What's wrong with this math picture?

[Anonymous]

There has been much written about math in MCPS, and it makes no sense to repeat it all here. I would say, in response to the elementary school teacher who blames it all on the parents, that the parents are only part of the issue. It is a lot more complicated than that. MCPS curriculum is broad, but not deep. Math facts are not well taught in elementary school because there is no time for the necessary repetition. But even more significant is the culture at the high school level, which causes kids to be held back in science and unable to take enough AP courses to be competitive with their peers if they do not take Algebra by 8th grade. MCPS wants most kids to take Algebra by 8th grade, but that, of necessity, involves acceleration, so most kids are accelerated. The county needs to revise the math curriculum so that Algebra in 8th grade is the normal path, not the accelerated path, but no one in administration seems to feel the need to do this. It's a frustrating situation for parents, as well as teachers.

[Anonymous]

The parents aren't simply crazy for wanting acceleration, unfortunately. In some parts of MCPS it's all about getting into the magnet programs for MS and HS, otherwise your local MS and HS may be disappointing.

There are only 2 magnets at MS, and 3 at HS. So the stakes are high. If your kid isn't in advanced math, he/she may not do as well on the entrance tests, or look as good to the entrance committees.

So MCPS is partially to blame for creating the parental pressure, because it has limited support for magnet and boutique programs to the point where it becomes very high stakes for families. I say this as a parent with 2 kids in magnets: give families more options, by supporting existing boutique programs (music, arts)!

[Anonymous]

I don't think you can blame it all on the parents..the principals are under pressure to accelerate more and more kids. In our school parents complain because they have no idea there kids were accelerated until the first test comes around. The school has accelerated way too many kids. Many parents at our school don't like it..

[Anonymous]

I'm 17:18 and I agree with this. I'm just saying that the schools and the parents together share the blame for the arms race that acceleration has become.

[Anonymous]

NP here. Would someone please identify the two MS magnets and the 3 HS magnets?

Anonymous wrote:The parents aren't simply crazy for wanting acceleration, unfortunately. In some parts of MCPS it's all about getting into the magnet programs for MS and HS, otherwise your local MS and HS may be disappointing.

There are only 2 magnets at MS, and 3 at HS. So the stakes are high. If your kid isn't in advanced math, he/she may not do as well on the entrance tests, or look as good to the entrance committees.

So MCPS is partially to blame for creating the parental pressure, because it has limited support for magnet and boutique programs to the point where it becomes very high stakes for families. I say this as a parent with 2 kids in magnets: give families more options, by supporting existing boutique programs (music, arts)!

[Anonymous]

MS: Eastern Middle School Humanities Magnet and Takoma Park Math and Science Magnet are the only criteria-based magnets. There are also some magnet options if you live in certain parts of Silver Spring but these are by lottery.

HS: Blair and Richard Montgomery are the ones I know.

[Anonymous]

17:18 here. I simplified a bit to make a broader point in a longish email, by saying "3" HS magnets.

22:01 is totally right about there being two test-in magnets at the MS level: Eastern and Takoma.

At the HS level, there are three "test-in" programs: Science/Math at Blair, the Communication Arts Program (CAP) also at Blair, and the IB program at Richard Montgomery. Meaning, for all three of these programs, the kids take a Pearson-type test in December of the year before entrance, have to fill out applications with essays, get teacher recommendations, et cetera. All three are pretty competitive: last year, about 1/8 got into the IB program at RM, about 1/6 got into the Blair CAP program, and about 1/6 or 1/7 got into the Blair Science/Math magnet.

For some reason the CAP program isn't technically called a "magnet", even though it's test-in not lottery. Lottery schools are available to down-county kids, who enter a lottery instead of taking a test, and at the HS level would include, for example, the IB program at Einstein or the theater program at Northwood (I believe).

I read somewhere that the reason why the test-in CAP program can't be called a "magnet" that each school can only have one "official" magnet - I have no idea if this is the real reason. Maybe somebody else knows the real reason?

[Anonymous]

[instead of taking a test, and at the HS level would include, for example, the IB program at Einstein or the theater program at Northwood (I believe).

I read somewhere that the reason why the test-in CAP program can't be called a "magnet" that each school can only have one "official" magnet - I have no idea if this is the real reason. Maybe somebody else knows the real reason?

If it's a "magnet" I think the county has to provide transportation. If they don't call it a magnet then the parents have to get the kids there.

[Anonymous]

DC was in a MCPS public and quite accelerated in math - no tutor. But why do you care? Students have tutors for a lot of reasons, and many of them have nothing to do with besting you DC.

[Anonymous]

its not a question of besting my DC -- I don't care about that.

I just wonder how good the curriculum (or teaching or whatever it is) can be if there are so many kids who are accelerated and then need tutors.

To me, it is one of several things pointing to a problem with math instruction, as mentioned above in several posts.

[Anonymous]

NP here. I think I need more details about "having a hard time," "struggling," "needing a tutor," etc. These are broad definitions. E.g., my son's grade level math was so easy, already mastered, and he was bored out of his skull breezing through it not struggling with ANYTHING. Learning can/should be a bit of a struggle sometimes, I think. So, he goes up to the 5th grade math class somtimes, and struggles with the concepts as he learns them. That's OK. On the other hand, a child who is so overwhelmed that they can't learn, for whatever reason, is another story entirely.