IM in 4th grade?

[Anonymous]

Remember that your child may be at HGC for 4th and 5th grade and this can make going to the middle school for first period math more complicated (travel time, logistics, overall length of the day).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remember that your child may be at HGC for 4th and 5th grade and this can make going to the middle school for first period math more complicated (travel time, logistics, overall length of the day).

OP- Very true. It looks like he would miss the first 30-40 minutes of each school day if he went to the HGC. That seems like a lot of school to miss, unless it was math. If the schedule did not match, it would be very difficult.

[Anonymous]

Would you share which school is being so accommodating of a gifted student? My child was in ES when acceleration supposedly ended as was just forced to repeat the year in math 2x.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids generally take the middle school bus and arrive at the middle school for math during first period. You could also drop your child off if your son would be uncomfortable on the bus with the older kids.

I do know of one 4th grader in IM right now and she likes the math but not being with the 6th and 7th graders. That is another thing to consider, IM is a mixed age class so some of those children will be a lot more mature than your son. Family feels trapped that there is not a better option.

OP- This is my concern. Trying to be the only 4th grader in a class of 6/7th graders seems like a disaster. It seems there are enough 5th graders in the magnets taking IM that they could pull a class together for 4/5th graders who need to take IM. I'm sure transportation is a struggle either way.

Actually, there aren't. DS took IM in 5th, then went to TPMS and is now a freshman at Blair. When he was in TPMS he was one of only a small number of students who took algebra in 6th grade. The 8th grade Alg 2 class was quite small.

[Anonymous]

Are you sure they would send them to the middle school? I would fight this. It doesn't seem appropriate for him to be in a middle school class with older kids. Also keep in mind that he would be in algebra in 5th and his grades in algebra will be on his high school transcript...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you sure they would send them to the middle school? I would fight this. It doesn't seem appropriate for him to be in a middle school class with older kids. Also keep in mind that he would be in algebra in 5th and his grades in algebra will be on his high school transcript...

Anything can change, but that's how it currently is done and has been for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would you share which school is being so accommodating of a gifted student? My child was in ES when acceleration supposedly ended as was just forced to repeat the year in math 2x.

I understand that it is unusual, but I feel that my principal may have gone out on a limb by offering such an acceleration. My son was put in the 3rd grade math class on a trial basis, before it was officially approved by enrichment and acceleration. I feel that sort of tied their hands, since he did well with the placement they couldn't justify moving him back to first. Out of gratitude for the staff being accommodating and my son's own privacy, I'd prefer to not publicize the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Remember that your child may be at HGC for 4th and 5th grade and this can make going to the middle school for first period math more complicated (travel time, logistics, overall length of the day).

OP- Very true. It looks like he would miss the first 30-40 minutes of each school day if he went to the HGC. That seems like a lot of school to miss, unless it was math. If the schedule did not match, it would be very difficult.

This depends on where you middle school is located AND whether your elementary school is a tier 1 (9am start) or tier 2 (9:25 start). All middle schools open at 8am, but class start times for first period vary depending on how they do announcements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you sure they would send them to the middle school? I would fight this. It doesn't seem appropriate for him to be in a middle school class with older kids. Also keep in mind that he would be in algebra in 5th and his grades in algebra will be on his high school transcript...

Anything can change, but that's how it currently is done and has been for years.

It does seem to be how it is traditionally handled, but I agree that it is not appropriate. I cannot even picture how he would get off a bus (or out of my car) and find his class at the middle school. There is such a huge difference between a 4th grader and a 7th grader.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you sure they would send them to the middle school? I would fight this. It doesn't seem appropriate for him to be in a middle school class with older kids. Also keep in mind that he would be in algebra in 5th and his grades in algebra will be on his high school transcript...

Anything can change, but that's how it currently is done and has been for years.

It isn't being done now though. I don't know of any 4th graders in IM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Remember that your child may be at HGC for 4th and 5th grade and this can make going to the middle school for first period math more complicated (travel time, logistics, overall length of the day).

OP- Very true. It looks like he would miss the first 30-40 minutes of each school day if he went to the HGC. That seems like a lot of school to miss, unless it was math. If the schedule did not match, it would be very difficult.

This depends on where you middle school is located AND whether your elementary school is a tier 1 (9am start) or tier 2 (9:25 start). All middle schools open at 8am, but class start times for first period vary depending on how they do announcements.

Unfortunately, both our home school and our HGC at 9am starts. A 9:25 start would certainly help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I wouldn't worry about the endgame just yet--you'll drive yourself crazy and lots can change between now and then since your son is only in first grade! Put him in the class that seems appropriate and worry about the rest later. I will say, though, that as things currently stand, you won't be able to avoid traveling to MS in ES, and then to HS in MS. Even at TPMS/Clemente the highest class offered for 8th grade is Alg 2. (And that assumes your child will even get into TPMS. While he probably would, it's not a guarantee and the acceptance rate is something like 1 in 10.)

Thank you, and I agree. I appreciate the acceleration/enrichment office trying to give us a big picture, but thinking about high school for a first grader seems excessive. So much could change. What we do need to decide now is whether to accept the 4/5 recommendation for next year, or refuse it and put him in regular 4. His math teacher and principal seem to think he really belongs in the 4/5 and that he'd be frustrated in 4.

They are probably right about 4th grade math not being a good fit. Those students most interested in math will be in the compacted class and those in 4 include students who have more of a humanities strength or struggle with math.

[Anonymous]

Totally agree that sending to MS isn't a good solution, but they (reasonably) won't have a class at the ES for one or a couple of students. I would focus efforts more on getting them to allow CTY as a substitute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you sure they would send them to the middle school? I would fight this. It doesn't seem appropriate for him to be in a middle school class with older kids. Also keep in mind that he would be in algebra in 5th and his grades in algebra will be on his high school transcript...

Anything can change, but that's how it currently is done and has been for years.

It does seem to be how it is traditionally handled, but I agree that it is not appropriate. I cannot even picture how he would get off a bus (or out of my car) and find his class at the middle school. There is such a huge difference between a 4th grader and a 7th grader.

I agree this is not a good mix, but I know of no other options MCPS will agree to. I hope they start thinking outside their box.
A younger kid in the compacted class can work because all the students care about math. IM has students of all math abilities together and I fear what will happen to elementary school students who find IM easy when they are in class with 7th graders who may be struggling with the same math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you sure they would send them to the middle school? I would fight this. It doesn't seem appropriate for him to be in a middle school class with older kids. Also keep in mind that he would be in algebra in 5th and his grades in algebra will be on his high school transcript...

Anything can change, but that's how it currently is done and has been for years.

It does seem to be how it is traditionally handled, but I agree that it is not appropriate. I cannot even picture how he would get off a bus (or out of my car) and find his class at the middle school. There is such a huge difference between a 4th grader and a 7th grader.

I agree this is not a good mix, but I know of no other options MCPS will agree to. I hope they start thinking outside their box.
A younger kid in the compacted class can work because all the students care about math. IM has students of all math abilities together and I fear what will happen to elementary school students who find IM easy when they are in class with 7th graders who may be struggling with the same math.

It seems MCPS really will need to start thinking outside the box for kids whose math need are not being met with 2.0. Offering an online offering, such as CTY, in the elementary schools seems like a good option to me. Not ideal, but better than busing to middle school.