Farquhar MS Class Sizes 60+?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was this one of the positions that were cut so they could fund the new central office positions? Or was this position empty and they can’t find a teacher?

It was a full time teacher for many years and then he got fed up and retired. Then it was another full time teacher for several years. Admin kept combining grade levels to create these massive classes which made him part time. So he started teaching history to stay at the school. Finally fed up and going to another full time position. The position is listed as open for next year as a 0.6 (which means 3 classes).

It’s normal to combine grades for band as it goes by skill. My ms child is in combined math classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't know of it's true or untrue but it is definitely something mcps would do. Some classes at our ms are 35+ students. Why not 40? If 40 why not 50? Etc. We don't vote correctly so we get what we deserve.

There's a huge difference between 35 and 60. Typical classrooms can fit 35 with some effort, even though it's not ideal. But 60 is really absurd and unworkable.

This was a music class. Apparently admin kept cutting classes each year so now all 3 grades meet at the same time. Like having Spanish 1, 2, and 3 meet at the same time. Supposedly the classes are 60-70 kids and they barely even fit in the classroom. Seems like it would be against fire code, OSHA or a union policy. Usually parents would complain about a situation like this, especially during COVId times.

A music class is completely different and yes, that can be normal to have that many kids in a music class. Not a big deal.

Why is it not a big deal? Because you aren't able to see the value in music class? You think it's okay for onlyb5 students to be able to play a solo each period? It's okay if your student is off key and off tempo or doesn't understand the notes and no one ever knows or corrects them? It's fine with you if a teacher signed up to teach middle school which used to have 30 students but now there are twice as many and the class is stressful and unmanageable? This is cool for music class? Why not social studies too? Language arts? Math?
It'd not okay. Our kids deserve better and so do our teachers.

The county needs to stop spending money on things like music and bocce! Kids should be spending 100% of their time on the basics until they can pass that new MCAP test. You know the one that 90% of the state fails.

It’s a terrible test. Mine bored the mcap but did great in map and previously parcc.

[Anonymous]

So the issue here is that there are 60 students in a band class, with multiple grades? That's pretty standard. When I was in MS, we had two sections of band, brass and woodwind, and would combine as we got closer to concert time. It would be 80-100 kids. This isn't anything to complain about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I assume the class takes place in the band room, so at least that offers more space than a standard classroom. But there are still the issues with multiple classes/levels taking place simultaneously.

They don't fit safely into that room from what I've been told. They have to set up diagonally and the teacher can't move from the teacher station. I've taught in situations like this and it's terrible. Any time a kid needs to go to the bathroom or get something out of their instrument case the entire class has to stop so they can weave around to where they need to go. Also unsafe in a fire drill and likely to cause hearing loss to anyone in the room.

I bet there is a maximum occupancy somewhere for what the room was designed for even if it was for music.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was this one of the positions that were cut so they could fund the new central office positions? Or was this position empty and they can’t find a teacher?

It was a full time teacher for many years and then he got fed up and retired. Then it was another full time teacher for several years. Admin kept combining grade levels to create these massive classes which made him part time. So he started teaching history to stay at the school. Finally fed up and going to another full time position. The position is listed as open for next year as a 0.6 (which means 3 classes).

It’s normal to combine grades for band as it goes by skill. My ms child is in combined math classes.

But it's ONE band class for grades 6-8 and ONE strings class for grades 6-8. The curriculum guide is a bit deceiving as there are different descriptions for each grade but that's not what's happening. So brand spanking new beginners are in the same class as kids who are in 8th grade and have been playing since 4th grade. This is where I'm surprised parents aren't complaining in addition to the potential safety issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume the class takes place in the band room, so at least that offers more space than a standard classroom. But there are still the issues with multiple classes/levels taking place simultaneously.

They don't fit safely into that room from what I've been told. They have to set up diagonally and the teacher can't move from the teacher station. I've taught in situations like this and it's terrible. Any time a kid needs to go to the bathroom or get something out of their instrument case the entire class has to stop so they can weave around to where they need to go. Also unsafe in a fire drill and likely to cause hearing loss to anyone in the room.

I bet there is a maximum occupancy somewhere for what the room was designed for even if it was for music.

This is public school. Send hearing protection and tell your kid to leave before class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the issue here is that there are 60 students in a band class, with multiple grades? That's pretty standard. When I was in MS, we had two sections of band, brass and woodwind, and would combine as we got closer to concert time. It would be 80-100 kids. This isn't anything to complain about.

Was the room designed to fit that many students? Was everyone already experienced at playing their instrument? Times are very different than when you and I were in school. Especially since the pandemic, there are kids that didn't start an instrument in 4th grade that are now starting in 6th or 7th grade (as advertised in their curriculum guide on the school website) yet they are lumped into a giant class with experienced kids, one teacher, and a room that's too small.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So the issue here is that there are 60 students in a band class, with multiple grades? That's pretty standard. When I was in MS, we had two sections of band, brass and woodwind, and would combine as we got closer to concert time. It would be 80-100 kids. This isn't anything to complain about.

Was the room designed to fit that many students? Was everyone already experienced at playing their instrument? Times are very different than when you and I were in school. Especially since the pandemic, there are kids that didn't start an instrument in 4th grade that are now starting in 6th or 7th grade (as advertised in their curriculum guide on the school website) yet they are lumped into a giant class with experienced kids, one teacher, and a room that's too small.

Well that's an MCPS budgeting issue. Band/orchestra classes typically have a lot of students. Chorus classes can also be large and usually have their own room that can accommodate the larger class size.

[Anonymous]

In our MS the default assumption is one band and one orchestra for every grade. If that happens, it makes 6 classes of students, and it is too much for the single instrumental music teacher and they bring in a part timer. With orchestra, there sometimes aren't enough students so they do beginner (6th grade) and advanced (7th & 8th). But if there are 100 kids in the 8th grade band they have to squish in the same (large, but not unlimited space) band room as the 6th grade orchestra with 40.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend told me that some of the class sizes at Farquhar MS are 60-70 students without a co-teacher! She works part-time at another school but subs on the other days of the week. Is this true? How do parents feel about this?

It's a lie unless it's PE, music or some other special like that.
There are class size limits for classes like math and English.

They are this huge in all the MCPS schools including the W feeder MSes.

[Anonymous]

I have seen choruses class over 70 at Julius West Middle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have seen choruses class over 70 at Julius West Middle.

Was there just one teacher? Any co-teacher?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have seen choruses class over 70 at Julius West Middle.

Similar numbers at Pyle precovid.

[Anonymous]

Not MCPS but they combined three kindergarten classes into one with two teachers in my MD school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have seen choruses class over 70 at Julius West Middle.

Similar numbers at Pyle precovid.

Did the students actually fit in the room? Was there a co-teacher? Pyle is also one of the largest middle schools in the county. Farquhar is not.