Wilson honors for all - how has it worked?

[Anonymous]

Clearly it is time to kick the curriculum up a notch. The kids can handle it.

[Anonymous]

Walls is also plagued with a weak 9th grade by all accounts.

I think the answer is for parents to push to UP THE LEVEL of instruction for 9th overall.

But segregating the students you perceive as higher performing - and spinning your wheels over honors for all - isn't going to change the curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To 1:43 - I think your correct point is too subtle for DCUM.

They can’t imagine how their kid’s education can be good if others aren’t excluded.

How does teaching to each child's ability exclude someone?

Because having low expectations for a child creates a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So what you are saying is that putting a child in a classroom that teaches below the student's abilities and potential will lead that child not to be as successful as they could be. Am I hearing you right?

Ditto. The hypocrisy of it. That statement you are making should apply to students of all abilities, those on top and those below. So if that is your argument then the top students should be challenged to their full potential. Period

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To 1:43 - I think your correct point is too subtle for DCUM.

They can’t imagine how their kid’s education can be good if others aren’t excluded.

How does teaching to each child's ability exclude someone?

Because having low expectations for a child creates a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So what you are saying is that putting a child in a classroom that teaches below the student's abilities and potential will lead that child not to be as successful as they could be. Am I hearing you right?

Ditto. The hypocrisy of it. That statement you are making should apply to students of all abilities, those on top and those below. So if that is your argument then the top students should be challenged to their full potential. Period

There is less of a gap between those at the top and below than you think and it is shrinking. The principal has the data; you do not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are all these skeptical parents educators? Neuropsychologists? Why do we all feel we know better than educators who have spent years in the field?

Do you appreciate it when people outside your field tell you how to do your job?

No they are not but they know and see that their child is bored and not challenged, and the material is not up to speed to what they can handle. So how are you going to address that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are all these skeptical parents educators? Neuropsychologists? Why do we all feel we know better than educators who have spent years in the field?

Do you appreciate it when people outside your field tell you how to do your job?

No they are not but they know and see that their child is bored and not challenged, and the material is not up to speed to what they can handle. So how are you going to address that?

Then parents should share that perspective with the school and press them to increase the level of challenge in the curriculum across the board.

But they should recognize that there's a difference between that and determining how to group students -- which will not in and of itself change what is taught.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To 1:43 - I think your correct point is too subtle for DCUM.

They can’t imagine how their kid’s education can be good if others aren’t excluded.

How does teaching to each child's ability exclude someone?

Because having low expectations for a child creates a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So what you are saying is that putting a child in a classroom that teaches below the student's abilities and potential will lead that child not to be as successful as they could be. Am I hearing you right?

Ditto. The hypocrisy of it. That statement you are making should apply to students of all abilities, those on top and those below. So if that is your argument then the top students should be challenged to their full potential. Period

There is less of a gap between those at the top and below than you think and it is shrinking. The principal has the data; you do not.

It’s still a gap isn’t it? Also there is a difference between students who score a 3 vs. 4 vs. 5 and their academic level. So let’s just group all students who score a 3 -5 together with those scoring 1 and 2. And expect the teacher to effectively be able to address all the students needs at different levels. Sure. That is a realistic solution

[Anonymous]

^^ And that is why the classes only have 20 students -- smaller than any DCPS elementary or middle school class

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ And that is why the classes only have 20 students -- smaller than any DCPS elementary or middle school class

And the students scoring 1s or 2s or 3s on 8th grade PARCC (aside from SN students who require full or partially self-contained classrooms, and presumably not in honors for all) will be spread across the ~30 different ELA classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want your students peers to be on the same level or higher, then send your kid to Banneker or Walls.

A comprehensive DCPS high school is different. You have choices.

Says who, you? Why should we let you lay down the law on comprehensive DCPS high schools failing to challenge the brightest and hardworking kids? This DC resident of several decades says total BS. Wilson can serve all its students well. Honors classes for all in 9th grade aren't helping. What's "different" is the PC rot that infects our public school system to a degree not seen elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are all these skeptical parents educators? Neuropsychologists? Why do we all feel we know better than educators who have spent years in the field?

Do you appreciate it when people outside your field tell you how to do your job?

No they are not but they know and see that their child is bored and not challenged, and the material is not up to speed to what they can handle. So how are you going to address that?

I appreciate constructive feedback from clients, absolutely. Without it, total quality management would be a pipe dream in my professional setting.

Education isn't a field, it's a calling, a work in progress, and, far too often, an ideology and a political football.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are all these skeptical parents educators? Neuropsychologists? Why do we all feel we know better than educators who have spent years in the field?

Do you appreciate it when people outside your field tell you how to do your job?

No they are not but they know and see that their child is bored and not challenged, and the material is not up to speed to what they can handle. So how are you going to address that?

You address it by working with the school to ensure that the material is up to speed so that your child is challenged and not bored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ And that is why the classes only have 20 students -- smaller than any DCPS elementary or middle school class

Sure, DCPS will provide the funds so that there are 20 students in each class. That’s incredibly hard to believe when we know how overcrowded the school is and DCPS BS that there is not enough money for more teacher. You show me that each class at Wilson will have 20 students and we can have another discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are all these skeptical parents educators? Neuropsychologists? Why do we all feel we know better than educators who have spent years in the field?

Do you appreciate it when people outside your field tell you how to do your job?

No they are not but they know and see that their child is bored and not challenged, and the material is not up to speed to what they can handle. So how are you going to address that?

You address it by working with the school to ensure that the material is up to speed so that your child is challenged and not bored.

A previous parent did address is and here is their response “All I know is that my 10 th grader had a boring and unchallenging year at Wilson last year. When I asked an administrator about it, he said point blank that the goal in 9th grade is to try and bring up struggling and remedial students and that is probably why my kid was bored. “.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are all these skeptical parents educators? Neuropsychologists? Why do we all feel we know better than educators who have spent years in the field?

Do you appreciate it when people outside your field tell you how to do your job?

No they are not but they know and see that their child is bored and not challenged, and the material is not up to speed to what they can handle. So how are you going to address that?

You address it by working with the school to ensure that the material is up to speed so that your child is challenged and not bored.

A previous parent did address is and here is their response “All I know is that my 10 th grader had a boring and unchallenging year at Wilson last year. When I asked an administrator about it, he said point blank that the goal in 9th grade is to try and bring up struggling and remedial students and that is probably why my kid was bored. “.

Asking an administrator is not petitioning the principal, bringing in the instructional superintendent, gathering data from other schools to compare the curriculum and making a full blown campaign. It will take the latter.