teachers to be teaching science as well as social studies, but they do not. In fact, there is hardly any direct instruction at all. The science specialist is a wonderful person, but there were many times students in my kid's class (and speaking with other parents in different rooms, this was standard across the board) couldn't even get to the lesson because of classroom behaviors. This has nothing to do with her and it goes back to the extremely poor administration running the place. There are no consequences, students end up being rewarded for bad behaviors, and students KNOW there will be no consequences. It is not a good school. It is such a chaotic place as are the classrooms on any given day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:some elementary schools do not have science at all in the lower grades. i think its fine as a dedicated special.

Other nearby districts have social studies and science as a daily class. Why wouldn’t DCPS? We are just continually failing our kids and accepting it.

I am not sure that's as true as you think - MCPS, for example, has science OR social studies every day. So it's science daily for six weeks (and no social studies at all during that time), then social studies daily for six weeks (and no science at al during that time). It's all kind of a joke anyway - most UMC kids already know most of what's being covered content-wise.

ES is about reading and math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:some elementary schools do not have science at all in the lower grades. i think its fine as a dedicated special.

Other nearby districts have social studies and science as a daily class. Why wouldn’t DCPS? We are just continually failing our kids and accepting it.

I am not sure that's as true as you think - MCPS, for example, has science OR social studies every day. So it's science daily for six weeks (and no social studies at all during that time), then social studies daily for six weeks (and no science at al during that time). It's all kind of a joke anyway - most UMC kids already know most of what's being covered content-wise.

ES is about reading and math.

I'm a new DCPS teacher from NYC and I can assure you, ES is NOT about reading and math in other places. At least it sounds like MCPS kids have exposure to social studies and science. No wonder students out here are so checked out and early on. It's really sad to see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having just pulled my upper elementary student out of CHML, I can speak to how infuriating it is. The students afternoon "work cycle" after lunch consists of nothing. Silent reading, making up work, general chaos. There is MORE than enough time for the teachers to be teaching science as well as social studies, but they do not. In fact, there is hardly any direct instruction at all. The science specialist is a wonderful person, but there were many times students in my kid's class (and speaking with other parents in different rooms, this was standard across the board) couldn't even get to the lesson because of classroom behaviors. This has nothing to do with her and it goes back to the extremely poor administration running the place. There are no consequences, students end up being rewarded for bad behaviors, and students KNOW there will be no consequences. It is not a good school. It is such a chaotic place as are the classrooms on any given day.

I thought the lack of direct instruction was one of the key features of Montessori.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:some elementary schools do not have science at all in the lower grades. i think its fine as a dedicated special.

Other nearby districts have social studies and science as a daily class. Why wouldn’t DCPS? We are just continually failing our kids and accepting it.

I am not sure that's as true as you think - MCPS, for example, has science OR social studies every day. So it's science daily for six weeks (and no social studies at all during that time), then social studies daily for six weeks (and no science at al during that time). It's all kind of a joke anyway - most UMC kids already know most of what's being covered content-wise.

ES is about reading and math.

I'm a new DCPS teacher from NYC and I can assure you, ES is NOT about reading and math in other places. At least it sounds like MCPS kids have exposure to social studies and science. No wonder students out here are so checked out and early on. It's really sad to see.

We go to Whittier which is a STEAM school and science is a daily class starting in first, plus they have STEM specials. In first grade they rotate ELA, math, and science daily. There's reading enrichment and intervention, math as well although only teacher instead of two. They have other specials once a week like performing arts and Spanish but not all DCPS schools just do math and reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having just pulled my upper elementary student out of CHML, I can speak to how infuriating it is. The students afternoon "work cycle" after lunch consists of nothing. Silent reading, making up work, general chaos. There is MORE than enough time for the teachers to be teaching science as well as social studies, but they do not. In fact, there is hardly any direct instruction at all. The science specialist is a wonderful person, but there were many times students in my kid's class (and speaking with other parents in different rooms, this was standard across the board) couldn't even get to the lesson because of classroom behaviors. This has nothing to do with her and it goes back to the extremely poor administration running the place. There are no consequences, students end up being rewarded for bad behaviors, and students KNOW there will be no consequences. It is not a good school. It is such a chaotic place as are the classrooms on any given day.

I thought the lack of direct instruction was one of the key features of Montessori.

Students can't just teach themselves fractions and long division, so no. If Montessori methods are followed properly, they should be having small group lessons with a teacher, thus direct instruction, but that rarely happens at CHML. It really only works for ECE because it isn't implemented properly at CHML, especially in upper elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having just pulled my upper elementary student out of CHML, I can speak to how infuriating it is. The students afternoon "work cycle" after lunch consists of nothing. Silent reading, making up work, general chaos. There is MORE than enough time for the teachers to be teaching science as well as social studies, but they do not. In fact, there is hardly any direct instruction at all. The science specialist is a wonderful person, but there were many times students in my kid's class (and speaking with other parents in different rooms, this was standard across the board) couldn't even get to the lesson because of classroom behaviors. This has nothing to do with her and it goes back to the extremely poor administration running the place. There are no consequences, students end up being rewarded for bad behaviors, and students KNOW there will be no consequences. It is not a good school. It is such a chaotic place as are the classrooms on any given day.

I thought the lack of direct instruction was one of the key features of Montessori.

This is a misunderstanding about the Montessori pedagogy. The guide does provide direct demonstration lesson to the student. The OP didn’t mention anything the grade/age group they are referring to. Not sure how it is at the CHML elementary, but I do encourage the OP to read up about Montessori education relevant to their child’s placement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having just pulled my upper elementary student out of CHML, I can speak to how infuriating it is. The students afternoon "work cycle" after lunch consists of nothing. Silent reading, making up work, general chaos. There is MORE than enough time for the teachers to be teaching science as well as social studies, but they do not. In fact, there is hardly any direct instruction at all. The science specialist is a wonderful person, but there were many times students in my kid's class (and speaking with other parents in different rooms, this was standard across the board) couldn't even get to the lesson because of classroom behaviors. This has nothing to do with her and it goes back to the extremely poor administration running the place. There are no consequences, students end up being rewarded for bad behaviors, and students KNOW there will be no consequences. It is not a good school. It is such a chaotic place as are the classrooms on any given day.

I thought the lack of direct instruction was one of the key features of Montessori.

This is a misunderstanding about the Montessori pedagogy. The guide does provide direct demonstration lesson to the student. The OP didn’t mention anything the grade/age group they are referring to. Not sure how it is at the CHML elementary, but I do encourage the OP to read up about Montessori education relevant to their child’s placement.

OP here-I didn't mention I had issues with Montessori and I've done my homework. I have issues with the school not having science or social studies on a daily basis as part of their curriculum.

[Anonymous]

We are not in DCPS but at an immersion charter and science and social studies is built into the curriculum every year.

They spend months doing expeditions and learning and presenting about their topic. Some topics that come to mind include earth and its composition, plants and greenhouse effect, rainforest deforestation, and more.

Social studies topics too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having just pulled my upper elementary student out of CHML, I can speak to how infuriating it is. The students afternoon "work cycle" after lunch consists of nothing. Silent reading, making up work, general chaos. There is MORE than enough time for the teachers to be teaching science as well as social studies, but they do not. In fact, there is hardly any direct instruction at all. The science specialist is a wonderful person, but there were many times students in my kid's class (and speaking with other parents in different rooms, this was standard across the board) couldn't even get to the lesson because of classroom behaviors. This has nothing to do with her and it goes back to the extremely poor administration running the place. There are no consequences, students end up being rewarded for bad behaviors, and students KNOW there will be no consequences. It is not a good school. It is such a chaotic place as are the classrooms on any given day.

I thought the lack of direct instruction was one of the key features of Montessori.

This is a misunderstanding about the Montessori pedagogy. The guide does provide direct demonstration lesson to the student. The OP didn’t mention anything the grade/age group they are referring to. Not sure how it is at the CHML elementary, but I do encourage the OP to read up about Montessori education relevant to their child’s placement.

OP here-I didn't mention I had issues with Montessori and I've done my homework. I have issues with the school not having science or social studies on a daily basis as part of their curriculum.

When my kids started elementary, they only had science once a week as a special, and then it shifted to the older kids (I think grades 2-5, maybe 1-5? Not sure because COVID shutdown was early elementary for us) they switched to having science 2 to 3 times per week and each time it would only be half the class that would go so they could do more hands-on/small group instruction.

[Anonymous]

Dear OP, if you are getting worked up about this & your child is starting elementary school, you will have a stroke by 12th grade. Trust the process & supplement at home as needed. It will be alright.