APS Elementary Experience Today

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school, Discovery has very little homework. 20 mins reading a day and one math worksheet for the week that takes my kid 5 minutes (5th grade).

No formal cursive (we missed that due to COVID) but trying to catch them up by offering it during "encore/specials".

Curious - why do they need to learn cursive? As an adult, the only time I ever need it is to sign my name and honestly, my signature looks nothing like any recognizable letters anyway.

There’s research out there of the benefits of putting pen to paper and cursive allows you to write faster and generally is just a different way to take in information. There’s lots of advanced classes and other stuff taught in schools that basically no one will ever need to use in every day life. Is that the standard for whether something should be taught? I don’t think so. Exercising your mind and learning new stuff is good. Also my elementary kid found a hunch of letters my father wrote me from overseas all in cursive and couldn’t read them. That’s when I started trying to teach it at home. A lot of our historical records (including family history) is in cursive and it’s a good skill to have.

Yes, all of this.

Plus it's a better use of time than more iPad time. We've swung the STEM pendulum too far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school, Discovery has very little homework. 20 mins reading a day and one math worksheet for the week that takes my kid 5 minutes (5th grade).

No formal cursive (we missed that due to COVID) but trying to catch them up by offering it during "encore/specials".

Curious - why do they need to learn cursive? As an adult, the only time I ever need it is to sign my name and honestly, my signature looks nothing like any recognizable letters anyway.

There’s research out there of the benefits of putting pen to paper and cursive allows you to write faster and generally is just a different way to take in information. There’s lots of advanced classes and other stuff taught in schools that basically no one will ever need to use in every day life. Is that the standard for whether something should be taught? I don’t think so. Exercising your mind and learning new stuff is good. Also my elementary kid found a hunch of letters my father wrote me from overseas all in cursive and couldn’t read them. That’s when I started trying to teach it at home. A lot of our historical records (including family history) is in cursive and it’s a good skill to have.

Yes, all of this.

Plus it's a better use of time than more iPad time. We've swung the STEM pendulum too far.

Sure, there's lots of things they teach in school that you don't use on a daily basis (or ever) but this is not one that I'm worried about - couldn't care less if my children learn cursive or not. I don't think it is cursive or iPad time - it is cursive or language, foreign languages, math, science, running around outside with their friends and being a kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school, Discovery has very little homework. 20 mins reading a day and one math worksheet for the week that takes my kid 5 minutes (5th grade).

No formal cursive (we missed that due to COVID) but trying to catch them up by offering it during "encore/specials".

Curious - why do they need to learn cursive? As an adult, the only time I ever need it is to sign my name and honestly, my signature looks nothing like any recognizable letters anyway.

There’s research out there of the benefits of putting pen to paper and cursive allows you to write faster and generally is just a different way to take in information. There’s lots of advanced classes and other stuff taught in schools that basically no one will ever need to use in every day life. Is that the standard for whether something should be taught? I don’t think so. Exercising your mind and learning new stuff is good. Also my elementary kid found a hunch of letters my father wrote me from overseas all in cursive and couldn’t read them. That’s when I started trying to teach it at home. A lot of our historical records (including family history) is in cursive and it’s a good skill to have.

Yes, all of this.

Plus it's a better use of time than more iPad time. We've swung the STEM pendulum too far.

Sure, there's lots of things they teach in school that you don't use on a daily basis (or ever) but this is not one that I'm worried about - couldn't care less if my children learn cursive or not. I don't think it is cursive or iPad time - it is cursive or language, foreign languages, math, science, running around outside with their friends and being a kid.

As I understand it, the benefit is not speed but processing: With sufficient typing skill, you can pretty much transcribe a lecture. Taking notes by hand -- especially if you do a Cornell method-y thing with key points in the margins -- required figuring out what the key idea are, what's an illustration, etc. So you're getting a deeper understanding of the lecture than if you just have the whole thing, verbatim, in your computer or in class handouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope - no homework. Even for my MS child

Has homework become an equity issue since some kids don’t have stable home situations that support homework?

Race to the bottom. Great job APS in the name of equity.

APS has never stated that as a reason

Of course they won’t. But what is the reason? All the private schools have homework. AAP has homework. Howard County has homework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school, Discovery has very little homework. 20 mins reading a day and one math worksheet for the week that takes my kid 5 minutes (5th grade).

No formal cursive (we missed that due to COVID) but trying to catch them up by offering it during "encore/specials".

Curious - why do they need to learn cursive? As an adult, the only time I ever need it is to sign my name and honestly, my signature looks nothing like any recognizable letters anyway.

There’s research out there of the benefits of putting pen to paper and cursive allows you to write faster and generally is just a different way to take in information. There’s lots of advanced classes and other stuff taught in schools that basically no one will ever need to use in every day life. Is that the standard for whether something should be taught? I don’t think so. Exercising your mind and learning new stuff is good. Also my elementary kid found a hunch of letters my father wrote me from overseas all in cursive and couldn’t read them. That’s when I started trying to teach it at home. A lot of our historical records (including family history) is in cursive and it’s a good skill to have.

Yes, all of this.

Plus it's a better use of time than more iPad time. We've swung the STEM pendulum too far.

Sure, there's lots of things they teach in school that you don't use on a daily basis (or ever) but this is not one that I'm worried about - couldn't care less if my children learn cursive or not. I don't think it is cursive or iPad time - it is cursive or language, foreign languages, math, science, running around outside with their friends and being a kid.

You may be right but someone pointed out that you need to read cursive to read the constuition. Imagine if only certain scholars were able to read it….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school, Discovery has very little homework. 20 mins reading a day and one math worksheet for the week that takes my kid 5 minutes (5th grade).

No formal cursive (we missed that due to COVID) but trying to catch them up by offering it during "encore/specials".

Curious - why do they need to learn cursive? As an adult, the only time I ever need it is to sign my name and honestly, my signature looks nothing like any recognizable letters anyway.

There’s research out there of the benefits of putting pen to paper and cursive allows you to write faster and generally is just a different way to take in information. There’s lots of advanced classes and other stuff taught in schools that basically no one will ever need to use in every day life. Is that the standard for whether something should be taught? I don’t think so. Exercising your mind and learning new stuff is good. Also my elementary kid found a hunch of letters my father wrote me from overseas all in cursive and couldn’t read them. That’s when I started trying to teach it at home. A lot of our historical records (including family history) is in cursive and it’s a good skill to have.

Yes, all of this.

Plus it's a better use of time than more iPad time. We've swung the STEM pendulum too far.

Sure, there's lots of things they teach in school that you don't use on a daily basis (or ever) but this is not one that I'm worried about - couldn't care less if my children learn cursive or not. I don't think it is cursive or iPad time - it is cursive or language, foreign languages, math, science, running around outside with their friends and being a kid.

You may be right but someone pointed out that you need to read cursive to read the constuition. Imagine if only certain scholars were able to read it….

They’ve transcribed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school, Discovery has very little homework. 20 mins reading a day and one math worksheet for the week that takes my kid 5 minutes (5th grade).

No formal cursive (we missed that due to COVID) but trying to catch them up by offering it during "encore/specials".

Curious - why do they need to learn cursive? As an adult, the only time I ever need it is to sign my name and honestly, my signature looks nothing like any recognizable letters anyway.

There’s research out there of the benefits of putting pen to paper and cursive allows you to write faster and generally is just a different way to take in information. There’s lots of advanced classes and other stuff taught in schools that basically no one will ever need to use in every day life. Is that the standard for whether something should be taught? I don’t think so. Exercising your mind and learning new stuff is good. Also my elementary kid found a hunch of letters my father wrote me from overseas all in cursive and couldn’t read them. That’s when I started trying to teach it at home. A lot of our historical records (including family history) is in cursive and it’s a good skill to have.

Yes, all of this.

Plus it's a better use of time than more iPad time. We've swung the STEM pendulum too far.

Sure, there's lots of things they teach in school that you don't use on a daily basis (or ever) but this is not one that I'm worried about - couldn't care less if my children learn cursive or not. I don't think it is cursive or iPad time - it is cursive or language, foreign languages, math, science, running around outside with their friends and being a kid.

You may be right but someone pointed out that you need to read cursive to read the constuition. Imagine if only certain scholars were able to read it….

They’ve transcribed it.

And facebook has news feeds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope - no homework. Even for my MS child

Has homework become an equity issue since some kids don’t have stable home situations that support homework?

Race to the bottom. Great job APS in the name of equity.

Nope! It’s an evidence based practice that it doesn’t improve learning outcomes before 3rd or 4th grade and kids are better off playing sports, spending time with family, and reading or being read to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope - no homework. Even for my MS child

Has homework become an equity issue since some kids don’t have stable home situations that support homework?

Race to the bottom. Great job APS in the name of equity.

Nope! It’s an evidence based practice that it doesn’t improve learning outcomes before 3rd or 4th grade and kids are better off playing sports, spending time with family, and reading or being read to.

Sure. I agree 3rd grade doesn’t make sense. APS doesn’t give homework through 5th and maybe middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope - no homework. Even for my MS child

Has homework become an equity issue since some kids don’t have stable home situations that support homework?

Race to the bottom. Great job APS in the name of equity.

Nope! It’s an evidence based practice that it doesn’t improve learning outcomes before 3rd or 4th grade and kids are better off playing sports, spending time with family, and reading or being read to.

Sure. I agree 3rd grade doesn’t make sense. APS doesn’t give homework through 5th and maybe middle school.

Tell that to my kids who have been busting their asses since 5th grade. Would love to know which APS schools aren’t giving homework because our schools certainly are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope - no homework. Even for my MS child

Has homework become an equity issue since some kids don’t have stable home situations that support homework?

Race to the bottom. Great job APS in the name of equity.

Nope! It’s an evidence based practice that it doesn’t improve learning outcomes before 3rd or 4th grade and kids are better off playing sports, spending time with family, and reading or being read to.

Sure. I agree 3rd grade doesn’t make sense. APS doesn’t give homework through 5th and maybe middle school.

Tell that to my kids who have been busting their asses since 5th grade. Would love to know which APS schools aren’t giving homework because our schools certainly are.

My kid goes to WMS and rarely has homework. They get plenty of time to do it in class/TA if they use their time wisely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope - no homework. Even for my MS child

Has homework become an equity issue since some kids don’t have stable home situations that support homework?

Race to the bottom. Great job APS in the name of equity.

Nope! It’s an evidence based practice that it doesn’t improve learning outcomes before 3rd or 4th grade and kids are better off playing sports, spending time with family, and reading or being read to.

Sure. I agree 3rd grade doesn’t make sense. APS doesn’t give homework through 5th and maybe middle school.

Tell that to my kids who have been busting their asses since 5th grade. Would love to know which APS schools aren’t giving homework because our schools certainly are.

My kid goes to WMS and rarely has homework. They get plenty of time to do it in class/TA if they use their time wisely.

We’re having the same experience at KMS. I think they do get a fair amount of homework in MS, but also have built-in time during the day in which kids who are more organized, faster processors, can complete the bulk. Other kids at the same school have parents who complain about how much homework their student has, and this is the only thing that makes sense to account for the difference (to note: my DC is in the highest level of math and gifted clusters for all core subjects, so it’s not that DC has easier or less work).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope - no homework. Even for my MS child

Has homework become an equity issue since some kids don’t have stable home situations that support homework?

Race to the bottom. Great job APS in the name of equity.

Nope! It’s an evidence based practice that it doesn’t improve learning outcomes before 3rd or 4th grade and kids are better off playing sports, spending time with family, and reading or being read to.

Sure. I agree 3rd grade doesn’t make sense. APS doesn’t give homework through 5th and maybe middle school.

Tell that to my kids who have been busting their asses since 5th grade. Would love to know which APS schools aren’t giving homework because our schools certainly are.

My kid goes to WMS and rarely has homework. They get plenty of time to do it in class/TA if they use their time wisely.

We’re having the same experience at KMS. I think they do get a fair amount of homework in MS, but also have built-in time during the day in which kids who are more organized, faster processors, can complete the bulk. Other kids at the same school have parents who complain about how much homework their student has, and this is the only thing that makes sense to account for the difference (to note: my DC is in the highest level of math and gifted clusters for all core subjects, so it’s not that DC has easier or less work).

WTAF. They are only in school like 6 hours, and they already lose time to “health” bs classes, lunch, and they give them free periods?

We already have low instructional time (which probably includes that study hall!). https://sungazette.news/aps-plan-would-increase-instructional-time-maybe/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope - no homework. Even for my MS child

Has homework become an equity issue since some kids don’t have stable home situations that support homework?

Race to the bottom. Great job APS in the name of equity.

Nope! It’s an evidence based practice that it doesn’t improve learning outcomes before 3rd or 4th grade and kids are better off playing sports, spending time with family, and reading or being read to.

Sure. I agree 3rd grade doesn’t make sense. APS doesn’t give homework through 5th and maybe middle school.

Tell that to my kids who have been busting their asses since 5th grade. Would love to know which APS schools aren’t giving homework because our schools certainly are.

My kid goes to WMS and rarely has homework. They get plenty of time to do it in class/TA if they use their time wisely.

We’re having the same experience at KMS. I think they do get a fair amount of homework in MS, but also have built-in time during the day in which kids who are more organized, faster processors, can complete the bulk. Other kids at the same school have parents who complain about how much homework their student has, and this is the only thing that makes sense to account for the difference (to note: my DC is in the highest level of math and gifted clusters for all core subjects, so it’s not that DC has easier or less work).

WTAF. They are only in school like 6 hours, and they already lose time to “health” bs classes, lunch, and they give them free periods?

We already have low instructional time (which probably includes that study hall!). https://sungazette.news/aps-plan-would-increase-instructional-time-maybe/

Simmer down. It’s one shorter “study hall” type class per day. They have block schedule for a lot (maybe all) of the core academics, so my understanding is that they usually have 10-15 minutes at the tail end of those classes to ask questions, study, work on homework, etc., if they get their class work done. Also, my DC reports that many students use lunch to work on homework. DC does not, but I guess that’s why different kids at the same school have significantly different amounts of homework.

[Anonymous]

Surprised how little actual education parents are willing to accept from APS