MCPS Back to School night

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always go but the MS and HS teacher sessions are way, way too brief. And it feels intentional to avoid questions. Too much time wasted with all the school admin intros and PTA stuff. That could be an email or a video.

+1 to all of this. I go because it gives me a flavor for the teacher. It's a big investment for a small return, but you can't get the return any other way.

[Anonymous]

This year, its a 4 hour ordeal (including info on outdoor ed). I can't do 4 hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t fit in the attached desks. Otherwise I would go

Do all classes still have those attached desks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I attend them but I think format is so brief and crammed that as a parent, you don't get a lot of value from the hour or so of time you invest in the experience.

I think elementary is the most valuable, followed by middle and high school being the least valuable. I can sort of see the value of running through your kids' schedule at the secondary level, but given that you're spending so much time on the logistics of moving from classroom to classroom (and getting lost along the way) only for the teacher to breathlessly and double-speed attempt to talk through their syllabus, it seems like it's a setup to fail.

I disagree. In high school it’s the only opportunity to meet teachers and interact with them and see the setting my kid spends his day in. In elementary it’sa waste of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attend them but I think format is so brief and crammed that as a parent, you don't get a lot of value from the hour or so of time you invest in the experience.

I think elementary is the most valuable, followed by middle and high school being the least valuable. I can sort of see the value of running through your kids' schedule at the secondary level, but given that you're spending so much time on the logistics of moving from classroom to classroom (and getting lost along the way) only for the teacher to breathlessly and double-speed attempt to talk through their syllabus, it seems like it's a setup to fail.

I disagree. In high school it’s the only opportunity to meet teachers and interact with them and see the setting my kid spends his day in. In elementary it’sa waste of time.

By high school your child should have a relationship with their teacher that doesn't necessarily involve you unless there is a problem. You also don't need to see their classroom. By college they will have relationships with their professors that doesn't involve you e en when there is a problem. And you certainly won't be see the lecture halls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attend them but I think format is so brief and crammed that as a parent, you don't get a lot of value from the hour or so of time you invest in the experience.

I think elementary is the most valuable, followed by middle and high school being the least valuable. I can sort of see the value of running through your kids' schedule at the secondary level, but given that you're spending so much time on the logistics of moving from classroom to classroom (and getting lost along the way) only for the teacher to breathlessly and double-speed attempt to talk through their syllabus, it seems like it's a setup to fail.

I disagree. In high school it’s the only opportunity to meet teachers and interact with them and see the setting my kid spends his day in. In elementary it’sa waste of time.

By high school your child should have a relationship with their teacher that doesn't necessarily involve you unless there is a problem. You also don't need to see their classroom. By college they will have relationships with their professors that doesn't involve you e en when there is a problem. And you certainly won't be see the lecture halls.

As a college professor I can assure you we still get mommies emailing us. Yes it’s crazy, but it happens more than you think, especially in the last 5 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gaithersburg HS cluster is having a joint one with the middle schools - food trucks and other resources will be there. Sounds interesting!

All to find out Forest Oak is a terrible school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attend them but I think format is so brief and crammed that as a parent, you don't get a lot of value from the hour or so of time you invest in the experience.

I think elementary is the most valuable, followed by middle and high school being the least valuable. I can sort of see the value of running through your kids' schedule at the secondary level, but given that you're spending so much time on the logistics of moving from classroom to classroom (and getting lost along the way) only for the teacher to breathlessly and double-speed attempt to talk through their syllabus, it seems like it's a setup to fail.

I disagree. In high school it’s the only opportunity to meet teachers and interact with them and see the setting my kid spends his day in. In elementary it’sa waste of time.

By high school your child should have a relationship with their teacher that doesn't necessarily involve you unless there is a problem. You also don't need to see their classroom. By college they will have relationships with their professors that doesn't involve you e en when there is a problem. And you certainly won't be see the lecture halls.

Agree HS was a waste of time. It would be better formatted to introduce other opportunities and info (college, career training, clubs, trips, etc),

Parent Student Teacher conferences and at least one per year with the Advisor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like to go. It's a long night, but it's just once a year, and it gives me some insight into my kid's teachers, classrooms, and getting around the building overall.

Same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attend them but I think format is so brief and crammed that as a parent, you don't get a lot of value from the hour or so of time you invest in the experience.

I think elementary is the most valuable, followed by middle and high school being the least valuable. I can sort of see the value of running through your kids' schedule at the secondary level, but given that you're spending so much time on the logistics of moving from classroom to classroom (and getting lost along the way) only for the teacher to breathlessly and double-speed attempt to talk through their syllabus, it seems like it's a setup to fail.

I disagree. In high school it’s the only opportunity to meet teachers and interact with them and see the setting my kid spends his day in. In elementary it’sa waste of time.

By high school your child should have a relationship with their teacher that doesn't necessarily involve you unless there is a problem. You also don't need to see their classroom. By college they will have relationships with their professors that doesn't involve you e en when there is a problem. And you certainly won't be see the lecture halls.

As a college professor I can assure you we still get mommies emailing us. Yes it’s crazy, but it happens more than you think, especially in the last 5 years.

Both of our older children had orientation days for incoming students to where the parents were given their own orientation (to keep them busy). During that time we were told no one at the school could speak with us about the students experience since they were adults. They may have mentioned a form to bypass this but we certainly won't be doing that.

[Anonymous]

MS and HS are like 5 mins and with at least 3 mins ppl walking into the classroom and distracting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t fit in the attached desks. Otherwise I would go

We’re at our 4th MCPS school, all levels, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of those.

The trend is toward flexible classroom seating, so desks with separate chairs that can be rearranged in compact clusters, or small tables, are much more common. The chairs are tiny in elementary schools, though, so many parents don’t fit.

But plenty of people mosey in at the last minute and stand at the back by the door, so they don’t cause a distraction trying to find a desk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attend them but I think format is so brief and crammed that as a parent, you don't get a lot of value from the hour or so of time you invest in the experience.

I think elementary is the most valuable, followed by middle and high school being the least valuable. I can sort of see the value of running through your kids' schedule at the secondary level, but given that you're spending so much time on the logistics of moving from classroom to classroom (and getting lost along the way) only for the teacher to breathlessly and double-speed attempt to talk through their syllabus, it seems like it's a setup to fail.

I disagree. In high school it’s the only opportunity to meet teachers and interact with them and see the setting my kid spends his day in. In elementary it’sa waste of time.

By high school your child should have a relationship with their teacher that doesn't necessarily involve you unless there is a problem. You also don't need to see their classroom. By college they will have relationships with their professors that doesn't involve you e en when there is a problem. And you certainly won't be see the lecture halls.

You have completely missed the point! Because by middle school and certainly in high school I have zero relationships with any of my kids teachers and have never met any of them, back to school night is important for me and my only insight or communication (albeit one sided and rushed) with my kid’s teachers. I’m talking about a 14 year old, and one who handles all his school work himself and all his interactions and grades and tests and any problems himself. Once a year I get to see inside his school, where he spends time and what his teachers look like. When he’s 18 and an adult in college he’ll do all that himself but right now he’s a 14 year old child in 10th grade and I think a couple of hours A YEAR of me seeing what his school life is like is very appropriate.

[Anonymous]

For HS, I much rather each teacher create a 10-15min "summary" of their class, rules, and syllabus for parents to look at - at their leisure and sign an electronic form saying they watched it.

I think it's cruel for teachers to have to repeat the same thing for 5-6 classes a night and there are ALWAYS ALWAYS parents who ask personal questions even after the teacher says I am sorry I can't answer personal questions.

It's such a waste of time for everyone.

I think they should have an informal open house night with food trucks outside and parents can meander around and see classes, auditorium, gym, lockers, etc... and there can be a PTA meeting, the principal does a talk and the student clubs can set up etc.... But the teachers shouldn't have to do BTSN live by middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For HS, I much rather each teacher create a 10-15min "summary" of their class, rules, and syllabus for parents to look at - at their leisure and sign an electronic form saying they watched it.

I think it's cruel for teachers to have to repeat the same thing for 5-6 classes a night and there are ALWAYS ALWAYS parents who ask personal questions even after the teacher says I am sorry I can't answer personal questions.

It's such a waste of time for everyone.

I think they should have an informal open house night with food trucks outside and parents can meander around and see classes, auditorium, gym, lockers, etc... and there can be a PTA meeting, the principal does a talk and the student clubs can set up etc.... But the teachers shouldn't have to do BTSN live by middle school.

Yeah, I would definitely skip that. Waste of time. Seeing inside the school and hearing directly from the teachers though, as your one and only opportunity, is valuable.