Algebra 2 struggle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has been zero discussion on addressing learning loss. Only a mention that it exists. My kids Title i schools, especially the HS, seems almost gleeful about it. They are he!! bent on reducing the number of APs and Honors classes students take.

It shouldn’t be a matter of, if you parent want to address the learning loss, you can pay for it yourself. This should be addressed from the top down (state to district).

Realistically speaking, they would have many of the kids repeat a full year of school. Most of the kids in FCPS, not just Title 1 schools, would have been better off if they repeated their DL year. The standards were diminished for the year and many kids struggled with those diminished standards due to DL. But the idea of having a large percentage of the kids in FCPS repeat a year was too much for anyone to handle and if you think that the schools are going to be able to address the learning loss during the school year, you are crazy.

And yes, the ES kids are going to struggle with higher math in a bunch of years for the same reason that the current kids in Algebra 2 are struggling. They are missing core concepts that are needed for future success. It is easier to see what is missing in the older kids now but the ES kids are going to have the same issue. The reality is that ES parents have more time to recover using things like Khan Academy (free), workbooks, or some type of tutoring/math class program (Kumon, Sylvan, RSM.)

I cannot imagine how badly the kids taking Algebra were affected by this. The Teachers taught a different curriculum and the online learning was not ideal. There were too many options for kids to be lazy or cheat or just not show up. We saw plenty of adults who were suddenly teleworking not showing up and not doing the work that they were assigned at my job site, why would I expect that teenagers might not do the same thing? For the kids who were making an effort, they got a slower course that did not cover all the normal concepts. They had to figure out how to learn in a totally different environment. It is very likely that they did not learn the material as well as they would have learned it in the classroom.

This is not a good combination for kids today in Algebra 2 because you have kids who cheated and kids who tried but were not given the full material and the schools and Parents are acting like these same kids had the full course and are prepared for Algebra 2 when they simply are not. There is probably a small percentage of the kids taking the class who are ready for Algebra 2 and I would be t that those kids were doing extra work to get to that point. We are all going to be dealing with this for a long time.

So you’re OK that this problem is being swept under the rug? And not just here in FCPS. We either pay now or pay later with interest.

Nope, my kid went for math classes on the weekend. He is going to be fine. I saw the problem while it was happening and saw that the County and State (they adjusted the standards for the schools and SOLs) was not going to do crap about it. So we acted and made sure he didn't have gaps.

I fail to see how not doing anything to support my child in the moment and complaining about what happened in DL is going to help my child. We are already a year past when the most effective remedy was possible, allowing kids to repeat classes where needed and expunging grades, so I am not sure what you think is going to happen.

I am not sure what can be done for students in this moment. Staying in Algebra 2 or an advanced language or whatever class they missed foundational material for is not a good idea for kids who are struggling. Slowing down the material, and thereby dropping standards, isn't going to help them.

DL might have brought forward the lack of school support for some people but my parents provided tutoring and specialized work for my brother and I because the school wasn't doing enough in the 1980's, we have LDs and ADHD. The school did the minimum it as expected to do and nothing more in the 1980's. Plenty of parents will tell you the same thing is happening today. If they waited for the school to actually do what they are supposed to do, their kids would be screwed. The big difference now is that parents of kids who had been doing fine and were screwed with DL are seeing what parents of kids who have been struggling for ages have seen. FCPS, and I the schools I attended in totally different states, will do the bare minimum and walk away. So it is on you, if you can, to fix the problem.

I tend to agree with this view. We saw the gaps and problems. We hired a math tutor for Al. 1 HN. The tutor -a teacher- acknowledged the gaps in the DL curriculum and plugged the holes (incidentally, we kept on with the tutor as we have found the classes too big for DC and adequate explanation isn't always given). Similarly, I have a lot of writing experience and worked with my kid on grammar and writing. We complained but we took the initiative and did something to mitigate it. Did I want to pay for a tutor? No. But I could either not on some righteous principle or do something about it (and yes, I know we are lucky that we could afford to do that but, lbh, lots of people on here can afford it and just did not).

Look, DL wasn't perfect. But, I'm finding being onsite also is not perfect with teachers varying wildly in how they teach (or how my kid responds to any particular teaching style).

Quit complaining. Fix it. Free tutoring, online services, office hours, free periods with teachers, work with them yourself if you are able . . . . all available at no cost to help your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has been zero discussion on addressing learning loss. Only a mention that it exists. My kids Title i schools, especially the HS, seems almost gleeful about it. They are he!! bent on reducing the number of APs and Honors classes students take.

It shouldn’t be a matter of, if you parent want to address the learning loss, you can pay for it yourself. This should be addressed from the top down (state to district).

Realistically speaking, they would have many of the kids repeat a full year of school. Most of the kids in FCPS, not just Title 1 schools, would have been better off if they repeated their DL year. The standards were diminished for the year and many kids struggled with those diminished standards due to DL. But the idea of having a large percentage of the kids in FCPS repeat a year was too much for anyone to handle and if you think that the schools are going to be able to address the learning loss during the school year, you are crazy.

And yes, the ES kids are going to struggle with higher math in a bunch of years for the same reason that the current kids in Algebra 2 are struggling. They are missing core concepts that are needed for future success. It is easier to see what is missing in the older kids now but the ES kids are going to have the same issue. The reality is that ES parents have more time to recover using things like Khan Academy (free), workbooks, or some type of tutoring/math class program (Kumon, Sylvan, RSM.)

I cannot imagine how badly the kids taking Algebra were affected by this. The Teachers taught a different curriculum and the online learning was not ideal. There were too many options for kids to be lazy or cheat or just not show up. We saw plenty of adults who were suddenly teleworking not showing up and not doing the work that they were assigned at my job site, why would I expect that teenagers might not do the same thing? For the kids who were making an effort, they got a slower course that did not cover all the normal concepts. They had to figure out how to learn in a totally different environment. It is very likely that they did not learn the material as well as they would have learned it in the classroom.

This is not a good combination for kids today in Algebra 2 because you have kids who cheated and kids who tried but were not given the full material and the schools and Parents are acting like these same kids had the full course and are prepared for Algebra 2 when they simply are not. There is probably a small percentage of the kids taking the class who are ready for Algebra 2 and I would be t that those kids were doing extra work to get to that point. We are all going to be dealing with this for a long time.

So you’re OK that this problem is being swept under the rug? And not just here in FCPS. We either pay now or pay later with interest.

Nope, my kid went for math classes on the weekend. He is going to be fine. I saw the problem while it was happening and saw that the County and State (they adjusted the standards for the schools and SOLs) was not going to do crap about it. So we acted and made sure he didn't have gaps.

I fail to see how not doing anything to support my child in the moment and complaining about what happened in DL is going to help my child. We are already a year past when the most effective remedy was possible, allowing kids to repeat classes where needed and expunging grades, so I am not sure what you think is going to happen.

I am not sure what can be done for students in this moment. Staying in Algebra 2 or an advanced language or whatever class they missed foundational material for is not a good idea for kids who are struggling. Slowing down the material, and thereby dropping standards, isn't going to help them.

DL might have brought forward the lack of school support for some people but my parents provided tutoring and specialized work for my brother and I because the school wasn't doing enough in the 1980's, we have LDs and ADHD. The school did the minimum it as expected to do and nothing more in the 1980's. Plenty of parents will tell you the same thing is happening today. If they waited for the school to actually do what they are supposed to do, their kids would be screwed. The big difference now is that parents of kids who had been doing fine and were screwed with DL are seeing what parents of kids who have been struggling for ages have seen. FCPS, and I the schools I attended in totally different states, will do the bare minimum and walk away. So it is on you, if you can, to fix the problem.

I tend to agree with this view. We saw the gaps and problems. We hired a math tutor for Al. 1 HN. The tutor -a teacher- acknowledged the gaps in the DL curriculum and plugged the holes (incidentally, we kept on with the tutor as we have found the classes too big for DC and adequate explanation isn't always given). Similarly, I have a lot of writing experience and worked with my kid on grammar and writing. We complained but we took the initiative and did something to mitigate it. Did I want to pay for a tutor? No. But I could either not on some righteous principle or do something about it (and yes, I know we are lucky that we could afford to do that but, lbh, lots of people on here can afford it and just did not).

Look, DL wasn't perfect. But, I'm finding being onsite also is not perfect with teachers varying wildly in how they teach (or how my kid responds to any particular teaching style).

Quit complaining. Fix it. Free tutoring, online services, office hours, free periods with teachers, work with them yourself if you are able . . . . all available at no cost to help your kids.

I have addressed it for my own kid. But that doesn’t help the others, and therefore it is a problem. It is our problem and the problem is now worse. Walk away while you virtue signal. I tutor my own kids as well as others. The wealth in this district is inversely proportional to how much it cares about the quality community education. Hate in the form of passivity and indifference has found a home in FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has been zero discussion on addressing learning loss. Only a mention that it exists. My kids Title i schools, especially the HS, seems almost gleeful about it. They are he!! bent on reducing the number of APs and Honors classes students take.

It shouldn’t be a matter of, if you parent want to address the learning loss, you can pay for it yourself. This should be addressed from the top down (state to district).

Realistically speaking, they would have many of the kids repeat a full year of school. Most of the kids in FCPS, not just Title 1 schools, would have been better off if they repeated their DL year. The standards were diminished for the year and many kids struggled with those diminished standards due to DL. But the idea of having a large percentage of the kids in FCPS repeat a year was too much for anyone to handle and if you think that the schools are going to be able to address the learning loss during the school year, you are crazy.

And yes, the ES kids are going to struggle with higher math in a bunch of years for the same reason that the current kids in Algebra 2 are struggling. They are missing core concepts that are needed for future success. It is easier to see what is missing in the older kids now but the ES kids are going to have the same issue. The reality is that ES parents have more time to recover using things like Khan Academy (free), workbooks, or some type of tutoring/math class program (Kumon, Sylvan, RSM.)

I cannot imagine how badly the kids taking Algebra were affected by this. The Teachers taught a different curriculum and the online learning was not ideal. There were too many options for kids to be lazy or cheat or just not show up. We saw plenty of adults who were suddenly teleworking not showing up and not doing the work that they were assigned at my job site, why would I expect that teenagers might not do the same thing? For the kids who were making an effort, they got a slower course that did not cover all the normal concepts. They had to figure out how to learn in a totally different environment. It is very likely that they did not learn the material as well as they would have learned it in the classroom.

This is not a good combination for kids today in Algebra 2 because you have kids who cheated and kids who tried but were not given the full material and the schools and Parents are acting like these same kids had the full course and are prepared for Algebra 2 when they simply are not. There is probably a small percentage of the kids taking the class who are ready for Algebra 2 and I would be t that those kids were doing extra work to get to that point. We are all going to be dealing with this for a long time.

So you’re OK that this problem is being swept under the rug? And not just here in FCPS. We either pay now or pay later with interest.

Nope, my kid went for math classes on the weekend. He is going to be fine. I saw the problem while it was happening and saw that the County and State (they adjusted the standards for the schools and SOLs) was not going to do crap about it. So we acted and made sure he didn't have gaps.

I fail to see how not doing anything to support my child in the moment and complaining about what happened in DL is going to help my child. We are already a year past when the most effective remedy was possible, allowing kids to repeat classes where needed and expunging grades, so I am not sure what you think is going to happen.

I am not sure what can be done for students in this moment. Staying in Algebra 2 or an advanced language or whatever class they missed foundational material for is not a good idea for kids who are struggling. Slowing down the material, and thereby dropping standards, isn't going to help them.

DL might have brought forward the lack of school support for some people but my parents provided tutoring and specialized work for my brother and I because the school wasn't doing enough in the 1980's, we have LDs and ADHD. The school did the minimum it as expected to do and nothing more in the 1980's. Plenty of parents will tell you the same thing is happening today. If they waited for the school to actually do what they are supposed to do, their kids would be screwed. The big difference now is that parents of kids who had been doing fine and were screwed with DL are seeing what parents of kids who have been struggling for ages have seen. FCPS, and I the schools I attended in totally different states, will do the bare minimum and walk away. So it is on you, if you can, to fix the problem.

I tend to agree with this view. We saw the gaps and problems. We hired a math tutor for Al. 1 HN. The tutor -a teacher- acknowledged the gaps in the DL curriculum and plugged the holes (incidentally, we kept on with the tutor as we have found the classes too big for DC and adequate explanation isn't always given). Similarly, I have a lot of writing experience and worked with my kid on grammar and writing. We complained but we took the initiative and did something to mitigate it. Did I want to pay for a tutor? No. But I could either not on some righteous principle or do something about it (and yes, I know we are lucky that we could afford to do that but, lbh, lots of people on here can afford it and just did not).

Look, DL wasn't perfect. But, I'm finding being onsite also is not perfect with teachers varying wildly in how they teach (or how my kid responds to any particular teaching style).

Quit complaining. Fix it. Free tutoring, online services, office hours, free periods with teachers, work with them yourself if you are able . . . . all available at no cost to help your kids.

I have addressed it for my own kid. But that doesn’t help the others, and therefore it is a problem. It is our problem and the problem is now worse. Walk away while you virtue signal. I tutor my own kids as well as others. The wealth in this district is inversely proportional to how much it cares about the quality community education. Hate in the form of passivity and indifference has found a home in FCPS.

So what's the answer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has been zero discussion on addressing learning loss. Only a mention that it exists. My kids Title i schools, especially the HS, seems almost gleeful about it. They are he!! bent on reducing the number of APs and Honors classes students take.

It shouldn’t be a matter of, if you parent want to address the learning loss, you can pay for it yourself. This should be addressed from the top down (state to district).

Realistically speaking, they would have many of the kids repeat a full year of school. Most of the kids in FCPS, not just Title 1 schools, would have been better off if they repeated their DL year. The standards were diminished for the year and many kids struggled with those diminished standards due to DL. But the idea of having a large percentage of the kids in FCPS repeat a year was too much for anyone to handle and if you think that the schools are going to be able to address the learning loss during the school year, you are crazy.

And yes, the ES kids are going to struggle with higher math in a bunch of years for the same reason that the current kids in Algebra 2 are struggling. They are missing core concepts that are needed for future success. It is easier to see what is missing in the older kids now but the ES kids are going to have the same issue. The reality is that ES parents have more time to recover using things like Khan Academy (free), workbooks, or some type of tutoring/math class program (Kumon, Sylvan, RSM.)

I cannot imagine how badly the kids taking Algebra were affected by this. The Teachers taught a different curriculum and the online learning was not ideal. There were too many options for kids to be lazy or cheat or just not show up. We saw plenty of adults who were suddenly teleworking not showing up and not doing the work that they were assigned at my job site, why would I expect that teenagers might not do the same thing? For the kids who were making an effort, they got a slower course that did not cover all the normal concepts. They had to figure out how to learn in a totally different environment. It is very likely that they did not learn the material as well as they would have learned it in the classroom.

This is not a good combination for kids today in Algebra 2 because you have kids who cheated and kids who tried but were not given the full material and the schools and Parents are acting like these same kids had the full course and are prepared for Algebra 2 when they simply are not. There is probably a small percentage of the kids taking the class who are ready for Algebra 2 and I would be t that those kids were doing extra work to get to that point. We are all going to be dealing with this for a long time.

So you’re OK that this problem is being swept under the rug? And not just here in FCPS. We either pay now or pay later with interest.

Nope, my kid went for math classes on the weekend. He is going to be fine. I saw the problem while it was happening and saw that the County and State (they adjusted the standards for the schools and SOLs) was not going to do crap about it. So we acted and made sure he didn't have gaps.

I fail to see how not doing anything to support my child in the moment and complaining about what happened in DL is going to help my child. We are already a year past when the most effective remedy was possible, allowing kids to repeat classes where needed and expunging grades, so I am not sure what you think is going to happen.

I am not sure what can be done for students in this moment. Staying in Algebra 2 or an advanced language or whatever class they missed foundational material for is not a good idea for kids who are struggling. Slowing down the material, and thereby dropping standards, isn't going to help them.

DL might have brought forward the lack of school support for some people but my parents provided tutoring and specialized work for my brother and I because the school wasn't doing enough in the 1980's, we have LDs and ADHD. The school did the minimum it as expected to do and nothing more in the 1980's. Plenty of parents will tell you the same thing is happening today. If they waited for the school to actually do what they are supposed to do, their kids would be screwed. The big difference now is that parents of kids who had been doing fine and were screwed with DL are seeing what parents of kids who have been struggling for ages have seen. FCPS, and I the schools I attended in totally different states, will do the bare minimum and walk away. So it is on you, if you can, to fix the problem.

I tend to agree with this view. We saw the gaps and problems. We hired a math tutor for Al. 1 HN. The tutor -a teacher- acknowledged the gaps in the DL curriculum and plugged the holes (incidentally, we kept on with the tutor as we have found the classes too big for DC and adequate explanation isn't always given). Similarly, I have a lot of writing experience and worked with my kid on grammar and writing. We complained but we took the initiative and did something to mitigate it. Did I want to pay for a tutor? No. But I could either not on some righteous principle or do something about it (and yes, I know we are lucky that we could afford to do that but, lbh, lots of people on here can afford it and just did not).

Look, DL wasn't perfect. But, I'm finding being onsite also is not perfect with teachers varying wildly in how they teach (or how my kid responds to any particular teaching style).

Quit complaining. Fix it. Free tutoring, online services, office hours, free periods with teachers, work with them yourself if you are able . . . . all available at no cost to help your kids.

I have addressed it for my own kid. But that doesn’t help the others, and therefore it is a problem. It is our problem and the problem is now worse. Walk away while you virtue signal. I tutor my own kids as well as others. The wealth in this district is inversely proportional to how much it cares about the quality community education. Hate in the form of passivity and indifference has found a home in FCPS.

So what's the answer?

Breaking up FCPS into districts that are more responsive, or prioritizing teacher salaries and numbers at the expense of other programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has been zero discussion on addressing learning loss. Only a mention that it exists. My kids Title i schools, especially the HS, seems almost gleeful about it. They are he!! bent on reducing the number of APs and Honors classes students take.

It shouldn’t be a matter of, if you parent want to address the learning loss, you can pay for it yourself. This should be addressed from the top down (state to district).

Realistically speaking, they would have many of the kids repeat a full year of school. Most of the kids in FCPS, not just Title 1 schools, would have been better off if they repeated their DL year. The standards were diminished for the year and many kids struggled with those diminished standards due to DL. But the idea of having a large percentage of the kids in FCPS repeat a year was too much for anyone to handle and if you think that the schools are going to be able to address the learning loss during the school year, you are crazy.

And yes, the ES kids are going to struggle with higher math in a bunch of years for the same reason that the current kids in Algebra 2 are struggling. They are missing core concepts that are needed for future success. It is easier to see what is missing in the older kids now but the ES kids are going to have the same issue. The reality is that ES parents have more time to recover using things like Khan Academy (free), workbooks, or some type of tutoring/math class program (Kumon, Sylvan, RSM.)

I cannot imagine how badly the kids taking Algebra were affected by this. The Teachers taught a different curriculum and the online learning was not ideal. There were too many options for kids to be lazy or cheat or just not show up. We saw plenty of adults who were suddenly teleworking not showing up and not doing the work that they were assigned at my job site, why would I expect that teenagers might not do the same thing? For the kids who were making an effort, they got a slower course that did not cover all the normal concepts. They had to figure out how to learn in a totally different environment. It is very likely that they did not learn the material as well as they would have learned it in the classroom.

This is not a good combination for kids today in Algebra 2 because you have kids who cheated and kids who tried but were not given the full material and the schools and Parents are acting like these same kids had the full course and are prepared for Algebra 2 when they simply are not. There is probably a small percentage of the kids taking the class who are ready for Algebra 2 and I would be t that those kids were doing extra work to get to that point. We are all going to be dealing with this for a long time.

So you’re OK that this problem is being swept under the rug? And not just here in FCPS. We either pay now or pay later with interest.

Nope, my kid went for math classes on the weekend. He is going to be fine. I saw the problem while it was happening and saw that the County and State (they adjusted the standards for the schools and SOLs) was not going to do crap about it. So we acted and made sure he didn't have gaps.

I fail to see how not doing anything to support my child in the moment and complaining about what happened in DL is going to help my child. We are already a year past when the most effective remedy was possible, allowing kids to repeat classes where needed and expunging grades, so I am not sure what you think is going to happen.

I am not sure what can be done for students in this moment. Staying in Algebra 2 or an advanced language or whatever class they missed foundational material for is not a good idea for kids who are struggling. Slowing down the material, and thereby dropping standards, isn't going to help them.

DL might have brought forward the lack of school support for some people but my parents provided tutoring and specialized work for my brother and I because the school wasn't doing enough in the 1980's, we have LDs and ADHD. The school did the minimum it as expected to do and nothing more in the 1980's. Plenty of parents will tell you the same thing is happening today. If they waited for the school to actually do what they are supposed to do, their kids would be screwed. The big difference now is that parents of kids who had been doing fine and were screwed with DL are seeing what parents of kids who have been struggling for ages have seen. FCPS, and I the schools I attended in totally different states, will do the bare minimum and walk away. So it is on you, if you can, to fix the problem.

I tend to agree with this view. We saw the gaps and problems. We hired a math tutor for Al. 1 HN. The tutor -a teacher- acknowledged the gaps in the DL curriculum and plugged the holes (incidentally, we kept on with the tutor as we have found the classes too big for DC and adequate explanation isn't always given). Similarly, I have a lot of writing experience and worked with my kid on grammar and writing. We complained but we took the initiative and did something to mitigate it. Did I want to pay for a tutor? No. But I could either not on some righteous principle or do something about it (and yes, I know we are lucky that we could afford to do that but, lbh, lots of people on here can afford it and just did not).

Look, DL wasn't perfect. But, I'm finding being onsite also is not perfect with teachers varying wildly in how they teach (or how my kid responds to any particular teaching style).

Quit complaining. Fix it. Free tutoring, online services, office hours, free periods with teachers, work with them yourself if you are able . . . . all available at no cost to help your kids.

I have addressed it for my own kid. But that doesn’t help the others, and therefore it is a problem. It is our problem and the problem is now worse. Walk away while you virtue signal. I tutor my own kids as well as others. The wealth in this district is inversely proportional to how much it cares about the quality community education. Hate in the form of passivity and indifference has found a home in FCPS.

So what's the answer?

Apparently the answer is to come on DCUM and lecture parents who saw the problem and found ways to address it that are not universally available. Winning!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has been zero discussion on addressing learning loss. Only a mention that it exists. My kids Title i schools, especially the HS, seems almost gleeful about it. They are he!! bent on reducing the number of APs and Honors classes students take.

It shouldn’t be a matter of, if you parent want to address the learning loss, you can pay for it yourself. This should be addressed from the top down (state to district).

Realistically speaking, they would have many of the kids repeat a full year of school. Most of the kids in FCPS, not just Title 1 schools, would have been better off if they repeated their DL year. The standards were diminished for the year and many kids struggled with those diminished standards due to DL. But the idea of having a large percentage of the kids in FCPS repeat a year was too much for anyone to handle and if you think that the schools are going to be able to address the learning loss during the school year, you are crazy.

And yes, the ES kids are going to struggle with higher math in a bunch of years for the same reason that the current kids in Algebra 2 are struggling. They are missing core concepts that are needed for future success. It is easier to see what is missing in the older kids now but the ES kids are going to have the same issue. The reality is that ES parents have more time to recover using things like Khan Academy (free), workbooks, or some type of tutoring/math class program (Kumon, Sylvan, RSM.)

I cannot imagine how badly the kids taking Algebra were affected by this. The Teachers taught a different curriculum and the online learning was not ideal. There were too many options for kids to be lazy or cheat or just not show up. We saw plenty of adults who were suddenly teleworking not showing up and not doing the work that they were assigned at my job site, why would I expect that teenagers might not do the same thing? For the kids who were making an effort, they got a slower course that did not cover all the normal concepts. They had to figure out how to learn in a totally different environment. It is very likely that they did not learn the material as well as they would have learned it in the classroom.

This is not a good combination for kids today in Algebra 2 because you have kids who cheated and kids who tried but were not given the full material and the schools and Parents are acting like these same kids had the full course and are prepared for Algebra 2 when they simply are not. There is probably a small percentage of the kids taking the class who are ready for Algebra 2 and I would be t that those kids were doing extra work to get to that point. We are all going to be dealing with this for a long time.

So you’re OK that this problem is being swept under the rug? And not just here in FCPS. We either pay now or pay later with interest.

Nope, my kid went for math classes on the weekend. He is going to be fine. I saw the problem while it was happening and saw that the County and State (they adjusted the standards for the schools and SOLs) was not going to do crap about it. So we acted and made sure he didn't have gaps.

I fail to see how not doing anything to support my child in the moment and complaining about what happened in DL is going to help my child. We are already a year past when the most effective remedy was possible, allowing kids to repeat classes where needed and expunging grades, so I am not sure what you think is going to happen.

I am not sure what can be done for students in this moment. Staying in Algebra 2 or an advanced language or whatever class they missed foundational material for is not a good idea for kids who are struggling. Slowing down the material, and thereby dropping standards, isn't going to help them.

DL might have brought forward the lack of school support for some people but my parents provided tutoring and specialized work for my brother and I because the school wasn't doing enough in the 1980's, we have LDs and ADHD. The school did the minimum it as expected to do and nothing more in the 1980's. Plenty of parents will tell you the same thing is happening today. If they waited for the school to actually do what they are supposed to do, their kids would be screwed. The big difference now is that parents of kids who had been doing fine and were screwed with DL are seeing what parents of kids who have been struggling for ages have seen. FCPS, and I the schools I attended in totally different states, will do the bare minimum and walk away. So it is on you, if you can, to fix the problem.

I tend to agree with this view. We saw the gaps and problems. We hired a math tutor for Al. 1 HN. The tutor -a teacher- acknowledged the gaps in the DL curriculum and plugged the holes (incidentally, we kept on with the tutor as we have found the classes too big for DC and adequate explanation isn't always given). Similarly, I have a lot of writing experience and worked with my kid on grammar and writing. We complained but we took the initiative and did something to mitigate it. Did I want to pay for a tutor? No. But I could either not on some righteous principle or do something about it (and yes, I know we are lucky that we could afford to do that but, lbh, lots of people on here can afford it and just did not).

Look, DL wasn't perfect. But, I'm finding being onsite also is not perfect with teachers varying wildly in how they teach (or how my kid responds to any particular teaching style).

Quit complaining. Fix it. Free tutoring, online services, office hours, free periods with teachers, work with them yourself if you are able . . . . all available at no cost to help your kids.

I have addressed it for my own kid. But that doesn’t help the others, and therefore it is a problem. It is our problem and the problem is now worse. Walk away while you virtue signal. I tutor my own kids as well as others. The wealth in this district is inversely proportional to how much it cares about the quality community education. Hate in the form of passivity and indifference has found a home in FCPS.

So what's the answer?

Breaking up FCPS into districts that are more responsive, or prioritizing teacher salaries and numbers at the expense of other programs.

How does that help the current group of kids struggling in Algebra 2? Or the kids next year who are going to struggle with Algebra 2? Or the kids who had to deal with math and languages during COVID who have massive gaps in their learning?

Breaking up the County, which isn’t going to happen any way, does not address the immediate need. It is as useful a suggestion as “We hired tutors/did a program” for the kids who are struggling in Algebra 2 today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has been zero discussion on addressing learning loss. Only a mention that it exists. My kids Title i schools, especially the HS, seems almost gleeful about it. They are he!! bent on reducing the number of APs and Honors classes students take.

It shouldn’t be a matter of, if you parent want to address the learning loss, you can pay for it yourself. This should be addressed from the top down (state to district).

Realistically speaking, they would have many of the kids repeat a full year of school. Most of the kids in FCPS, not just Title 1 schools, would have been better off if they repeated their DL year. The standards were diminished for the year and many kids struggled with those diminished standards due to DL. But the idea of having a large percentage of the kids in FCPS repeat a year was too much for anyone to handle and if you think that the schools are going to be able to address the learning loss during the school year, you are crazy.

And yes, the ES kids are going to struggle with higher math in a bunch of years for the same reason that the current kids in Algebra 2 are struggling. They are missing core concepts that are needed for future success. It is easier to see what is missing in the older kids now but the ES kids are going to have the same issue. The reality is that ES parents have more time to recover using things like Khan Academy (free), workbooks, or some type of tutoring/math class program (Kumon, Sylvan, RSM.)

I cannot imagine how badly the kids taking Algebra were affected by this. The Teachers taught a different curriculum and the online learning was not ideal. There were too many options for kids to be lazy or cheat or just not show up. We saw plenty of adults who were suddenly teleworking not showing up and not doing the work that they were assigned at my job site, why would I expect that teenagers might not do the same thing? For the kids who were making an effort, they got a slower course that did not cover all the normal concepts. They had to figure out how to learn in a totally different environment. It is very likely that they did not learn the material as well as they would have learned it in the classroom.

This is not a good combination for kids today in Algebra 2 because you have kids who cheated and kids who tried but were not given the full material and the schools and Parents are acting like these same kids had the full course and are prepared for Algebra 2 when they simply are not. There is probably a small percentage of the kids taking the class who are ready for Algebra 2 and I would be t that those kids were doing extra work to get to that point. We are all going to be dealing with this for a long time.

So you’re OK that this problem is being swept under the rug? And not just here in FCPS. We either pay now or pay later with interest.

Nope, my kid went for math classes on the weekend. He is going to be fine. I saw the problem while it was happening and saw that the County and State (they adjusted the standards for the schools and SOLs) was not going to do crap about it. So we acted and made sure he didn't have gaps.

I fail to see how not doing anything to support my child in the moment and complaining about what happened in DL is going to help my child. We are already a year past when the most effective remedy was possible, allowing kids to repeat classes where needed and expunging grades, so I am not sure what you think is going to happen.

I am not sure what can be done for students in this moment. Staying in Algebra 2 or an advanced language or whatever class they missed foundational material for is not a good idea for kids who are struggling. Slowing down the material, and thereby dropping standards, isn't going to help them.

DL might have brought forward the lack of school support for some people but my parents provided tutoring and specialized work for my brother and I because the school wasn't doing enough in the 1980's, we have LDs and ADHD. The school did the minimum it as expected to do and nothing more in the 1980's. Plenty of parents will tell you the same thing is happening today. If they waited for the school to actually do what they are supposed to do, their kids would be screwed. The big difference now is that parents of kids who had been doing fine and were screwed with DL are seeing what parents of kids who have been struggling for ages have seen. FCPS, and I the schools I attended in totally different states, will do the bare minimum and walk away. So it is on you, if you can, to fix the problem.

I tend to agree with this view. We saw the gaps and problems. We hired a math tutor for Al. 1 HN. The tutor -a teacher- acknowledged the gaps in the DL curriculum and plugged the holes (incidentally, we kept on with the tutor as we have found the classes too big for DC and adequate explanation isn't always given). Similarly, I have a lot of writing experience and worked with my kid on grammar and writing. We complained but we took the initiative and did something to mitigate it. Did I want to pay for a tutor? No. But I could either not on some righteous principle or do something about it (and yes, I know we are lucky that we could afford to do that but, lbh, lots of people on here can afford it and just did not).

Look, DL wasn't perfect. But, I'm finding being onsite also is not perfect with teachers varying wildly in how they teach (or how my kid responds to any particular teaching style).

Quit complaining. Fix it. Free tutoring, online services, office hours, free periods with teachers, work with them yourself if you are able . . . . all available at no cost to help your kids.

I have addressed it for my own kid. But that doesn’t help the others, and therefore it is a problem. It is our problem and the problem is now worse. Walk away while you virtue signal. I tutor my own kids as well as others. The wealth in this district is inversely proportional to how much it cares about the quality community education. Hate in the form of passivity and indifference has found a home in FCPS.

So what's the answer?

Apparently the answer is to come on DCUM and lecture parents who saw the problem and found ways to address it that are not universally available. Winning!

The solution is to elect school board members and politicians who are going to get a grip on education, and for parents to hold the district accountable. If parents don't do this, the rest of the community has no idea that there is a growing problem and we're all going to pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has been zero discussion on addressing learning loss. Only a mention that it exists. My kids Title i schools, especially the HS, seems almost gleeful about it. They are he!! bent on reducing the number of APs and Honors classes students take.

It shouldn’t be a matter of, if you parent want to address the learning loss, you can pay for it yourself. This should be addressed from the top down (state to district).

Realistically speaking, they would have many of the kids repeat a full year of school. Most of the kids in FCPS, not just Title 1 schools, would have been better off if they repeated their DL year. The standards were diminished for the year and many kids struggled with those diminished standards due to DL. But the idea of having a large percentage of the kids in FCPS repeat a year was too much for anyone to handle and if you think that the schools are going to be able to address the learning loss during the school year, you are crazy.

And yes, the ES kids are going to struggle with higher math in a bunch of years for the same reason that the current kids in Algebra 2 are struggling. They are missing core concepts that are needed for future success. It is easier to see what is missing in the older kids now but the ES kids are going to have the same issue. The reality is that ES parents have more time to recover using things like Khan Academy (free), workbooks, or some type of tutoring/math class program (Kumon, Sylvan, RSM.)

I cannot imagine how badly the kids taking Algebra were affected by this. The Teachers taught a different curriculum and the online learning was not ideal. There were too many options for kids to be lazy or cheat or just not show up. We saw plenty of adults who were suddenly teleworking not showing up and not doing the work that they were assigned at my job site, why would I expect that teenagers might not do the same thing? For the kids who were making an effort, they got a slower course that did not cover all the normal concepts. They had to figure out how to learn in a totally different environment. It is very likely that they did not learn the material as well as they would have learned it in the classroom.

This is not a good combination for kids today in Algebra 2 because you have kids who cheated and kids who tried but were not given the full material and the schools and Parents are acting like these same kids had the full course and are prepared for Algebra 2 when they simply are not. There is probably a small percentage of the kids taking the class who are ready for Algebra 2 and I would be t that those kids were doing extra work to get to that point. We are all going to be dealing with this for a long time.

So you’re OK that this problem is being swept under the rug? And not just here in FCPS. We either pay now or pay later with interest.

Nope, my kid went for math classes on the weekend. He is going to be fine. I saw the problem while it was happening and saw that the County and State (they adjusted the standards for the schools and SOLs) was not going to do crap about it. So we acted and made sure he didn't have gaps.

I fail to see how not doing anything to support my child in the moment and complaining about what happened in DL is going to help my child. We are already a year past when the most effective remedy was possible, allowing kids to repeat classes where needed and expunging grades, so I am not sure what you think is going to happen.

I am not sure what can be done for students in this moment. Staying in Algebra 2 or an advanced language or whatever class they missed foundational material for is not a good idea for kids who are struggling. Slowing down the material, and thereby dropping standards, isn't going to help them.

DL might have brought forward the lack of school support for some people but my parents provided tutoring and specialized work for my brother and I because the school wasn't doing enough in the 1980's, we have LDs and ADHD. The school did the minimum it as expected to do and nothing more in the 1980's. Plenty of parents will tell you the same thing is happening today. If they waited for the school to actually do what they are supposed to do, their kids would be screwed. The big difference now is that parents of kids who had been doing fine and were screwed with DL are seeing what parents of kids who have been struggling for ages have seen. FCPS, and I the schools I attended in totally different states, will do the bare minimum and walk away. So it is on you, if you can, to fix the problem.

I tend to agree with this view. We saw the gaps and problems. We hired a math tutor for Al. 1 HN. The tutor -a teacher- acknowledged the gaps in the DL curriculum and plugged the holes (incidentally, we kept on with the tutor as we have found the classes too big for DC and adequate explanation isn't always given). Similarly, I have a lot of writing experience and worked with my kid on grammar and writing. We complained but we took the initiative and did something to mitigate it. Did I want to pay for a tutor? No. But I could either not on some righteous principle or do something about it (and yes, I know we are lucky that we could afford to do that but, lbh, lots of people on here can afford it and just did not).

Look, DL wasn't perfect. But, I'm finding being onsite also is not perfect with teachers varying wildly in how they teach (or how my kid responds to any particular teaching style).

Quit complaining. Fix it. Free tutoring, online services, office hours, free periods with teachers, work with them yourself if you are able . . . . all available at no cost to help your kids.

I have addressed it for my own kid. But that doesn’t help the others, and therefore it is a problem. It is our problem and the problem is now worse. Walk away while you virtue signal. I tutor my own kids as well as others. The wealth in this district is inversely proportional to how much it cares about the quality community education. Hate in the form of passivity and indifference has found a home in FCPS.

So what's the answer?

Apparently the answer is to come on DCUM and lecture parents who saw the problem and found ways to address it that are not universally available. Winning!

The solution is to elect school board members and politicians who are going to get a grip on education, and for parents to hold the district accountable. If parents don't do this, the rest of the community has no idea that there is a growing problem and we're all going to pay.

How will they do this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has been zero discussion on addressing learning loss. Only a mention that it exists. My kids Title i schools, especially the HS, seems almost gleeful about it. They are he!! bent on reducing the number of APs and Honors classes students take.

It shouldn’t be a matter of, if you parent want to address the learning loss, you can pay for it yourself. This should be addressed from the top down (state to district).

Realistically speaking, they would have many of the kids repeat a full year of school. Most of the kids in FCPS, not just Title 1 schools, would have been better off if they repeated their DL year. The standards were diminished for the year and many kids struggled with those diminished standards due to DL. But the idea of having a large percentage of the kids in FCPS repeat a year was too much for anyone to handle and if you think that the schools are going to be able to address the learning loss during the school year, you are crazy.

And yes, the ES kids are going to struggle with higher math in a bunch of years for the same reason that the current kids in Algebra 2 are struggling. They are missing core concepts that are needed for future success. It is easier to see what is missing in the older kids now but the ES kids are going to have the same issue. The reality is that ES parents have more time to recover using things like Khan Academy (free), workbooks, or some type of tutoring/math class program (Kumon, Sylvan, RSM.)

I cannot imagine how badly the kids taking Algebra were affected by this. The Teachers taught a different curriculum and the online learning was not ideal. There were too many options for kids to be lazy or cheat or just not show up. We saw plenty of adults who were suddenly teleworking not showing up and not doing the work that they were assigned at my job site, why would I expect that teenagers might not do the same thing? For the kids who were making an effort, they got a slower course that did not cover all the normal concepts. They had to figure out how to learn in a totally different environment. It is very likely that they did not learn the material as well as they would have learned it in the classroom.

This is not a good combination for kids today in Algebra 2 because you have kids who cheated and kids who tried but were not given the full material and the schools and Parents are acting like these same kids had the full course and are prepared for Algebra 2 when they simply are not. There is probably a small percentage of the kids taking the class who are ready for Algebra 2 and I would be t that those kids were doing extra work to get to that point. We are all going to be dealing with this for a long time.

So you’re OK that this problem is being swept under the rug? And not just here in FCPS. We either pay now or pay later with interest.

Nope, my kid went for math classes on the weekend. He is going to be fine. I saw the problem while it was happening and saw that the County and State (they adjusted the standards for the schools and SOLs) was not going to do crap about it. So we acted and made sure he didn't have gaps.

I fail to see how not doing anything to support my child in the moment and complaining about what happened in DL is going to help my child. We are already a year past when the most effective remedy was possible, allowing kids to repeat classes where needed and expunging grades, so I am not sure what you think is going to happen.

I am not sure what can be done for students in this moment. Staying in Algebra 2 or an advanced language or whatever class they missed foundational material for is not a good idea for kids who are struggling. Slowing down the material, and thereby dropping standards, isn't going to help them.

DL might have brought forward the lack of school support for some people but my parents provided tutoring and specialized work for my brother and I because the school wasn't doing enough in the 1980's, we have LDs and ADHD. The school did the minimum it as expected to do and nothing more in the 1980's. Plenty of parents will tell you the same thing is happening today. If they waited for the school to actually do what they are supposed to do, their kids would be screwed. The big difference now is that parents of kids who had been doing fine and were screwed with DL are seeing what parents of kids who have been struggling for ages have seen. FCPS, and I the schools I attended in totally different states, will do the bare minimum and walk away. So it is on you, if you can, to fix the problem.

I tend to agree with this view. We saw the gaps and problems. We hired a math tutor for Al. 1 HN. The tutor -a teacher- acknowledged the gaps in the DL curriculum and plugged the holes (incidentally, we kept on with the tutor as we have found the classes too big for DC and adequate explanation isn't always given). Similarly, I have a lot of writing experience and worked with my kid on grammar and writing. We complained but we took the initiative and did something to mitigate it. Did I want to pay for a tutor? No. But I could either not on some righteous principle or do something about it (and yes, I know we are lucky that we could afford to do that but, lbh, lots of people on here can afford it and just did not).

Look, DL wasn't perfect. But, I'm finding being onsite also is not perfect with teachers varying wildly in how they teach (or how my kid responds to any particular teaching style).

Quit complaining. Fix it. Free tutoring, online services, office hours, free periods with teachers, work with them yourself if you are able . . . . all available at no cost to help your kids.

I have addressed it for my own kid. But that doesn’t help the others, and therefore it is a problem. It is our problem and the problem is now worse. Walk away while you virtue signal. I tutor my own kids as well as others. The wealth in this district is inversely proportional to how much it cares about the quality community education. Hate in the form of passivity and indifference has found a home in FCPS.

So what's the answer?

Modifying the curriculum so it accounts for what was actually taught, not what the district wished was taught.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has been zero discussion on addressing learning loss. Only a mention that it exists. My kids Title i schools, especially the HS, seems almost gleeful about it. They are he!! bent on reducing the number of APs and Honors classes students take.

It shouldn’t be a matter of, if you parent want to address the learning loss, you can pay for it yourself. This should be addressed from the top down (state to district).

Realistically speaking, they would have many of the kids repeat a full year of school. Most of the kids in FCPS, not just Title 1 schools, would have been better off if they repeated their DL year. The standards were diminished for the year and many kids struggled with those diminished standards due to DL. But the idea of having a large percentage of the kids in FCPS repeat a year was too much for anyone to handle and if you think that the schools are going to be able to address the learning loss during the school year, you are crazy.

And yes, the ES kids are going to struggle with higher math in a bunch of years for the same reason that the current kids in Algebra 2 are struggling. They are missing core concepts that are needed for future success. It is easier to see what is missing in the older kids now but the ES kids are going to have the same issue. The reality is that ES parents have more time to recover using things like Khan Academy (free), workbooks, or some type of tutoring/math class program (Kumon, Sylvan, RSM.)

I cannot imagine how badly the kids taking Algebra were affected by this. The Teachers taught a different curriculum and the online learning was not ideal. There were too many options for kids to be lazy or cheat or just not show up. We saw plenty of adults who were suddenly teleworking not showing up and not doing the work that they were assigned at my job site, why would I expect that teenagers might not do the same thing? For the kids who were making an effort, they got a slower course that did not cover all the normal concepts. They had to figure out how to learn in a totally different environment. It is very likely that they did not learn the material as well as they would have learned it in the classroom.

This is not a good combination for kids today in Algebra 2 because you have kids who cheated and kids who tried but were not given the full material and the schools and Parents are acting like these same kids had the full course and are prepared for Algebra 2 when they simply are not. There is probably a small percentage of the kids taking the class who are ready for Algebra 2 and I would be t that those kids were doing extra work to get to that point. We are all going to be dealing with this for a long time.

So you’re OK that this problem is being swept under the rug? And not just here in FCPS. We either pay now or pay later with interest.

Nope, my kid went for math classes on the weekend. He is going to be fine. I saw the problem while it was happening and saw that the County and State (they adjusted the standards for the schools and SOLs) was not going to do crap about it. So we acted and made sure he didn't have gaps.

I fail to see how not doing anything to support my child in the moment and complaining about what happened in DL is going to help my child. We are already a year past when the most effective remedy was possible, allowing kids to repeat classes where needed and expunging grades, so I am not sure what you think is going to happen.

I am not sure what can be done for students in this moment. Staying in Algebra 2 or an advanced language or whatever class they missed foundational material for is not a good idea for kids who are struggling. Slowing down the material, and thereby dropping standards, isn't going to help them.

DL might have brought forward the lack of school support for some people but my parents provided tutoring and specialized work for my brother and I because the school wasn't doing enough in the 1980's, we have LDs and ADHD. The school did the minimum it as expected to do and nothing more in the 1980's. Plenty of parents will tell you the same thing is happening today. If they waited for the school to actually do what they are supposed to do, their kids would be screwed. The big difference now is that parents of kids who had been doing fine and were screwed with DL are seeing what parents of kids who have been struggling for ages have seen. FCPS, and I the schools I attended in totally different states, will do the bare minimum and walk away. So it is on you, if you can, to fix the problem.

I tend to agree with this view. We saw the gaps and problems. We hired a math tutor for Al. 1 HN. The tutor -a teacher- acknowledged the gaps in the DL curriculum and plugged the holes (incidentally, we kept on with the tutor as we have found the classes too big for DC and adequate explanation isn't always given). Similarly, I have a lot of writing experience and worked with my kid on grammar and writing. We complained but we took the initiative and did something to mitigate it. Did I want to pay for a tutor? No. But I could either not on some righteous principle or do something about it (and yes, I know we are lucky that we could afford to do that but, lbh, lots of people on here can afford it and just did not).

Look, DL wasn't perfect. But, I'm finding being onsite also is not perfect with teachers varying wildly in how they teach (or how my kid responds to any particular teaching style).

Quit complaining. Fix it. Free tutoring, online services, office hours, free periods with teachers, work with them yourself if you are able . . . . all available at no cost to help your kids.

I have addressed it for my own kid. But that doesn’t help the others, and therefore it is a problem. It is our problem and the problem is now worse. Walk away while you virtue signal. I tutor my own kids as well as others. The wealth in this district is inversely proportional to how much it cares about the quality community education. Hate in the form of passivity and indifference has found a home in FCPS.

So what's the answer?

Modifying the curriculum so it accounts for what was actually taught, not what the district wished was taught.

Which will do the kids no good when they go to college and take classes based on their high school transcript. They need to learn the material that is required for these math classes and language classes and Science classes. So continuing to change the standard is not helping anyone. Parents are going to need to find a way to get their kids caught up. Some of us did that during DL because we saw what was coming. Now you can get your kid a tutor for Algebra 2 and have that person review Algebra and teach your kid what they missed.

No one is saying that this is a good situation but changing the standard is not the answer. It wasn’t during DL and it isn’t now.

[Anonymous]

I know that Longfellow tried to address this last year. My DD took Algebra 1 (H) as a seventh grader (during covid). Her teacher at Longfellow did an outstanding job of sticking with the curriculum and teaching the material that year. When she was in Geometry last year - Longfellow geometry teachers incorporated pop up algebra 1 lessons throughout the year to make sure the kids learned it and maintained the knowledge. This allowed my DD to learn Geometry and relearn areas of Algebra that she may have struggled with in 7th grade.
Additionally - I know that Longfellow and Mclean High School offer free tutoring in school through school programs (during Lancer time and Highlander time) - so if you can't afford a tutor your child has the option to get tutoring through these programs (they are taught by students at those school who know the subject well). There are resources out there - that the schools are offering. You just have to seek them out.

[Anonymous]

pettifogger wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

pettifogger wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Third algebra 2 teacher, confirming everything stated above.

I usually spend 2.5 days reviewing factoring (algebra 1 spends weeks on it), give a short quiz, and then move on to the actual factoring applications that are in our curriculum. This year I’ve spent 5 days on it so far this year and kids are still struggling. So many of them didn’t get anything out of virtual (thanks, photomath) and those choices are coming back to haunt them this year.

I added extra days here because this skill is so critical to the rest of the year, but I can’t do it for every unit. Kids are going to have to get help outside class, whether from me, khan academy, or an outside tutor.

The vitrual math classesare really going to hit the class of 2026 hard on their SATs and PSAT.

Algebra is the most crucial subject for those tests.

I pulled my kid from fcps and put her in Catholoc for 8th. They had been going in person since August 2020 and had not switched to computer math. Everything was pencil to paper.in Algebra I. Best decision ever.

My kid was so behind for the entire first semester, in spite of testing in the mid 90s on the Iowa the Catholic school used for placement. It seems that she learned almost nothing from virtual pre Algebra in 2020/21 at her fcps middle school. The Catholic school kids were miles ahead of her. It took all year to catch up, but she only had a middle grade in Algebra.

She retook Algebra I online over the summer to raise the grade. Based on what she learned in Catholic school, she did very well in the condensed summer class and felt much more confident in her math knowledge and skills.

My suggestion would be to drop them down to non honors if theh are struggling, and maybe consider some sort of in person (not online) Algebra supplemental class like at Kumon, that starts from the very basic.

Fundamental algebra skills and knowledge are way too important to miss.

Distance learning sucked. We are going to reap the consequences for years down the road for most of the kids, but especially those who learned to read and write 2020-2022, those who were middle schoolers learning algebra, and the teens who are dealing with the emotional scars of those 2 wasted years.

Honestly, my blood is boiling reading all the messages from teachers saying that kids just have to work harder because they didn't learn the material. The kids did not learn the material because virtual teaching -- which teachers overwhelmingly wanted for the 20-21 school year -- was terrible for many kids.

Terrible because so many CHEATED. Sorry you cheated, kids!

Sorry you cheated. We teachers and admin knew about it and let it go. We knew you didn’t learn the materials and passed you with flying colors.sorry parents those grades were meaningless, and we didn’t warn you so now your kids are struggling this year.

My kid is OK (not great) but so many parents of my kids’ friends were blindsided.

My kid in AAP did very well and didn’t cheat during his virtual year which was 5th grade. That said, it was obvious there were gaps in math and the pace was slower. I tried to fill in with workbooks over the summer but it wasn’t enough. I knew then this would affect him so that he wouldn’t be able to take Algebra in 7th. Too many gaps. He still isn’t great with long division and long division with decimals. The next year (2021-2022 school year) math was hard and I had to help him a lot with homework, but he got it. This year in 7th he’s been totally fine on his own. But he is not in Algebra - he will be next year for 8th.

This is a mostly useless skill, especially division by decimals so I wouldn't worry about it. Just understand that division is trying to split a number into a bunch of groups and one algorithm for doing that is to repeatedly subtract from the original number and assign the quantity subtracted equally to each group. This main idea naturally leads to subtracting as much as you can (start by subtracting multiples of the divisor from the dividend, until you can no longer do it, leaving you with a remainder). Armed with this idea, your kid can come up with their own division algorithm and perform it in their own way, putting them in a great position to actually understand the standard division algorithm taught in school, which the overwhelming majority of all kids (and almost all adults!) don't fully understand.

To be ready for algebra, focus on understanding fractions really well, understand how to skip count extremely well including with fractions, understand place value very well, understand that division is defined as multiplication by the reciprocal, understand the distributive property really well and be able to explain why it works (i.e using geometry to split a rectangle into smaller rectangles), understand what an equation is and that if two quantities are equal certain operations can be done to both sides of an equation to leave it unchanged (i.e balance/scale analogy), understand what prime factorization is and be able to simplify fractions using prime factorization, be able to actually solve application problems involving fractions, understanding that ratios are just fractions, understand that one can think of multiplication intuitively as repeated addition and exponents as repeated multiplication, know a little bit about what a 'square root' is, (i.e the square root of a number is defined as the positive number that we can multiply by itself to obtain the number under the square root, understand the difference between expressions and equations, understand what an inequality is, understand how to represent an unknown quantity with a variable, and that's about it.

Well, yes, but I have kids in Calc BC who have never divided a function by a function. Makes it very difficult to teach integration by parts if I have to spend instructional time going over long division with numbers, then adding variables to it, then synthetic substitution, etc when all I want them to do is to simplify an integral so it is easier to deal with. Aggghh.

The root cause isn't division, it's just lack of number sense and problem solving skills spanning from as early as elementary, as well as various gaps in conceptual understanding (never mind a complete lack of basic geometric sense). Kids who have these skills can easily pick up a standard algorithm such as polynomial division. Kids who don't will need to put significant time and effort to get it (and one would hope they do so, if they were motivated to take Calc BC in the first place).

Neither of my kids are math people yet both were in advanced math in ES with 3s and mostly 4s. One is in 7th and she is in honors math 7 vs. Algebra; I want her to get all the concepts down vs. just being accelerated and not getting it. Here is the thing-they are/were both in advanced math in FCPS but they are both a year behind in their after school math programs (one AoPS and one RSM). Again-they are not gifted in math and neither will probably make it to high level calculus. I just want them to have a solid foundation in math. FCPS, acceleration is not the same as advanced math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There has been zero discussion on addressing learning loss. Only a mention that it exists. My kids Title i schools, especially the HS, seems almost gleeful about it. They are he!! bent on reducing the number of APs and Honors classes students take.

It shouldn’t be a matter of, if you parent want to address the learning loss, you can pay for it yourself. This should be addressed from the top down (state to district).

Realistically speaking, they would have many of the kids repeat a full year of school. Most of the kids in FCPS, not just Title 1 schools, would have been better off if they repeated their DL year. The standards were diminished for the year and many kids struggled with those diminished standards due to DL. But the idea of having a large percentage of the kids in FCPS repeat a year was too much for anyone to handle and if you think that the schools are going to be able to address the learning loss during the school year, you are crazy.

And yes, the ES kids are going to struggle with higher math in a bunch of years for the same reason that the current kids in Algebra 2 are struggling. They are missing core concepts that are needed for future success. It is easier to see what is missing in the older kids now but the ES kids are going to have the same issue. The reality is that ES parents have more time to recover using things like Khan Academy (free), workbooks, or some type of tutoring/math class program (Kumon, Sylvan, RSM.)

I cannot imagine how badly the kids taking Algebra were affected by this. The Teachers taught a different curriculum and the online learning was not ideal. There were too many options for kids to be lazy or cheat or just not show up. We saw plenty of adults who were suddenly teleworking not showing up and not doing the work that they were assigned at my job site, why would I expect that teenagers might not do the same thing? For the kids who were making an effort, they got a slower course that did not cover all the normal concepts. They had to figure out how to learn in a totally different environment. It is very likely that they did not learn the material as well as they would have learned it in the classroom.

This is not a good combination for kids today in Algebra 2 because you have kids who cheated and kids who tried but were not given the full material and the schools and Parents are acting like these same kids had the full course and are prepared for Algebra 2 when they simply are not. There is probably a small percentage of the kids taking the class who are ready for Algebra 2 and I would be t that those kids were doing extra work to get to that point. We are all going to be dealing with this for a long time.

So you’re OK that this problem is being swept under the rug? And not just here in FCPS. We either pay now or pay later with interest.

Nope, my kid went for math classes on the weekend. He is going to be fine. I saw the problem while it was happening and saw that the County and State (they adjusted the standards for the schools and SOLs) was not going to do crap about it. So we acted and made sure he didn't have gaps.

I fail to see how not doing anything to support my child in the moment and complaining about what happened in DL is going to help my child. We are already a year past when the most effective remedy was possible, allowing kids to repeat classes where needed and expunging grades, so I am not sure what you think is going to happen.

I am not sure what can be done for students in this moment. Staying in Algebra 2 or an advanced language or whatever class they missed foundational material for is not a good idea for kids who are struggling. Slowing down the material, and thereby dropping standards, isn't going to help them.

DL might have brought forward the lack of school support for some people but my parents provided tutoring and specialized work for my brother and I because the school wasn't doing enough in the 1980's, we have LDs and ADHD. The school did the minimum it as expected to do and nothing more in the 1980's. Plenty of parents will tell you the same thing is happening today. If they waited for the school to actually do what they are supposed to do, their kids would be screwed. The big difference now is that parents of kids who had been doing fine and were screwed with DL are seeing what parents of kids who have been struggling for ages have seen. FCPS, and I the schools I attended in totally different states, will do the bare minimum and walk away. So it is on you, if you can, to fix the problem.

I tend to agree with this view. We saw the gaps and problems. We hired a math tutor for Al. 1 HN. The tutor -a teacher- acknowledged the gaps in the DL curriculum and plugged the holes (incidentally, we kept on with the tutor as we have found the classes too big for DC and adequate explanation isn't always given). Similarly, I have a lot of writing experience and worked with my kid on grammar and writing. We complained but we took the initiative and did something to mitigate it. Did I want to pay for a tutor? No. But I could either not on some righteous principle or do something about it (and yes, I know we are lucky that we could afford to do that but, lbh, lots of people on here can afford it and just did not).

Look, DL wasn't perfect. But, I'm finding being onsite also is not perfect with teachers varying wildly in how they teach (or how my kid responds to any particular teaching style).

Quit complaining. Fix it. Free tutoring, online services, office hours, free periods with teachers, work with them yourself if you are able . . . . all available at no cost to help your kids.

I have addressed it for my own kid. But that doesn’t help the others, and therefore it is a problem. It is our problem and the problem is now worse. Walk away while you virtue signal. I tutor my own kids as well as others. The wealth in this district is inversely proportional to how much it cares about the quality community education. Hate in the form of passivity and indifference has found a home in FCPS.

What are you blathering on about? I'm not virtue signaling telling you what I did for my own kid. I guess I hit a nerve but that's on you to figure out.

I cannot do anything about anyone else's kid other than support policies that help the entire community- and I do. But, on an individual level, there are LOTS of folks on here who had/have the time and money to help out their own kids during and since DL. They didn't. Now they want to complain about it.

[Anonymous]

My kid brought home last week’s test. I noticed that a problem in the test is one they are covering the material on this week. I am quite annoyed by it.

Child had some study issues the first month of school so I am quite aware of exactly all the material and it was not part of the curriculum covered before the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid brought home last week’s test. I noticed that a problem in the test is one they are covering the material on this week. I am quite annoyed by it.

Child had some study issues the first month of school so I am quite aware of exactly all the material and it was not part of the curriculum covered before the test.

Is it possible that the teacher put it on the test to see whether some or all of the class already knew the concept in order to plan how much time to devote to it? Or, is the concept a logical extension of something that they had been studying? (For example, a test on ratios might logically include a question on a rate as a natural extension of the idea of a ratio - if a kid really gets ratios, they should be able to set up a rate as a ratio and solve a rate problem).