What’s a cram school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You would probably get a better answer asking the question to the people in those threads?

To me a cram school is a for profit / tutoring program that is focused on getting a student ready for a test. Like an AP or an SAT. Not really about particular subject. Just focused on improving a test score.

Do you mean to say they provide guidance and help practice jike a coaching camp so that kids can have better chance to succeed in tests?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My own opinion is that the phrase "cram school" typically refers to a tutoring program that is utilized by first generation immigrant families and are mainly advertised by word of mouth within particular immigrant communites (a plus is one that comes to mind that is popular with east asians).

Kids do these programs not just as test prep for the county magnat programs but also as an extracurricular activity. because it is popular with the parents of their social circles (and a better use of money than sports).

I would not characterize the franchise type places (Kumon, Mathnasium, Russian School of Math, etc.) as "cram schools".

So it looks like some parents have issues with other parents providing the help their kid needs to succeed in the academics?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One side of me is really, really impressed at the investment of time, resources and effort.

The other side doesn't think it is possible to compare these kids to the ones that spent the summer helping their uncles weed lawns, paint houses, and do a thousand other handyman jobs that MCPS kids actually do to help their families pay the rent.

Kids who are helping families are building a different set of valuable skills which will help build their future as well. I would not underestimate the importance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My own opinion is that the phrase "cram school" typically refers to a tutoring program that is utilized by first generation immigrant families and are mainly advertised by word of mouth within particular immigrant communites (a plus is one that comes to mind that is popular with east asians).

Kids do these programs not just as test prep for the county magnat programs but also as an extracurricular activity. because it is popular with the parents of their social circles (and a better use of money than sports).

I would not characterize the franchise type places (Kumon, Mathnasium, Russian School of Math, etc.) as "cram schools".

So it looks like some parents have issues with other parents providing the help their kid needs to succeed in the academics?

I don't know why people get so up in arms about tutoring/test prep. Nobody complains that athletes train and prepare to perform better at their sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My own opinion is that the phrase "cram school" typically refers to a tutoring program that is utilized by first generation immigrant families and are mainly advertised by word of mouth within particular immigrant communites (a plus is one that comes to mind that is popular with east asians).

Kids do these programs not just as test prep for the county magnat programs but also as an extracurricular activity. because it is popular with the parents of their social circles (and a better use of money than sports).

I would not characterize the franchise type places (Kumon, Mathnasium, Russian School of Math, etc.) as "cram schools".

Your racism is showing, Karen.

Kumon is the typical "cram school" because you do repetitive math worksheets. There is not much "teaching" in these schools and they do not explain concepts. Same for Mathnasium. Russian school of Math is a group of Russians teaching Math. Most advanced Math students like AOPS (Art of Problem Solving) Academy. Then there are several individuals that tutor and prep students for all kinds of Math competitons.

IMHO an enrichment school is more akin to the summer programs at Dr. Li, that teaches geography, history, Math, science and English writing that is not covered in MCPS. Similarly, APlus teaches a "magnet" level Math and English curriculum (different than MCPS), which tests in students who are GT. They also have an English creative writing component that is pretty great. Of course, these two schools were also pretty great in SAT and ACT types of prep courses that is very similar to the SAT prep courses taught in Montgomery College (community college). Their so called magnet admissions test prep do repetitive worksheets for COGAT and SAT. If you have an average student who does not know the content, these prep will not get your child in these programs. Your money is better spent in hiring a private tutor (or teach yourself) and fill in any knowledge gap.

C2 is one of the best tutoring centers (value for money) for students who are struggling or who want to do well in their classes in area private and public schools. They do well to fill in the gaps in knowledge and also cover the curriculums that the teachers do not cover. Especially useful for AP exams because sometimes teachers in schools are not able to do justice to the curriculum.

I prefer teaching my kids myself as much as possible and using online resources. However, if I had to spend money, I would spend it on a tutor who can work one on one with my kid and teach they concepts, instead of a school like Kumon that only makes kids do hundreds of worksheets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My own opinion is that the phrase "cram school" typically refers to a tutoring program that is utilized by first generation immigrant families and are mainly advertised by word of mouth within particular immigrant communites (a plus is one that comes to mind that is popular with east asians).

Kids do these programs not just as test prep for the county magnat programs but also as an extracurricular activity. because it is popular with the parents of their social circles (and a better use of money than sports).

I would not characterize the franchise type places (Kumon, Mathnasium, Russian School of Math, etc.) as "cram schools".

So it looks like some parents have issues with other parents providing the help their kid needs to succeed in the academics?

I only help my kid to wear revealing clothes and post provocative pictures so that they can have a career as a Tiktok star. The only help I have given is spring for the money to buy a stripper pole in their bedroom so that they can get exercise and hone their dancing skills. Academics is for losers and these children who study outside of the school day are basically cheating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You would probably get a better answer asking the question to the people in those threads?

To me a cram school is a for profit / tutoring program that is focused on getting a student ready for a test. Like an AP or an SAT. Not really about particular subject. Just focused on improving a test score.

Huh? AP is a particular subject that you will study in high school. SAT is lower level Math and English taught in high school (For example SAT Math only covers math, algebra and geometry) . You have to know that particular subject(s) and the curriculum associated with it. AP and SAT is not about doing crunches and having a six-pack abs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One side of me is really, really impressed at the investment of time, resources and effort.

The other side doesn't think it is possible to compare these kids to the ones that spent the summer helping their uncles weed lawns, paint houses, and do a thousand other handyman jobs that MCPS kids actually do to help their families pay the rent.

Kids who are helping families are building a different set of valuable skills which will help build their future as well. I would not underestimate the importance

We need all kinds of useful individuals in our society. The cardiologists and the plumbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a school that teaches the coming year’s subjects over the summer so that kids can achieve As in the classes during the school year. I know of one that many Asian kids attend. They also do intensive standardized test prep.

This is wonderful. I thought that all kids get 'A's because of grade inflation in MCPS at least. Glad to know that Asian kids are actually working their ass off in summer to get these lovely scores. So are these Asians students doing the same in every corner of the world that they live in? Because these Asian kids do well in Europe, Australia, Middle East, America, Canada etc too. I am surprised to think working on education during summer has become a worldwide phenomenon.

Why can we not do the same for all the other non-Asian students who are not gettings As even with grade inflation? There has to be some way to turn the sows ears into silk purses?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a school that teaches the coming year’s subjects over the summer so that kids can achieve As in the classes during the school year. I know of one that many Asian kids attend. They also do intensive standardized test prep.

This is wonderful. I thought that all kids get 'A's because of grade inflation in MCPS at least. Glad to know that Asian kids are actually working their ass off in summer to get these lovely scores. So are these Asians students doing the same in every corner of the world that they live in? Because these Asian kids do well in Europe, Australia, Middle East, America, Canada etc too. I am surprised to think working on education during summer has become a worldwide phenomenon.

Why can we not do the same for all the other non-Asian students who are not gettings As even with grade inflation? There has to be some way to turn the sows ears into silk purses?

Wow so these kids have to study all summer just to get an A? They must be very slow. Everyone else gets A's in MCPS for showing up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My own opinion is that the phrase "cram school" typically refers to a tutoring program that is utilized by first generation immigrant families and are mainly advertised by word of mouth within particular immigrant communites (a plus is one that comes to mind that is popular with east asians).

Kids do these programs not just as test prep for the county magnat programs but also as an extracurricular activity. because it is popular with the parents of their social circles (and a better use of money than sports).

I would not characterize the franchise type places (Kumon, Mathnasium, Russian School of Math, etc.) as "cram schools".

So it looks like some parents have issues with other parents providing the help their kid needs to succeed in the academics?

I don't know why people get so up in arms about tutoring/test prep. Nobody complains that athletes train and prepare to perform better at their sport.

I doubt even a single person is "up in arms" over kids doing test prep. But unless / until there are magnet level maths at every school the way there are football or soccer teams at every home school then some people will be salty. MCPS only has a handful of magnet seats at a very few schools. So the reward for test prep is access to a program that is not available at all home schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One side of me is really, really impressed at the investment of time, resources and effort.

The other side doesn't think it is possible to compare these kids to the ones that spent the summer helping their uncles weed lawns, paint houses, and do a thousand other handyman jobs that MCPS kids actually do to help their families pay the rent.

Kids who are helping families are building a different set of valuable skills which will help build their future as well. I would not underestimate the importance

Some of these kids could benefit from, if not excel in, the magnet level courses. But when they have to compete against kids who have the time and resources to prep for entrance exams they aren't really comparable. Giving them a chance (yes, with the stupid lottery) is a GOOD thing.

And here we have DCUM parents pithily commenting "well those skills are valuable too" or "the world needs plumbers and cardiologists in equal measure" as if a million cardiologists.
O uld ever do the public good done by a handful of plumbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a school that teaches the coming year’s subjects over the summer so that kids can achieve As in the classes during the school year. I know of one that many Asian kids attend. They also do intensive standardized test prep.

This is wonderful. I thought that all kids get 'A's because of grade inflation in MCPS at least. Glad to know that Asian kids are actually working their ass off in summer to get these lovely scores. So are these Asians students doing the same in every corner of the world that they live in? Because these Asian kids do well in Europe, Australia, Middle East, America, Canada etc too. I am surprised to think working on education during summer has become a worldwide phenomenon.

Why can we not do the same for all the other non-Asian students who are not gettings As even with grade inflation? There has to be some way to turn the sows ears into silk purses?

Wow so these kids have to study all summer just to get an A? They must be very slow. Everyone else gets A's in MCPS for showing up.

That's wonderful then. Everyone gets an A. Asians by studying (and spending money for private tutors) and others for showing up. No achievement gap at all. Everyone goes to college and makes sh1tload of money because they get hired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a school that teaches the coming year’s subjects over the summer so that kids can achieve As in the classes during the school year. I know of one that many Asian kids attend. They also do intensive standardized test prep.

This is wonderful. I thought that all kids get 'A's because of grade inflation in MCPS at least. Glad to know that Asian kids are actually working their ass off in summer to get these lovely scores. So are these Asians students doing the same in every corner of the world that they live in? Because these Asian kids do well in Europe, Australia, Middle East, America, Canada etc too. I am surprised to think working on education during summer has become a worldwide phenomenon.

Why can we not do the same for all the other non-Asian students who are not gettings As even with grade inflation? There has to be some way to turn the sows ears into silk purses?

What makes you think other kids don’t work hard? All the kids I know work their butts off. What is the source of your skeptical and jaded outlook?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a school that teaches the coming year’s subjects over the summer so that kids can achieve As in the classes during the school year. I know of one that many Asian kids attend. They also do intensive standardized test prep.

This is wonderful. I thought that all kids get 'A's because of grade inflation in MCPS at least. Glad to know that Asian kids are actually working their ass off in summer to get these lovely scores. So are these Asians students doing the same in every corner of the world that they live in? Because these Asian kids do well in Europe, Australia, Middle East, America, Canada etc too. I am surprised to think working on education during summer has become a worldwide phenomenon.

Why can we not do the same for all the other non-Asian students who are not gettings As even with grade inflation? There has to be some way to turn the sows ears into silk purses?

What makes you think other kids don’t work hard? All the kids I know work their butts off. What is the source of your skeptical and jaded outlook?

Well, we're hearing two very different stories on this board both of which can't be true.
1) that MCPS has such extreme grade inflation that everyone has a 4.0
2) the other is it's some hard hardworking kids cram all summer to ensure they can get an A the next year