Has HGC not worked out for your child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And if not, why not? I have a child going into CCES HGC next fall. DS has been incredibly "bored" in his home school. I put quotes because I don't like the whole thing of "my child is so smart that he is bored". But what happens is that he gets his work done quickly and then his teacher allows him to read the rest of the time. So he mostly reads and he isn't engaged in school as a result. I am nervous that the HGC will not be enough of a challenge either. Has that been the case for anyone?

My DC loves her classmates, but she is also bored at HGC and very much looking forward to Eastern next year. Compacted math is no challenge and her passion is writing so finds all the reasearch and writing projects to be easy. She is also a fast reader and typer so assignments are completed very quickly. my older DC was at HGC pre 2.0 and the curriculum was much more challenging then. He did not enjoy reading or writing so assignments took him much longer to complete.

I think she will love Eastern - she sounds like a great fit for the program.

[Anonymous]

My kid had a great experience in Clearspring HGC. The curriculum is less challenging than 2.0, no doubt, yet it is a far more enriching environment than a regular school.

Best parts are the peer group as well as the interesting projects and field trips. I also like the parents a lot - they are very supportive. I hope this continues in the higher grades,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not? S/he can not be the only one from your cluster that is not going to a magnet...

Their HGC is not in our cluster. There are 4 kids total from her school in her cluster. The other 25 go to 2 other middle schools.

So your child could go to middle or high school with any of those 4 right?

Obviously the 4 could if they don't go to magnet but isn't it is a lot nicer going into a middle school with friends? The HGC kids are already ostrasized when they move to another school. New commute, new principal, new classmates, completely different kids outside of HGC classroom. So you are only with that one group and you get close. Add the fact that those kids you grow close with all leave for another middle school than you just sucks. MCPS has implemented such a poor way of teaching gifted kids and parents don't care. They will force their kid in a different class, cluster, 2hrs more a day of commute, switch friends yearly, etc.. just to say their child is in HGC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Obviously the 4 could if they don't go to magnet but isn't it is a lot nicer going into a middle school with friends? The HGC kids are already ostrasized when they move to another school. New commute, new principal, new classmates, completely different kids outside of HGC classroom. So you are only with that one group and you get close. Add the fact that those kids you grow close with all leave for another middle school than you just sucks. MCPS has implemented such a poor way of teaching gifted kids and parents don't care. They will force their kid in a different class, cluster, 2hrs more a day of commute, switch friends yearly, etc.. just to say their child is in HGC.

Of course it's nicer going into a middle school with friends, but it's not exactly the end of the world (for a typical kid) if you don't. And no, the HGC kids aren't ostracized, at least not in the experience of my HGC kid who is at her home middle school. The great majority of sixth-graders don't even know that she was at the HGC, and they wouldn't care if they did -- why would they, when there are lots of kids from lots of different schools, new kids, kids moving away... ? Maybe if the middle school had 100 students per grade, but there's not a middle school in the county that small. Even John Poole MS has (slightly) over that.

[Anonymous]

My DC hates that it has too much writing. DC is starting to hate school So, if your DC hates writing with a passion like my DC does, I would give it serious thought. I did have this concern when thinking about whether to apply. I hear in 5th grade there's less writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not? S/he can not be the only one from your cluster that is not going to a magnet...

Their HGC is not in our cluster. There are 4 kids total from her school in her cluster. The other 25 go to 2 other middle schools.

So your child could go to middle or high school with any of those 4 right?

Obviously the 4 could if they don't go to magnet but isn't it is a lot nicer going into a middle school with friends? The HGC kids are already ostrasized when they move to another school. New commute, new principal, new classmates, completely different kids outside of HGC classroom. So you are only with that one group and you get close. Add the fact that those kids you grow close with all leave for another middle school than you just sucks. MCPS has implemented such a poor way of teaching gifted kids and parents don't care. They will force their kid in a different class, cluster, 2hrs more a day of commute, switch friends yearly, etc.. just to say their child is in HGC.

Your child's home school friends will not forget them after two years. They will still be involved in the neighborhood, through sports or other activities. This was no issue for my child who returned to who home school. She made friends at the magnet but they were really no closer than her neighborhood friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC hates that it has too much writing. DC is starting to hate school So, if your DC hates writing with a passion like my DC does, I would give it serious thought. I did have this concern when thinking about whether to apply. I hear in 5th grade there's less writing.

Oh, at our HGC (Chevy Chase) 5th grade is when the writing gets really intense. But my DC loves that part the most (but also loved writing before attending the HGC). I think you're right, though, that hating writing is a reason to think carefully about placement in the HGC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not? S/he can not be the only one from your cluster that is not going to a magnet...

Their HGC is not in our cluster. There are 4 kids total from her school in her cluster. The other 25 go to 2 other middle schools.

So your child could go to middle or high school with any of those 4 right?

Obviously the 4 could if they don't go to magnet but isn't it is a lot nicer going into a middle school with friends? The HGC kids are already ostrasized when they move to another school. New commute, new principal, new classmates, completely different kids outside of HGC classroom. So you are only with that one group and you get close. Add the fact that those kids you grow close with all leave for another middle school than you just sucks. MCPS has implemented such a poor way of teaching gifted kids and parents don't care. They will force their kid in a different class, cluster, 2hrs more a day of commute, switch friends yearly, etc.. just to say their child is in HGC.

While I agree with you that MCPS's implementation of GT programs leaves a lot to be desired, particularly all of the applications and school switching, there are many parts of this that I disagree with. My child isn't in the HGC just so that I can say he is. He's there b/c he did not make friends in our neighborhood or in the neighborhood school (Once upon a time, I had a neighborhood parent look me in the eye and tell me how odd and "different" my then-kindergartner was). He's at the HGC b/c he needed to find a place where he could socially flourish AND be challenged academically. I still think he could do more academically, but the most important part of these two years has been how he has grown emotionally. I'm certain that my HG child is not the only one who lagged in maturity. He's become more confident. He likes school and now does his schoolwork efficiently versus not doing any of the work b/c it seemed ludicrous to him. He's had teachers and a principal who really, truly understand GT kids and how to help them grow in all ways. They are willing to expect of him what he can do. He laughs and banters with his classmates. He plays with other kids at recess. These small things are HUGE. He's off to a middle school magnet next year. At the open house for accepted kids, he and a classmate were extremely focused on the kids that they knew who got in. He had no desire to go to his home middle school, so thankfully, he gets to stay with a bunch of friends who are going to the magnet plus he'll meet lots more other kids who are more accepting of a GT child. In fact, when ranking middle schools, he ranked his home middle behind schools he hadn't even visited yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC hates that it has too much writing. DC is starting to hate school So, if your DC hates writing with a passion like my DC does, I would give it serious thought. I did have this concern when thinking about whether to apply. I hear in 5th grade there's less writing.

Oh, at our HGC (Chevy Chase) 5th grade is when the writing gets really intense. But my DC loves that part the most (but also loved writing before attending the HGC). I think you're right, though, that hating writing is a reason to think carefully about placement in the HGC.

PP here. Oh boy! I hope at our HGC (not CC) it's different. Otherwise, it will be a very painful year.

[Anonymous]

There is a lot of writing. My son doesn't love writing, didn't in third grade and still doesn't. He loves to read though and the writing hasn't been a problem despite the amount. Its not busy work but meaningful projects so my son has even gotten excited about parts of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not? S/he can not be the only one from your cluster that is not going to a magnet...

Their HGC is not in our cluster. There are 4 kids total from her school in her cluster. The other 25 go to 2 other middle schools.

So your child could go to middle or high school with any of those 4 right?

Obviously the 4 could if they don't go to magnet but isn't it is a lot nicer going into a middle school with friends? The HGC kids are already ostrasized when they move to another school. New commute, new principal, new classmates, completely different kids outside of HGC classroom. So you are only with that one group and you get close. Add the fact that those kids you grow close with all leave for another middle school than you just sucks. MCPS has implemented such a poor way of teaching gifted kids and parents don't care. They will force their kid in a different class, cluster, 2hrs more a day of commute, switch friends yearly, etc.. just to say their child is in HGC.

While I agree with you that MCPS's implementation of GT programs leaves a lot to be desired, particularly all of the applications and school switching, there are many parts of this that I disagree with. My child isn't in the HGC just so that I can say he is. He's there b/c he did not make friends in our neighborhood or in the neighborhood school (Once upon a time, I had a neighborhood parent look me in the eye and tell me how odd and "different" my then-kindergartner was). He's at the HGC b/c he needed to find a place where he could socially flourish AND be challenged academically. I still think he could do more academically, but the most important part of these two years has been how he has grown emotionally. I'm certain that my HG child is not the only one who lagged in maturity. He's become more confident. He likes school and now does his schoolwork efficiently versus not doing any of the work b/c it seemed ludicrous to him. He's had teachers and a principal who really, truly understand GT kids and how to help them grow in all ways. They are willing to expect of him what he can do. He laughs and banters with his classmates. He plays with other kids at recess. These small things are HUGE. He's off to a middle school magnet next year. At the open house for accepted kids, he and a classmate were extremely focused on the kids that they knew who got in. He had no desire to go to his home middle school, so thankfully, he gets to stay with a bunch of friends who are going to the magnet plus he'll meet lots more other kids who are more accepting of a GT child. In fact, when ranking middle schools, he ranked his home middle behind schools he hadn't even visited yet.

My son has had the same experience. He is also going to a ms magnet and told me that he just feels more comfortable in a magnet (for the social/acceptance reasons by both staff and students).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not? S/he can not be the only one from your cluster that is not going to a magnet...

Their HGC is not in our cluster. There are 4 kids total from her school in her cluster. The other 25 go to 2 other middle schools.

So your child could go to middle or high school with any of those 4 right?

Obviously the 4 could if they don't go to magnet but isn't it is a lot nicer going into a middle school with friends? The HGC kids are already ostrasized when they move to another school. New commute, new principal, new classmates, completely different kids outside of HGC classroom. So you are only with that one group and you get close. Add the fact that those kids you grow close with all leave for another middle school than you just sucks. MCPS has implemented such a poor way of teaching gifted kids and parents don't care. They will force their kid in a different class, cluster, 2hrs more a day of commute, switch friends yearly, etc.. just to say their child is in HGC.

While I agree with you that MCPS's implementation of GT programs leaves a lot to be desired, particularly all of the applications and school switching, there are many parts of this that I disagree with. My child isn't in the HGC just so that I can say he is. He's there b/c he did not make friends in our neighborhood or in the neighborhood school (Once upon a time, I had a neighborhood parent look me in the eye and tell me how odd and "different" my then-kindergartner was). He's at the HGC b/c he needed to find a place where he could socially flourish AND be challenged academically. I still think he could do more academically, but the most important part of these two years has been how he has grown emotionally. I'm certain that my HG child is not the only one who lagged in maturity. He's become more confident. He likes school and now does his schoolwork efficiently versus not doing any of the work b/c it seemed ludicrous to him. He's had teachers and a principal who really, truly understand GT kids and how to help them grow in all ways. They are willing to expect of him what he can do. He laughs and banters with his classmates. He plays with other kids at recess. These small things are HUGE. He's off to a middle school magnet next year. At the open house for accepted kids, he and a classmate were extremely focused on the kids that they knew who got in. He had no desire to go to his home middle school, so thankfully, he gets to stay with a bunch of friends who are going to the magnet plus he'll meet lots more other kids who are more accepting of a GT child. In fact, when ranking middle schools, he ranked his home middle behind schools he hadn't even visited yet.

My son has had the same experience. He is also going to a ms magnet and told me that he just feels more comfortable in a magnet (for the social/acceptance reasons by both staff and students).

But not all kids from HGC get into magnet. As a matter of fact, many do not. So what if both of your kids would have had to go to their home school? The story would be a lot different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But not all kids from HGC get into magnet. As a matter of fact, many do not. So what if both of your kids would have had to go to their home school? The story would be a lot different.

Then they would have at least had two good years, which is better than not having had them. I'm not either PP.

[Anonymous]

From my experience most kids that apply to the middle school magnets do get in. My child did not apply and she was defintely in the minority going back to our neighborhood school. Obviously the kids test well if they got in for 4 th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From my experience most kids that apply to the middle school magnets do get in. My child did not apply and she was defintely in the minority going back to our neighborhood school. Obviously the kids test well if they got in for 4 th grade.

In my kid's HGC class, almost everybody applied, and about half got in.