CES PBES

[Anonymous]

The dynamic between some 4th grade parents’ expectations this year and the school compared to the way it worked in the past with 1 class has been...not good. If I were an incoming 4th grade parent I’d demand a meeting. A friendly meeting, but an informational meeting to better shape expectations. I want to echo we have had a good experience. Excellent, even.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This year - there has been a lot of work - up to 2 hours of homework/night and many angst-filled parent meetings about it. Yes, some fun projects. A lot of writing and reading. An above grade novel about every 3 week with a literary essay (higher expectations than your usual book report) expected after every book.

For 4th grade? Huh. Our regional CES has way less homework for 4th grade. So much is done in class now. Big difference from when my older child went through 5 years ago when it was a little closer to the workload you mention (though what you describe was more like what she had in 5th grade CES)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The dynamic between some 4th grade parents’ expectations this year and the school compared to the way it worked in the past with 1 class has been...not good. If I were an incoming 4th grade parent I’d demand a meeting. A friendly meeting, but an informational meeting to better shape expectations. I want to echo we have had a good experience. Excellent, even.

This is likely one of two reasons they reduced the number of classes. The other was covered in a thread a month or two ago and concerned the brain drain the expanded program caused on the school's broader community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The dynamic between some 4th grade parents’ expectations this year and the school compared to the way it worked in the past with 1 class has been...not good. If I were an incoming 4th grade parent I’d demand a meeting. A friendly meeting, but an informational meeting to better shape expectations. I want to echo we have had a good experience. Excellent, even.

This is likely one of two reasons they reduced the number of classes. The other was covered in a thread a month or two ago and concerned the brain drain the expanded program caused on the school's broader community.

I think this was a wise choice and I think it will benefit the gen-ed population and also improve the experience among a newly smaller CES cohort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The dynamic between some 4th grade parents’ expectations this year and the school compared to the way it worked in the past with 1 class has been...not good. If I were an incoming 4th grade parent I’d demand a meeting. A friendly meeting, but an informational meeting to better shape expectations. I want to echo we have had a good experience. Excellent, even.

This is likely one of two reasons they reduced the number of classes. The other was covered in a thread a month or two ago and concerned the brain drain the expanded program caused on the school's broader community.

More like the white and Asian kid drain

[Anonymous]

http://www.mrssnydersclass.com/homework.html

Why is there a Yoda spelling group and a Chewy spelling group? How is that possible if all the kids are advanced?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

http://www.mrssnydersclass.com/homework.html

Why is there a Yoda spelling group and a Chewy spelling group? How is that possible if all the kids are advanced?

Some are more advanced.

[Anonymous]

This year - there has been a lot of work - up to 2 hours of homework/night and many angst-filled parent meetings about it. Yes, some fun projects. A lot of writing and reading. An above grade novel about every 3 week with a literary essay (higher expectations than your usual book report) expected after every book.

These are exactly the type of kids that should not be pushed into a CES program. Kids that belong in a CES program are the ones that thrive on intensive writing assignments and love doing them. The kids that belong in the CES program are the ones who would be reading for hours whether it was required homework or not. There are plenty of smart kids that do not thrive on this or want to spend lots of extra time doing academic work. There is nothing wrong with this and for these kids the home school is the best place. Later on the kids may decide that they are more passionate about an academic subject than playing ball and still end up in a magnet.

Too many parents see the CES as a way to get away from the lower performing kids and there is too much pressure on the kids to expand the CES program in certain schools to appease these parental demands. These parents then turn around and complain that the workload is too intensive. If the program reduces the workload and waters down the program to appease them then it really isn't a gifted center anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This year - there has been a lot of work - up to 2 hours of homework/night and many angst-filled parent meetings about it. Yes, some fun projects. A lot of writing and reading. An above grade novel about every 3 week with a literary essay (higher expectations than your usual book report) expected after every book.

These are exactly the type of kids that should not be pushed into a CES program. Kids that belong in a CES program are the ones that thrive on intensive writing assignments and love doing them. The kids that belong in the CES program are the ones who would be reading for hours whether it was required homework or not. There are plenty of smart kids that do not thrive on this or want to spend lots of extra time doing academic work. There is nothing wrong with this and for these kids the home school is the best place. Later on the kids may decide that they are more passionate about an academic subject than playing ball and still end up in a magnet.

Too many parents see the CES as a way to get away from the lower performing kids and there is too much pressure on the kids to expand the CES program in certain schools to appease these parental demands. These parents then turn around and complain that the workload is too intensive. If the program reduces the workload and waters down the program to appease them then it really isn't a gifted center anymore.

In case you did not realize this when you typed your response, the PBES CES is in the home school for these kids: PBES. And the program is not watered down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This year - there has been a lot of work - up to 2 hours of homework/night and many angst-filled parent meetings about it. Yes, some fun projects. A lot of writing and reading. An above grade novel about every 3 week with a literary essay (higher expectations than your usual book report) expected after every book.

These are exactly the type of kids that should not be pushed into a CES program. Kids that belong in a CES program are the ones that thrive on intensive writing assignments and love doing them. The kids that belong in the CES program are the ones who would be reading for hours whether it was required homework or not. There are plenty of smart kids that do not thrive on this or want to spend lots of extra time doing academic work. There is nothing wrong with this and for these kids the home school is the best place. Later on the kids may decide that they are more passionate about an academic subject than playing ball and still end up in a magnet.

Too many parents see the CES as a way to get away from the lower performing kids and there is too much pressure on the kids to expand the CES program in certain schools to appease these parental demands. These parents then turn around and complain that the workload is too intensive. If the program reduces the workload and waters down the program to appease them then it really isn't a gifted center anymore.

Do you have other suggestions on how to separate the lower performing kids?? Center for Remedial Studies CRS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This year - there has been a lot of work - up to 2 hours of homework/night and many angst-filled parent meetings about it. Yes, some fun projects. A lot of writing and reading. An above grade novel about every 3 week with a literary essay (higher expectations than your usual book report) expected after every book.

These are exactly the type of kids that should not be pushed into a CES program. Kids that belong in a CES program are the ones that thrive on intensive writing assignments and love doing them. The kids that belong in the CES program are the ones who would be reading for hours whether it was required homework or not. There are plenty of smart kids that do not thrive on this or want to spend lots of extra time doing academic work. There is nothing wrong with this and for these kids the home school is the best place. Later on the kids may decide that they are more passionate about an academic subject than playing ball and still end up in a magnet.

Too many parents see the CES as a way to get away from the lower performing kids and there is too much pressure on the kids to expand the CES program in certain schools to appease these parental demands. These parents then turn around and complain that the workload is too intensive. If the program reduces the workload and waters down the program to appease them then it really isn't a gifted center anymore.

You know, as a parent of a high energy child who had basically checked out due to lack of interest in class, I would have to disagree with you on this. He does read a lot, way more than any kid at his home school, but he is coming from a school that gave him almost no work at all and the adjustment to a heavier load was pretty rough. Many of the CES kids are very, very high energy and after a long day of working hard in class they really benefit from some time to run around and move. They are only 8! And not all CES kids love the structure of the projects and writing assignments...they would rather be inventing their own projects. Some kind of reasonable balance needs to exist so that they do get enrichment and rigorous assignments at school (which I really love that he gets and he is so much happier and more engaged), but also recognizes that many of these aren’t kids who are bored at home, looking for something to do... they have a long list of things they like to invent and play and figure out. Being bright and needing school enrichment shouldn’t also mean needing to sit on the couch for two hours every night after school at this age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
This year - there has been a lot of work - up to 2 hours of homework/night and many angst-filled parent meetings about it. Yes, some fun projects. A lot of writing and reading. An above grade novel about every 3 week with a literary essay (higher expectations than your usual book report) expected after every book.


These are exactly the type of kids that should not be pushed into a CES program. Kids that belong in a CES program are the ones that thrive on intensive writing assignments and love doing them. The kids that belong in the CES program are the ones who would be reading for hours whether it was required homework or not. There are plenty of smart kids that do not thrive on this or want to spend lots of extra time doing academic work. There is nothing wrong with this and for these kids the home school is the best place. Later on the kids may decide that they are more passionate about an academic subject than playing ball and still end up in a magnet.

Too many parents see the CES as a way to get away from the lower performing kids and there is too much pressure on the kids to expand the CES program in certain schools to appease these parental demands. These parents then turn around and complain that the workload is too intensive. If the program reduces the workload and waters down the program to appease them then it really isn't a gifted center anymore.


You know, as a parent of a high energy child who had basically checked out due to lack of interest in class, I would have to disagree with you on this. He does read a lot, way more than any kid at his home school, but he is coming from a school that gave him almost no work at all and the adjustment to a heavier load was pretty rough. Many of the CES kids are very, very high energy and after a long day of working hard in class they really benefit from some time to run around and move. They are only 8! And not all CES kids love the structure of the projects and writing assignments...they would rather be inventing their own projects. Some kind of reasonable balance needs to exist so that they do get enrichment and rigorous assignments at school (which I really love that he gets and he is so much happier and more engaged), but also recognizes that many of these aren’t kids who are bored at home, looking for something to do... they have a long list of things they like to invent and play and figure out. Being bright and needing school enrichment shouldn’t also mean needing to sit on the couch for two hours every night after school at this age.

You're actually making the case that there should be more enrichment in your home school not that your kid should be in a CES program. I agree that MCPS misses the boat on providing an engaging and challenging age appropriate curriculum in the home schools. This doesn't mean though that those kids should be pushed into a GT center and then not enjoy doing the work. If 2.0 wasn't so bad, many parents wouldn't be pushing to get kids into a CES when that isn't the right place for that child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This year - there has been a lot of work - up to 2 hours of homework/night and many angst-filled parent meetings about it. Yes, some fun projects. A lot of writing and reading. An above grade novel about every 3 week with a literary essay (higher expectations than your usual book report) expected after every book.


These are exactly the type of kids that should not be pushed into a CES program. Kids that belong in a CES program are the ones that thrive on intensive writing assignments and love doing them. The kids that belong in the CES program are the ones who would be reading for hours whether it was required homework or not. There are plenty of smart kids that do not thrive on this or want to spend lots of extra time doing academic work. There is nothing wrong with this and for these kids the home school is the best place. Later on the kids may decide that they are more passionate about an academic subject than playing ball and still end up in a magnet.

Too many parents see the CES as a way to get away from the lower performing kids and there is too much pressure on the kids to expand the CES program in certain schools to appease these parental demands. These parents then turn around and complain that the workload is too intensive. If the program reduces the workload and waters down the program to appease them then it really isn't a gifted center anymore.


You know, as a parent of a high energy child who had basically checked out due to lack of interest in class, I would have to disagree with you on this. He does read a lot, way more than any kid at his home school, but he is coming from a school that gave him almost no work at all and the adjustment to a heavier load was pretty rough. Many of the CES kids are very, very high energy and after a long day of working hard in class they really benefit from some time to run around and move. They are only 8! And not all CES kids love the structure of the projects and writing assignments...they would rather be inventing their own projects. Some kind of reasonable balance needs to exist so that they do get enrichment and rigorous assignments at school (which I really love that he gets and he is so much happier and more engaged), but also recognizes that many of these aren’t kids who are bored at home, looking for something to do... they have a long list of things they like to invent and play and figure out. Being bright and needing school enrichment shouldn’t also mean needing to sit on the couch for two hours every night after school at this age.

You're actually making the case that there should be more enrichment in your home school not that your kid should be in a CES program. I agree that MCPS misses the boat on providing an engaging and challenging age appropriate curriculum in the home schools. This doesn't mean though that those kids should be pushed into a GT center and then not enjoy doing the work. If 2.0 wasn't so bad, many parents wouldn't be pushing to get kids into a CES when that isn't the right place for that child.

NP here - it really seems the "HG" part is gone as a defining aspect of the CES. Yes some are there, but really it's now 2/3 of the way towards FCPS AAP.

[Anonymous]

It's ONE YEAR only. Fifth grade is not like this. And maybe developing the discipline to sit in a place and do homework will help in Middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's ONE YEAR only. Fifth grade is not like this. And maybe developing the discipline to sit in a place and do homework will help in Middle school.

My kid typically had to do 30-60 minutes of homework a day but it was their favorite year of school ever.