Martin Luther King Humanities magnet

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you!

My kid is confused and is unsure what to choose. Sometimes DC says they want to be a writer/author. Sometimes DC shows interest in Science related stuff. DC is a Math loving kid. If DC got Clemente this would be a no brainer and DC would have chosen Clemente.

Re: commute, it takes us 35 min to Parkland and 25 to MLK. Parkland now offers a central bus service (since last year) and DC can catch that bus from home school or a nearby elementary school.

If we were thinking of the future, what kind of jobs do people who study Humanities do?

DC has a 260 on Map-M and a 229 on Map-R.

Any jobs. All jobs. There are no jobs where studying Humanities is a disadvantage.

It will not be a disadvantage, yes. But what is the point of doing Humanities English, History and Media if you want a job in tech. I'm trying to figure out which school is a better choice since DC doesn't want to make the decision.

Just flip a coin. It’s middle school. You have no idea how well your child will respond to coursework. Parkland will not help your child get into a STEM or tech program on its own; it’s not that rigorous - its acceptance is not based on ability. You can take geometry and physics in 8th grade there, but only if you are on track and have taken pre-recs. I cannot speak for the other program but if your child doesn’t know what they want, then they have no idea what they want for high school. Let them go where it’s a better fit socially and where they have more interest in the subjects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you!

My kid is confused and is unsure what to choose. Sometimes DC says they want to be a writer/author. Sometimes DC shows interest in Science related stuff. DC is a Math loving kid. If DC got Clemente this would be a no brainer and DC would have chosen Clemente.

Re: commute, it takes us 35 min to Parkland and 25 to MLK. Parkland now offers a central bus service (since last year) and DC can catch that bus from home school or a nearby elementary school.

If we were thinking of the future, what kind of jobs do people who study Humanities do?

DC has a 260 on Map-M and a 229 on Map-R.

Any jobs. All jobs. There are no jobs where studying Humanities is a disadvantage.

It will not be a disadvantage, yes. But what is the point of doing Humanities English, History and Media if you want a job in tech. I'm trying to figure out which school is a better choice since DC doesn't want to make the decision.

Just flip a coin. It’s middle school. You have no idea how well your child will respond to coursework. Parkland will not help your child get into a STEM or tech program on its own; it’s not that rigorous - its acceptance is not based on ability. You can take geometry and physics in 8th grade there, but only if you are on track and have taken pre-recs. I cannot speak for the other program but if your child doesn’t know what they want, then they have no idea what they want for high school. Let them go where it’s a better fit socially and where they have more interest in the subjects.

+1. You are overthinking this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you!

My kid is confused and is unsure what to choose. Sometimes DC says they want to be a writer/author. Sometimes DC shows interest in Science related stuff. DC is a Math loving kid. If DC got Clemente this would be a no brainer and DC would have chosen Clemente.

Re: commute, it takes us 35 min to Parkland and 25 to MLK. Parkland now offers a central bus service (since last year) and DC can catch that bus from home school or a nearby elementary school.

If we were thinking of the future, what kind of jobs do people who study Humanities do?

DC has a 260 on Map-M and a 229 on Map-R.

Any jobs. All jobs. There are no jobs where studying Humanities is a disadvantage.

It will not be a disadvantage, yes. But what is the point of doing Humanities English, History and Media if you want a job in tech. I'm trying to figure out which school is a better choice since DC doesn't want to make the decision.

Because even tech people need a basic background in history and written and oral communication. Maybe even especially tech people.

[Anonymous]

MLK. It's closer and your child says they want to be an author or writer. If your child goes to a stem magnet they might have a harder time from MLK than Parkland but if they get into the stem magnet they are really bright and should be able to catch up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MLK. It's closer and your child says they want to be an author or writer. If your child goes to a stem magnet they might have a harder time from MLK than Parkland but if they get into the stem magnet they are really bright and should be able to catch up.

Child is quite good at Math and loves Math. Currently bored in compacted Math and finishes homework during class when teacher helps other students. Map-M score was high. I think Stem magnet would be a good fit but DC talks about being an author or writer. Then DC says they want to develop something and become an entrepreneur. DC basically doesn't know what they want and put the decision on me.

I feel Parkland will be the better fit. My spouse says Parkland too.

I'm just worried if choosing Parkland would be a bad decision since a criteria based magnet might be better for the IB track at RM or Poolesville when compared with Parkland.

[Anonymous]

If your DC really doesn’t care, I’d pick MLK, mainly for social reasons. Although the commute for you may not be that much different with transportation- more classmates will likely be closer, and if DC doesn’t go to a magnet HS, there will be more likely classmates going from MLK to your HS. In terms of academics there will likely be a stronger peer group at MLK and all majors/jobs need to be able to communicate clearly so the skills learned will be useful whatever direction he ultimately chooses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MLK. It's closer and your child says they want to be an author or writer. If your child goes to a stem magnet they might have a harder time from MLK than Parkland but if they get into the stem magnet they are really bright and should be able to catch up.

Child is quite good at Math and loves Math. Currently bored in compacted Math and finishes homework during class when teacher helps other students. Map-M score was high. I think Stem magnet would be a good fit but DC talks about being an author or writer. Then DC says they want to develop something and become an entrepreneur. DC basically doesn't know what they want and put the decision on me.

I feel Parkland will be the better fit. My spouse says Parkland too.

I'm just worried if choosing Parkland would be a bad decision since a criteria based magnet might be better for the IB track at RM or Poolesville when compared with Parkland.

I don't think it's a good idea to make a decision about middle school based on what might help with admission to RMIB or a Poolesville application magnet program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you!

My kid is confused and is unsure what to choose. Sometimes DC says they want to be a writer/author. Sometimes DC shows interest in Science related stuff. DC is a Math loving kid. If DC got Clemente this would be a no brainer and DC would have chosen Clemente.

Re: commute, it takes us 35 min to Parkland and 25 to MLK. Parkland now offers a central bus service (since last year) and DC can catch that bus from home school or a nearby elementary school.

If we were thinking of the future, what kind of jobs do people who study Humanities do?

DC has a 260 on Map-M and a 229 on Map-R.

Re the career question, a specialty in middle school does not put them on a track for a humanities career. They will still have the standard science classes and then can switch it up for high school and focus on science or not. This is one of the dumb things about MS Magnets in MCPS in my opinion. Very few 5th graders have such a strong preference

I was looking at the presentation video and they say that if you want to be on the IB track for RM, kids should take world language in MS. Is it good enough if DC takes in 7th grade or just one year in 8th grade?

MLK is an IB Middle Years school, so students take 3 years of world language and the first year isn’t spread over two years like it is at some middle schools (for example, Spanish 1A in 6th grade and 1B in 7th grade, then Spanish 2 in 8th grade). My dd did Humanities at MLK and was in Spanish 4 her freshman year at Poolesville. She’s a sophomore now in the Humanities program.

Your child really needs to choose how they want to spend middle school, math/science focus or writing/media projects. Both will be good preparation for high school. There are more seats in specialized high school programs than in middle school, so your child won’t be locked into anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you!

My kid is confused and is unsure what to choose. Sometimes DC says they want to be a writer/author. Sometimes DC shows interest in Science related stuff. DC is a Math loving kid. If DC got Clemente this would be a no brainer and DC would have chosen Clemente.

Re: commute, it takes us 35 min to Parkland and 25 to MLK. Parkland now offers a central bus service (since last year) and DC can catch that bus from home school or a nearby elementary school.

If we were thinking of the future, what kind of jobs do people who study Humanities do?

DC has a 260 on Map-M and a 229 on Map-R.

Re the career question, a specialty in middle school does not put them on a track for a humanities career. They will still have the standard science classes and then can switch it up for high school and focus on science or not. This is one of the dumb things about MS Magnets in MCPS in my opinion. Very few 5th graders have such a strong preference

I was looking at the presentation video and they say that if you want to be on the IB track for RM, kids should take world language in MS. Is it good enough if DC takes in 7th grade or just one year in 8th grade?

MLK is an IB Middle Years school, so students take 3 years of world language and the first year isn’t spread over two years like it is at some middle schools (for example, Spanish 1A in 6th grade and 1B in 7th grade, then Spanish 2 in 8th grade). My dd did Humanities at MLK and was in Spanish 4 her freshman year at Poolesville. She’s a sophomore now in the Humanities program.

Your child really needs to choose how they want to spend middle school, math/science focus or writing/media projects. Both will be good preparation for high school. There are more seats in specialized high school programs than in middle school, so your child won’t be locked into anything.

How did your DD like MLK? Was it too rigorous or did your DD have time for extra curriculars outside of school? How are the after school clubs? Is your child more into Reading and Writing?

Re:world language and IB program in high school, is the 3 years a requirement or a choice? I was confused by the presentation - the lady in the video said kids can take 2 years of world language in MS and can choose Tech or Arts in lieu of World language in 6th grade?

What about chorus, orchestra - the ones who take world language, do they have to give these up?

Thanks?

[Anonymous]

Typo. I meant Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MLK. It's closer and your child says they want to be an author or writer. If your child goes to a stem magnet they might have a harder time from MLK than Parkland but if they get into the stem magnet they are really bright and should be able to catch up.

Child is quite good at Math and loves Math. Currently bored in compacted Math and finishes homework during class when teacher helps other students. Map-M score was high. I think Stem magnet would be a good fit but DC talks about being an author or writer. Then DC says they want to develop something and become an entrepreneur. DC basically doesn't know what they want and put the decision on me.

I feel Parkland will be the better fit. My spouse says Parkland too.

I'm just worried if choosing Parkland would be a bad decision since a criteria based magnet might be better for the IB track at RM or Poolesville when compared with Parkland.

If you are making a decision based on the hope he'll attend a magnet still MLK. Poolesville is full of MLK magnet kids.

[Anonymous]

If he hated reading and writing and was a much more STEM leaning kid I'd say Parkland but going to a criteria-based magnet will put him in a different more intense cohort that he will probably run into again in high school.

From talking with DD it seems like many of the kids from MLK and Clemente know each other from activities and in high school many are in the same higher level classes or magnet high schools. I'm pretty sure she's never met any kid from Parkland.

[Anonymous]

You're upcounty. Why would you want to go all the way to downcounty?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If he hated reading and writing and was a much more STEM leaning kid I'd say Parkland but going to a criteria-based magnet will put him in a different more intense cohort that he will probably run into again in high school.

From talking with DD it seems like many of the kids from MLK and Clemente know each other from activities and in high school many are in the same higher level classes or magnet high schools. I'm pretty sure she's never met any kid from Parkland.

Thank you! Are there kids from MLK who are in Poolesville in SMCS? Or do most end up in Global Ecology?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're upcounty. Why would you want to go all the way to downcounty?

We live somewhere in the middle between MLK and Parkland. MLK is also a drive for us. Same with Poolesville and RM.