What kind of grades do Blair magnet kids get?

[Anonymous]

Magnet kids do not get all A’s. Every year I am amazed that people think they do. Why should they. The classes are harder and meant to challenge them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the most challenging classes in the first two years? Any advice for a freshman to help them manage this? Should you buy textbooks for the classes where the teachers don't teach?

Challenging classes for DC are math and comp. sci. The rest are just 1 year science classes simply compressed into 1 semester per science subject. Not a challenge for kids with stamina and focus. If that is challenging, then taking notes in class is a good habit to cultivate. DC doesn't complain that teachers don't teach. But if that becomes a problem, have the kid should go straight to the source: ask the teacher how best to prepare for tests. And, if that doesn't produce positive results, email the teacher yourself and ask how you can best support your child at home. S/he would hopefully recommend strategies.

We have gotten a fair amount of negative feedback about the Precalculus teacher in 9th. We found a tutor that my DS meets with once every week or two and now he has an A, so I don't think it's that the material is too difficult but that the teaching isn't fantastic. Every other class has been great including non-magnet classes.

Surprised to hear this. DC and their friends think she's very good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the most challenging classes in the first two years? Any advice for a freshman to help them manage this? Should you buy textbooks for the classes where the teachers don't teach?

Challenging classes for DC are math and comp. sci. The rest are just 1 year science classes simply compressed into 1 semester per science subject. Not a challenge for kids with stamina and focus. If that is challenging, then taking notes in class is a good habit to cultivate. DC doesn't complain that teachers don't teach. But if that becomes a problem, have the kid should go straight to the source: ask the teacher how best to prepare for tests. And, if that doesn't produce positive results, email the teacher yourself and ask how you can best support your child at home. S/he would hopefully recommend strategies.

We have gotten a fair amount of negative feedback about the Precalculus teacher in 9th. We found a tutor that my DS meets with once every week or two and now he has an A, so I don't think it's that the material is too difficult but that the teaching isn't fantastic. Every other class has been great including non-magnet classes.

Surprised to hear this. DC and their friends think she's very good.

My DC says everyone in their class has problems with her. Most struggle to understand her teaching. Are you sure you aren’t confused? Lots of complaints. This year and last.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the most challenging classes in the first two years? Any advice for a freshman to help them manage this? Should you buy textbooks for the classes where the teachers don't teach?

Challenging classes for DC are math and comp. sci. The rest are just 1 year science classes simply compressed into 1 semester per science subject. Not a challenge for kids with stamina and focus. If that is challenging, then taking notes in class is a good habit to cultivate. DC doesn't complain that teachers don't teach. But if that becomes a problem, have the kid should go straight to the source: ask the teacher how best to prepare for tests. And, if that doesn't produce positive results, email the teacher yourself and ask how you can best support your child at home. S/he would hopefully recommend strategies.

We have gotten a fair amount of negative feedback about the Precalculus teacher in 9th. We found a tutor that my DS meets with once every week or two and now he has an A, so I don't think it's that the material is too difficult but that the teaching isn't fantastic. Every other class has been great including non-magnet classes.

Surprised to hear this. DC and their friends think she's very good.

My DC says everyone in their class has problems with her. Most struggle to understand her teaching. Are you sure you aren’t confused? Lots of complaints. This year and last.

Is this the one that does reverse teaching? There was a long post about it last year. I think they may have videos of the material for the kids to watch and uses class time for kids to work on problems and answer individual questions,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People have been saying negative things about the computer science course and it being useless/too slow, what's going on in that course?

The first course is targeted to students who have no previous experience. More advanced students have the opportunity to test out of the year one course at the end of the 2nd semester and begin the magnet equivalent of APCS.

[Anonymous]

Don't you people have your own listserv instead of mucking up this forum with more of your complaining posts? Please move this discussion over there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't you people have your own listserv instead of mucking up this forum with more of your complaining posts? Please move this discussion over there.

Maybe it’s not anonymous. Also, others considering the program may want to hear this information. The real question is why are you on this thread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't you people have your own listserv instead of mucking up this forum with more of your complaining posts? Please move this discussion over there.

I know! We need more posts complaining about McKnight, MCPS equity, and immigrants! I hate it when people post about school in the MCPS forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't you people have your own listserv instead of mucking up this forum with more of your complaining posts? Please move this discussion over there.

Maybe it’s not anonymous. Also, others considering the program may want to hear this information. The real question is why are you on this thread?

Posts like this are the only reason to come here. Most of the other posts are far-right propaganda, bigotry, and fearmongering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the most challenging classes in the first two years? Any advice for a freshman to help them manage this? Should you buy textbooks for the classes where the teachers don't teach?

Challenging classes for DC are math and comp. sci. The rest are just 1 year science classes simply compressed into 1 semester per science subject. Not a challenge for kids with stamina and focus. If that is challenging, then taking notes in class is a good habit to cultivate. DC doesn't complain that teachers don't teach. But if that becomes a problem, have the kid should go straight to the source: ask the teacher how best to prepare for tests. And, if that doesn't produce positive results, email the teacher yourself and ask how you can best support your child at home. S/he would hopefully recommend strategies.

We have gotten a fair amount of negative feedback about the Precalculus teacher in 9th. We found a tutor that my DS meets with once every week or two and now he has an A, so I don't think it's that the material is too difficult but that the teaching isn't fantastic. Every other class has been great including non-magnet classes.

Surprised to hear this. DC and their friends think she's very good.

My DC says everyone in their class has problems with her. Most struggle to understand her teaching. Are you sure you aren’t confused? Lots of complaints. This year and last.

Is this the one that does reverse teaching? There was a long post about it last year. I think they may have videos of the material for the kids to watch and uses class time for kids to work on problems and answer individual questions,

I don’t think so though she does sometimes use videos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the most challenging classes in the first two years? Any advice for a freshman to help them manage this? Should you buy textbooks for the classes where the teachers don't teach?

Challenging classes for DC are math and comp. sci. The rest are just 1 year science classes simply compressed into 1 semester per science subject. Not a challenge for kids with stamina and focus. If that is challenging, then taking notes in class is a good habit to cultivate. DC doesn't complain that teachers don't teach. But if that becomes a problem, have the kid should go straight to the source: ask the teacher how best to prepare for tests. And, if that doesn't produce positive results, email the teacher yourself and ask how you can best support your child at home. S/he would hopefully recommend strategies.

We have gotten a fair amount of negative feedback about the Precalculus teacher in 9th. We found a tutor that my DS meets with once every week or two and now he has an A, so I don't think it's that the material is too difficult but that the teaching isn't fantastic. Every other class has been great including non-magnet classes.

Surprised to hear this. DC and their friends think she's very good.

My DC says everyone in their class has problems with her. Most struggle to understand her teaching. Are you sure you aren’t confused? Lots of complaints. This year and last.

Since half the kids end up with an UW 4.0, seems like many are still doing fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the most challenging classes in the first two years? Any advice for a freshman to help them manage this? Should you buy textbooks for the classes where the teachers don't teach?

Challenging classes for DC are math and comp. sci. The rest are just 1 year science classes simply compressed into 1 semester per science subject. Not a challenge for kids with stamina and focus. If that is challenging, then taking notes in class is a good habit to cultivate. DC doesn't complain that teachers don't teach. But if that becomes a problem, have the kid should go straight to the source: ask the teacher how best to prepare for tests. And, if that doesn't produce positive results, email the teacher yourself and ask how you can best support your child at home. S/he would hopefully recommend strategies.

We have gotten a fair amount of negative feedback about the Precalculus teacher in 9th. We found a tutor that my DS meets with once every week or two and now he has an A, so I don't think it's that the material is too difficult but that the teaching isn't fantastic. Every other class has been great including non-magnet classes.

Surprised to hear this. DC and their friends think she's very good.

My DC says everyone in their class has problems with her. Most struggle to understand her teaching. Are you sure you aren’t confused? Lots of complaints. This year and last.

Since half the kids end up with an UW 4.0, seems like many are still doing fine.

That doesn’t apply to current freshmen who haven’t got a GPA yet. Not sure how long she’s been teaching or how long she’s been a problem. Also large numbers of parents are getting tutors to fill in the gaps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the most challenging classes in the first two years? Any advice for a freshman to help them manage this? Should you buy textbooks for the classes where the teachers don't teach?

Challenging classes for DC are math and comp. sci. The rest are just 1 year science classes simply compressed into 1 semester per science subject. Not a challenge for kids with stamina and focus. If that is challenging, then taking notes in class is a good habit to cultivate. DC doesn't complain that teachers don't teach. But if that becomes a problem, have the kid should go straight to the source: ask the teacher how best to prepare for tests. And, if that doesn't produce positive results, email the teacher yourself and ask how you can best support your child at home. S/he would hopefully recommend strategies.

We have gotten a fair amount of negative feedback about the Precalculus teacher in 9th. We found a tutor that my DS meets with once every week or two and now he has an A, so I don't think it's that the material is too difficult but that the teaching isn't fantastic. Every other class has been great including non-magnet classes.

Surprised to hear this. DC and their friends think she's very good.

My DC says everyone in their class has problems with her. Most struggle to understand her teaching. Are you sure you aren’t confused? Lots of complaints. This year and last.

Since half the kids end up with an UW 4.0, seems like many are still doing fine.

That doesn’t apply to current freshmen who haven’t got a GPA yet. Not sure how long she’s been teaching or how long she’s been a problem. Also large numbers of parents are getting tutors to fill in the gaps.

My student is a Jr., and folks have been complaining about this teacher since her Fr. year - so this is at least the 3rd year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the most challenging classes in the first two years? Any advice for a freshman to help them manage this? Should you buy textbooks for the classes where the teachers don't teach?

Challenging classes for DC are math and comp. sci. The rest are just 1 year science classes simply compressed into 1 semester per science subject. Not a challenge for kids with stamina and focus. If that is challenging, then taking notes in class is a good habit to cultivate. DC doesn't complain that teachers don't teach. But if that becomes a problem, have the kid should go straight to the source: ask the teacher how best to prepare for tests. And, if that doesn't produce positive results, email the teacher yourself and ask how you can best support your child at home. S/he would hopefully recommend strategies.

We have gotten a fair amount of negative feedback about the Precalculus teacher in 9th. We found a tutor that my DS meets with once every week or two and now he has an A, so I don't think it's that the material is too difficult but that the teaching isn't fantastic. Every other class has been great including non-magnet classes.

Surprised to hear this. DC and their friends think she's very good.

My DC says everyone in their class has problems with her. Most struggle to understand her teaching. Are you sure you aren’t confused? Lots of complaints. This year and last.

Since half the kids end up with an UW 4.0, seems like many are still doing fine.

That doesn’t apply to current freshmen who haven’t got a GPA yet. Not sure how long she’s been teaching or how long she’s been a problem. Also large numbers of parents are getting tutors to fill in the gaps.

+1 Many parents have gotten tutors to pick up on the slack of teachers. Once again mcps doesn’t have to deal with the issues in magnet program, bc it’s students self correct it by getting tutors and self studying.

[Anonymous]

I looked at the BLair math website and there are several female teachers of pre-calc. My kid has one of them but he's not in the magnet so maybe it's a different person? She is So Very Mid but my kid likes her, and can just approach her out of class to get her to explain stuff that she just didn't in class. She's young. New. Doesn't make much of an effort. Sigh.