Computer Science in MCPS; my kid is utterly lost

[Anonymous]

I have been through this with my oldest. Not this class in particular, but more like all of them. He did not have the capabilities to do much better than a D final grade for most classes. He had a great IEP and it was being followed. He just lacked the capabilities.

You cannot define success for you child by looking at what other kids do. When a kid is not capable of getting a good grade in a class, success if defined by doing what it takes to meet the graduation requirements. In this case, a D is what it takes. So, if her grade will average out to a D if she fails this semester, then failing this semester will be a success for her because she will meet the graduation requirements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This makes no sense

What exactly is this a requirement for?

MCPS no

You have a cs requirement in mcps for graduation. But at our school they don’t build anything so not sure the assignment.

OP. My oldest graduated a couple years ago and didn’t have to build anything. Could the teacher be creating her own curriculum? Or maybe it’s new.

[Anonymous]

My son (now in college), also seemed to struggle with tasks that were easy for others. And conversely, he found success with tasks that were hard for others!

He too struggled in Computer Science. I think perhaps it's the unrelenting logical reasoning that poses a problem?

My husband helped him through that class (and math, and science - I helped with anything that was writing-based). If you can at all do the same for your child, that would be the easiest solution. You see her every day! Alternatively, if you can't understand the first thing about building the robot, you can hire a college kid online or something, and she can perhaps have a few virtual tutoring lessons. Another option would be to beg someone in her class to explain the robot thing. It sounds as if she's stuck on something really specific, and if she manages to get past that, she'll manage the rest by herself, no?

Best of luck, OP. I do agree that this is not the time to negotiate more accommodations, or whatever. She needs to buckle down and seek out someone, anyone, who will help her (you, a tutor, a classmate).

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I get we're talking about a senior but insisting a child (young adult) who is struggling with this project and doesn't have anyone she feels comfortable asking help from should be given some type of alternative assignment or at least get more direct help from the teacher. Given her difficulty with social interactions I can't imagine her asking strangers from the AP class to help her and even if she did, they may not be interested in helping.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all. When DD went for help at lunch, the teacher worked with the AP kids but did not work with my daughter at all. I think she’s accommodating the extra time, and might help with the programming aspect, but is just not grasping what my DD needs, because the task is just so simple and easy. I mean, what high school senior can’t build a robot? The teacher doesn’t understand DD’s disability.

I will encourage DD to ask if she can bring the pieces home, or if she can use a kit. That would make all the difference. I would help, the tutor would help, etc. I have a hunch that if I showed her explicitly what to do, it would click and she could finish on her own. She just needs hands-on demonstration and practice with motor/sequential tasks.

Thank you for all the advice!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to make her do it. A disability is not an excuse. She doesn’t feel like she can do it means she’s not trying.

Make her do it? What the F does that mean? She has been going to lunch for help. She has pretty profound dyspraxia and leaning disabilities but has a good GPA because she works her a$$ off. That was remarked upon in her recent IEP meeting (last one before graduation). Why are you on the SN board?

I hope your daughter isn’t like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to make her do it. A disability is not an excuse. She doesn’t feel like she can do it means she’s not trying.

Make her do it? What the F does that mean? She has been going to lunch for help. She has pretty profound dyspraxia and leaning disabilities but has a good GPA because she works her a$$ off. That was remarked upon in her recent IEP meeting (last one before graduation). Why are you on the SN board?

I hope your daughter isn’t like you.

OP here. You hope my daughter isn’t like me? Because I bristled when you told me disability isn’t an excuse? I have a very close relationship with my daughter. And I have been her cheerleader since birth, so you don’t need to worry. I suppose I could’ve responded without getting defensive, so that is my bad.

[Anonymous]

OP again. ^^ i had read your response as snarky, but perhaps that was not your intention.

[Anonymous]

Self-advocacy is important, but sometimes kids just need someone with more clout to intervene on their behalf. You might need to email the teacher about your daughter’s specific difficulties and what level of assistance she needs. If necessary, could you have the counselor talk with the teacher? Since the teacher wasn’t at the IEP meeting, they may not really understand your daughter’s situation (even though your daughter has been trying to explain).

As someone with absolutely no official expertise, I think too much emphasis is placed on grades. Too often, they become the primary goal, as opposed to a rough indicator of how much learning is taking place. While that function becomes more important in high school, as colleges are evaluating students, it is still just an indicator. Assuming your daughter isn’t planning a future of building robots, I don’t know that a D is that damaging. It communicates that your daughter has problems with those kinds of tasks, but presumably that information is already available in her IEP, which can be used to explain the grade, if necessary. That being said, I’d double check with your school counselor to be absolutely sure it won’t interfere with graduation or her future plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks all. When DD went for help at lunch, the teacher worked with the AP kids but did not work with my daughter at all. I think she’s accommodating the extra time, and might help with the programming aspect, but is just not grasping what my DD needs, because the task is just so simple and easy. I mean, what high school senior can’t build a robot? The teacher doesn’t understand DD’s disability.

I will encourage DD to ask if she can bring the pieces home, or if she can use a kit. That would make all the difference. I would help, the tutor would help, etc. I have a hunch that if I showed her explicitly what to do, it would click and she could finish on her own. She just needs hands-on demonstration and practice with motor/sequential tasks.

Thank you for all the advice!

Reach out to the teacher. For AP computer science, there is a project that needs to get turned in for the AP exam coming up which is why its probably the priority but that's unfair to your daughter. Ask specifically what is the assignment and what are they building - can it be sent home or can you buy the parts to work on/practice at home. We often buy the books and things needed that they use at school that they don't send home with the kids. But, this project sounds very advanced to build a robot and code it for regular computer science. We didn't have that even in AP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Self-advocacy is important, but sometimes kids just need someone with more clout to intervene on their behalf. You might need to email the teacher about your daughter’s specific difficulties and what level of assistance she needs. If necessary, could you have the counselor talk with the teacher? Since the teacher wasn’t at the IEP meeting, they may not really understand your daughter’s situation (even though your daughter has been trying to explain).

As someone with absolutely no official expertise, I think too much emphasis is placed on grades. Too often, they become the primary goal, as opposed to a rough indicator of how much learning is taking place. While that function becomes more important in high school, as colleges are evaluating students, it is still just an indicator. Assuming your daughter isn’t planning a future of building robots, I don’t know that a D is that damaging. It communicates that your daughter has problems with those kinds of tasks, but presumably that information is already available in her IEP, which can be used to explain the grade, if necessary. That being said, I’d double check with your school counselor to be absolutely sure it won’t interfere with graduation or her future plans.

Not all kids can self advocate well, especially if they teacher is not approachable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks all. When DD went for help at lunch, the teacher worked with the AP kids but did not work with my daughter at all. I think she’s accommodating the extra time, and might help with the programming aspect, but is just not grasping what my DD needs, because the task is just so simple and easy. I mean, what high school senior can’t build a robot? The teacher doesn’t understand DD’s disability.

I will encourage DD to ask if she can bring the pieces home, or if she can use a kit. That would make all the difference. I would help, the tutor would help, etc. I have a hunch that if I showed her explicitly what to do, it would click and she could finish on her own. She just needs hands-on demonstration and practice with motor/sequential tasks.

Thank you for all the advice!

Reach out to the teacher. For AP computer science, there is a project that needs to get turned in for the AP exam coming up which is why its probably the priority but that's unfair to your daughter. Ask specifically what is the assignment and what are they building - can it be sent home or can you buy the parts to work on/practice at home. We often buy the books and things needed that they use at school that they don't send home with the kids. But, this project sounds very advanced to build a robot and code it for regular computer science. We didn't have that even in AP.

Wow!! Well, it’s reassuring to know that it’s advanced. I will share that with my daughter, thank you.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP,
CS was difficult for DS as well, we had to get tutoring.

Can she utilizes peer-to-peer tutoring programs at after-school, subject-specific tutoring, and specialized programs like Peer Partners and Vike2Vike?

[Anonymous]

Very valuable feedback all, thank you again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Self-advocacy is important, but sometimes kids just need someone with more clout to intervene on their behalf. You might need to email the teacher about your daughter’s specific difficulties and what level of assistance she needs. If necessary, could you have the counselor talk with the teacher? Since the teacher wasn’t at the IEP meeting, they may not really understand your daughter’s situation (even though your daughter has been trying to explain).

As someone with absolutely no official expertise, I think too much emphasis is placed on grades. Too often, they become the primary goal, as opposed to a rough indicator of how much learning is taking place. While that function becomes more important in high school, as colleges are evaluating students, it is still just an indicator. Assuming your daughter isn’t planning a future of building robots, I don’t know that a D is that damaging. It communicates that your daughter has problems with those kinds of tasks, but presumably that information is already available in her IEP, which can be used to explain the grade, if necessary. That being said, I’d double check with your school counselor to be absolutely sure it won’t interfere with graduation or her future plans.

Thank you. She is definitely not pursuing anything even remotely adjacent to STEM.