How quickly can MCPS fix the curriculum nightmare?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love to have the entire new curriculum as soon as the BOE approves the purchase—most likely at their June 25 meeting. I would like to use it in my classroom even if my school is not among the first 30 chosen. Problem is, the vendors will likely sell it at a cost based on the number of students licensed to access it. That’s going to be a very expensive proposition. Responding to vendor questions after the RFP was released, it looks like MCPS is angling for a deal where the first 30 schools get access for the teachers and their students, but all other teachers would only get “preview” access—that means they could familiarize themselves with the new curriculum but could NOT use it to teach, because their students would not have access.

From what I understood, during year 1, 30 schools will do ELA and another 30 will do math; so 60 schools starting this September will actually have some form of the new curriculum.

You mean elementary schools, right? Or middle schools as well?

Yes, 60 Elementary Schools starting in Sep (30 for ELA and 30 Math). As for MS (6th grade only) ,there will be 20 pilot schools doing ELA and another 20 doing math in September. The timeline is right here: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/faq.aspx

They need to name the schools before June 1st private school tuitions are due. Ppl are getting really sick of this.

Why don't you just go to private school? If you're basing your entire decision on the roll-out of the curriculum, you're bound to find other things about MCPS that irritate you.

The schools who are starting this September are the schools who are volunteering to start in September. If you want your school to be one of the guinea pigs, then you should vocalize this to your Principal. It would be good if you can rally other parents (even better, then PTA) to do this with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’re not doing it to save a buck. I really don’t like MCPS, but they are following industry practices here. No one throws a new curriculum into a whole school system all at once.

it's not new. C2.0 was new to the world, new to MCPS, new to teachers, and not even completed when it was smashed and mashed in.

that failed.

now they are selecting an existing, effective curriculum, get teacher buy=in and then get it going.

seriously, why would anyone put their K-2 kid through MCPS the next 2-3 years with this BS going on. the only certain thing is terrible curriculum, disruntled teachers, experienced teachers leaving.

I meant new to the school system. No one implements a curriculum that's new to a school system all at once.

I'll ask my School of Ed if it's typical to TRICKLE IN an established math and english curriculum in Elementary school when the current one has just earned a totally damning audit by a Top 20 Education School. I don't see the big deal, it's not like MCPS has every used a teacher feedback loop effectively so the first 30 schools aren't going to be "teaching/coaching" the next. These are math methods FCOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’re not doing it to save a buck. I really don’t like MCPS, but they are following industry practices here. No one throws a new curriculum into a whole school system all at once.

it's not new. C2.0 was new to the world, new to MCPS, new to teachers, and not even completed when it was smashed and mashed in.

that failed.

now they are selecting an existing, effective curriculum, get teacher buy=in and then get it going.

seriously, why would anyone put their K-2 kid through MCPS the next 2-3 years with this BS going on. the only certain thing is terrible curriculum, disruntled teachers, experienced teachers leaving.

Seriously, what do you recommend people do instead? I cannot afford private school. Are other public schools in the DMV significantly better? I find it hard to believe that they don't also have issues.

My older daughter starts kindergarten this fall. If MCPS really takes 3 years to implement the new curriculum, I imagine she will be subject to a mishmash of both curriculums.

What should parents of K-2 kids do in the next few years? Besides volunteer in the classroom (I'm skeptical that this will give me real insight about classroom dynamics)?

[Anonymous]

Go to catholic school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go to catholic school

I’m a single parent and a teacher. I don’t really have the money for Catholic school but moving my DD to one was the best decision I’ve ever made. She is finally bring challenged and much more is expected of her in order to get good grades.