TPMS Math Team

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How competitive are the kids near the top? What level are those kids on?

I don't have objective measures, but from what I've heard, they're dazzling, in a great way. If DC qualifies and can join the team it should be a pretty special experience.

Are they qualifying for AIME/USAJMO/MathCounts Nationals?

Yes for all three competitions. But the current lottery selected 6th and 7th grades have less of these type of kids due to lottery. So it won't be that competitive next year. Even for the non-top ones, it is still some valuable experience to be exposed every week to different kind of math competition questions with a great cohort of peers.

Before the lottery, typically a dozen non-eighth graders made the varsity team. This year there are only five. So yes, it's a little less competitive but the the score needed to get into varsity was the same as previous years on the tryout..

Were there any non-eighth graders this year who made it to chapter round?

Ms Manchester limited participation in mathcounts to 8th grade. I think it was because most hadn't been able to participate the previous years because of the pandemic. The few 6th and 7th graders that might've been able to do it didn't get that chance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crazy competitive. Only kids getting on were aops and similar preppers (this was a while ago).

You sound crazy competitive and bitter. Do you say the same about the kids who ‘prep’ for high school soccer by playing MSI Classic or Travel? Or are you just biased against kids who enjoy Math?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crazy competitive. Only kids getting on were aops and similar preppers (this was a while ago).

You sound crazy competitive and bitter. Do you say the same about the kids who ‘prep’ for high school soccer by playing MSI Classic or Travel? Or are you just biased against kids who enjoy Math?

Not PP, but I also have the impression that it’s crazy competitive and the kids are obnoxious about it. My kid was totally turned off by that and hasn’t tried out for the team despite being very strong in math and going to the Blair magnet next year.

[Anonymous]

There was a parent here on DCUM who bragged about her math team kid having a “300 club” for those who got more than 300 on MAP-M. The way she described that was pretty off putting.

[Anonymous]

My DS (who is not on the math team) knows pretty much all the eighth graders in the TPMS math team, and says that they’re perfectly nice and friendly — and not exclusive or competitive at all. He gets the impression that they spend A LOT of time on math practice and math competitions, though. This was the one and only thing that turned him off about trying out — that it would crowd out his other interests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS (who is not on the math team) knows pretty much all the eighth graders in the TPMS math team, and says that they’re perfectly nice and friendly — and not exclusive or competitive at all. He gets the impression that they spend A LOT of time on math practice and math competitions, though. This was the one and only thing that turned him off about trying out — that it would crowd out his other interests.

My non-Asian DC, also on the varsity team, feels they're also perfectly nice and friendly too, but I wouldn't say they spend a lot of time at competitions or practice. They meet after school once a week for an hour. DC has participated in a couple of competitions (3) on the weekends this year. I don't feel that's excessive. If you really want to be good at it, it might help to spend 15 minutes a day practicing AMC8/10 problems but there's no such requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a parent here on DCUM who bragged about her math team kid having a “300 club” for those who got more than 300 on MAP-M. The way she described that was pretty off putting.

Umm, okay? And what does that have to do with anything? Are you generalizing that all Math team kids are like that? You realize there are some nice, friendly Math team kids. And some that are not. Just as there are some, nice and friendly soccer players, and some who cheat and are cut throat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS (who is not on the math team) knows pretty much all the eighth graders in the TPMS math team, and says that they’re perfectly nice and friendly — and not exclusive or competitive at all. He gets the impression that they spend A LOT of time on math practice and math competitions, though. This was the one and only thing that turned him off about trying out — that it would crowd out his other interests.

This right here is the case.

My kid is at Blair and doing ARML this year, FWIW. The kids are nice and friendly. They just like to spend some of their free time on Math.

Kids choose what they want to spend time on. Some want to play basketball, some want to play the tuba and some kids do extra Math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS (who is not on the math team) knows pretty much all the eighth graders in the TPMS math team, and says that they’re perfectly nice and friendly — and not exclusive or competitive at all. He gets the impression that they spend A LOT of time on math practice and math competitions, though. This was the one and only thing that turned him off about trying out — that it would crowd out his other interests.

My non-Asian DC, also on the varsity team, feels they're also perfectly nice and friendly too, but I wouldn't say they spend a lot of time at competitions or practice. They meet after school once a week for an hour. DC has participated in a couple of competitions (3) on the weekends this year. I don't feel that's excessive. If you really want to be good at it, it might help to spend 15 minutes a day practicing AMC8/10 problems but there's no such requirement.

Your non Asian varsity team kid is the only kid who isn’t Asian, right? Or maybe there’s one other? Just mentioning because you reference his ethnicity as if the tan isn’t almost entirely Asian. Which is fine because obviously Asian brains are superior to other races, or so I assume the theory goes, and it’s nothing to do with prepping and competitiveness.

There are plenty of non-Asian kids but the team is as you'd expect it's a reflection of magnet demographics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a parent here on DCUM who bragged about her math team kid having a “300 club” for those who got more than 300 on MAP-M. The way she described that was pretty off putting.

Umm, okay? And what does that have to do with anything? Are you generalizing that all Math team kids are like that? You realize there are some nice, friendly Math team kids. And some that are not. Just as there are some, nice and friendly soccer players, and some who cheat and are cut throat.

That mom was claiming that they were all competing with each other and combating scores and bragging about the 300 club. I only know what she shared and it sounded toxic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS (who is not on the math team) knows pretty much all the eighth graders in the TPMS math team, and says that they’re perfectly nice and friendly — and not exclusive or competitive at all. He gets the impression that they spend A LOT of time on math practice and math competitions, though. This was the one and only thing that turned him off about trying out — that it would crowd out his other interests.

My non-Asian DC, also on the varsity team, feels they're also perfectly nice and friendly too, but I wouldn't say they spend a lot of time at competitions or practice. They meet after school once a week for an hour. DC has participated in a couple of competitions (3) on the weekends this year. I don't feel that's excessive. If you really want to be good at it, it might help to spend 15 minutes a day practicing AMC8/10 problems but there's no such requirement.

Your non Asian varsity team kid is the only kid who isn’t Asian, right? Or maybe there’s one other? Just mentioning because you reference his ethnicity as if the tan isn’t almost entirely Asian. Which is fine because obviously Asian brains are superior to other races, or so I assume the theory goes, and it’s nothing to do with prepping and competitiveness.

There are plenty of non-Asian kids but the team is as you'd expect it's a reflection of magnet demographics.

That’s not actually true if you look at the list of kids who made the team this year, unless you define “plenty” as two or three.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS (who is not on the math team) knows pretty much all the eighth graders in the TPMS math team, and says that they’re perfectly nice and friendly — and not exclusive or competitive at all. He gets the impression that they spend A LOT of time on math practice and math competitions, though. This was the one and only thing that turned him off about trying out — that it would crowd out his other interests.

My non-Asian DC, also on the varsity team, feels they're also perfectly nice and friendly too, but I wouldn't say they spend a lot of time at competitions or practice. They meet after school once a week for an hour. DC has participated in a couple of competitions (3) on the weekends this year. I don't feel that's excessive. If you really want to be good at it, it might help to spend 15 minutes a day practicing AMC8/10 problems but there's no such requirement.

Your non Asian varsity team kid is the only kid who isn’t Asian, right? Or maybe there’s one other? Just mentioning because you reference his ethnicity as if the tan isn’t almost entirely Asian. Which is fine because obviously Asian brains are superior to other races, or so I assume the theory goes, and it’s nothing to do with prepping and competitiveness.

There are plenty of non-Asian kids but the team is as you'd expect it's a reflection of magnet demographics.

That’s not actually true if you look at the list of kids who made the team this year, unless you define “plenty” as two or three.

What you're saying is FALSE. There are plenty of kids who aren't Asian on the team and it's a lot more than 2 or 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS (who is not on the math team) knows pretty much all the eighth graders in the TPMS math team, and says that they’re perfectly nice and friendly — and not exclusive or competitive at all. He gets the impression that they spend A LOT of time on math practice and math competitions, though. This was the one and only thing that turned him off about trying out — that it would crowd out his other interests.

My non-Asian DC, also on the varsity team, feels they're also perfectly nice and friendly too, but I wouldn't say they spend a lot of time at competitions or practice. They meet after school once a week for an hour. DC has participated in a couple of competitions (3) on the weekends this year. I don't feel that's excessive. If you really want to be good at it, it might help to spend 15 minutes a day practicing AMC8/10 problems but there's no such requirement.

Your non Asian varsity team kid is the only kid who isn’t Asian, right? Or maybe there’s one other? Just mentioning because you reference his ethnicity as if the tan isn’t almost entirely Asian. Which is fine because obviously Asian brains are superior to other races, or so I assume the theory goes, and it’s nothing to do with prepping and competitiveness.

There are plenty of non-Asian kids but the team is as you'd expect it's a reflection of magnet demographics.

That’s not actually true if you look at the list of kids who made the team this year, unless you define “plenty” as two or three.

What you're saying is FALSE. There are plenty of kids who aren't Asian on the team and it's a lot more than 2 or 3.

I looked up the team roster that was sent out after the tryout. It's not even 90% Asian. The composition of the team is similar to that of most magnets like the PP stated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS (who is not on the math team) knows pretty much all the eighth graders in the TPMS math team, and says that they’re perfectly nice and friendly — and not exclusive or competitive at all. He gets the impression that they spend A LOT of time on math practice and math competitions, though. This was the one and only thing that turned him off about trying out — that it would crowd out his other interests.

My non-Asian DC, also on the varsity team, feels they're also perfectly nice and friendly too, but I wouldn't say they spend a lot of time at competitions or practice. They meet after school once a week for an hour. DC has participated in a couple of competitions (3) on the weekends this year. I don't feel that's excessive. If you really want to be good at it, it might help to spend 15 minutes a day practicing AMC8/10 problems but there's no such requirement.

Your non Asian varsity team kid is the only kid who isn’t Asian, right? Or maybe there’s one other? Just mentioning because you reference his ethnicity as if the tan isn’t almost entirely Asian. Which is fine because obviously Asian brains are superior to other races, or so I assume the theory goes, and it’s nothing to do with prepping and competitiveness.

There are plenty of non-Asian kids but the team is as you'd expect it's a reflection of magnet demographics.

That’s not actually true if you look at the list of kids who made the team this year, unless you define “plenty” as two or three.

What you're saying is FALSE. There are plenty of kids who aren't Asian on the team and it's a lot more than 2 or 3.

I looked up the team roster that was sent out after the tryout. It's not even 90% Asian. The composition of the team is similar to that of most magnets like the PP stated.

I don’t have the list handy right now, but there’s about 30 kids total so 90% Asian means 3 non Asian kids, which was pretty much what I said. No it does not reflect the composition of the magnet program in general which is much more racially diverse overall. (BTW, ask your kid about the names in the list you are assuming aren’t Asian, most of them are in fact Asian.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crazy competitive. Only kids getting on were aops and similar preppers (this was a while ago).

Aren’t those prep programs dominated by one demographic? Maybe not but the TPMS team is almost entirely Asian (like 95 percent or higher). I guess Asian kids are just innately really good at math and black, white or Latino kids don’t stand a chance.

Idk, but my Jewish kid plays basketball on a competitive team that is predominantly Black. I guess Black kids are just innately really good at basketball and Jews or Asians don’t stand a chance.

Yeah, I guess. I mean it has to be that Asian kids are just overall better than others because we couldn’t assume it’s anything to do with parental pressure, extra curricular activities, “prepping”, cultural expectations or any other factors other than innate ability.