Brightwood Schools

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Last time I looked at Wells PARCC scores they were very bad. Did they improve?

New Poster- 33% of students meets or exceeds in ELA and 11% for math. That means 60+ kids in each grade for English and 20+ for math. So overall are the scores amazing? No. But the school also has tons of ELL students for example. Since there is tracking (honors/advanced) for many classes though there is a sufficient cohort of students for me to feel comfortable sending my student.

But what does the tracking actually look like? You can tell that for algebra they're doing what a lot of DCPS middle schools do, which is to put all the kids approaching grade level in algebra. Basically, the differentiation between 8th grade math and algebra is "profoundly behind kids" vs. "everyone else." Is it different for other subjects? Is there differentiation across different sections of algebra? (Also, it was 8% or 38 total kids last year proficient in math, so about 13 per grade, not 20+.)

This year Wells has every 6th grader in Accelerated Math, to give them the chance to get to Algebra in 8th. Will they all get there? No. But if you expose them to rigor, some kids will surprise you.

All core subjects (math, ELA, social studies, science) use a co-teaching model where EL and SpEd teachers are in the classroom with a general ed teacher. All students also take two blocks of Math and ELA, where the second block splits the class in half by level. If the student needs more help, their second block is remediation. If they are ready for more, then it's accelerated or enrichment. For ELA, what this looks like is the whole class is reading and discussing the same book, but the higher-level kids read more of the book and write more deeply in their pull-out.

Re the PARCC scores, my own kid's scores on Reading Inventory, iReady, and ANet are much higher than his PARCC scores would indicate. And since those assessments give much more information about specific skills and gaps, and more immediate feedback, I trust them much more than PARCC--which is why I don't give much or any weight to PARCC scores at any school as an indication of what students are actually learning.

I also was really impressed with the last band performance, where students introduced each level of band and explained what that ensemble had been learning that semester. Instead of observing it as "wow, school band concerts are hard on the ears," it becomes, "wow, I see how much these kids advance in a single year, from 6th to 7th, and wow, imagine the leap from 6th to 8th!" (I also love that they play their final piece for each ensemble twice so the families can rush the stage for the encore and get photos of their student. The community pride is so heartwarming.)

I also work in DCPS high schools (my employer is a programming partner) and I know a number of Coolidge kids from the neighborhood as well as from supporting their classes. There are some very bright and motivated students there with very happy families. If your only exposure to students there are the ones smoking as they arrive late from the Metro, of course you'll have a bad impression. But there are 1100 students there, and a bunch of them are doing really well. Even if you don't plan to send your own kid through the entire pyramid of any DCPS high school, please check out any community events the middle and high schools host, in the spirit of being neighborly and informed.

“expose them to rigor” is in fact an awful approach to math education. kids don’t need “rigor” in the abstract - they need a solid foundation built based on what skills they are missing, using methods that work instead of trends like “project based learning.” It’s a massive disservice not to meet kids where they are at in math.

Not to nitpick but I agree with this poster. Accelerated math for all students just does not work. It sounds like a pr-friendly but ineffective approach and I would be wary

The counter to this is a student who was not exposed to the correct level of rigor in elementary school. If you are a kid able to do the work but just didn’t get taught at a high enough level in elementary school you will rise to the challenge in the 5th grade class instead of being placed only by your performance upon entering the school.

Ok but Wells only has 1% of kids above grade level in math as discussed above so the data tells me that even if you had kids coming in with the ability which I am not saying that is so and am doubtful. But even under this supposed “scenario” if Wells was actually doing and being effective, you would see the results in the data which you don’t.

What I know is that I’m currently teaching a handful of Ida B wells graduates (current 9th graders) who are on or above grade level for math and reading and doing well in 9th grade. I don’t know their 8th grade parcc scores but Ida B Wells seems to have done alright by them.

I assume you teach at an application high school so perhaps have the highest achieving kids from Wells. So basically you have the top 2% of the class from last year.

It's not *that* bad. 10% of the kids last year in either algebra or 8th grade math tested proficient, and 13% of the 8th graders in ELA.

DP. It’s not 2% but those numbers are not bad but actually terrible.

I mean the bar is not high at all. Proficient, at least on grade level.

Standards in this town is just so low and what people are willing to accept.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last time I looked at Wells PARCC scores they were very bad. Did they improve?

New Poster- 33% of students meets or exceeds in ELA and 11% for math. That means 60+ kids in each grade for English and 20+ for math. So overall are the scores amazing? No. But the school also has tons of ELL students for example. Since there is tracking (honors/advanced) for many classes though there is a sufficient cohort of students for me to feel comfortable sending my student.

But what does the tracking actually look like? You can tell that for algebra they're doing what a lot of DCPS middle schools do, which is to put all the kids approaching grade level in algebra. Basically, the differentiation between 8th grade math and algebra is "profoundly behind kids" vs. "everyone else." Is it different for other subjects? Is there differentiation across different sections of algebra? (Also, it was 8% or 38 total kids last year proficient in math, so about 13 per grade, not 20+.)

This year Wells has every 6th grader in Accelerated Math, to give them the chance to get to Algebra in 8th. Will they all get there? No. But if you expose them to rigor, some kids will surprise you.

All core subjects (math, ELA, social studies, science) use a co-teaching model where EL and SpEd teachers are in the classroom with a general ed teacher. All students also take two blocks of Math and ELA, where the second block splits the class in half by level. If the student needs more help, their second block is remediation. If they are ready for more, then it's accelerated or enrichment. For ELA, what this looks like is the whole class is reading and discussing the same book, but the higher-level kids read more of the book and write more deeply in their pull-out.

Re the PARCC scores, my own kid's scores on Reading Inventory, iReady, and ANet are much higher than his PARCC scores would indicate. And since those assessments give much more information about specific skills and gaps, and more immediate feedback, I trust them much more than PARCC--which is why I don't give much or any weight to PARCC scores at any school as an indication of what students are actually learning.

I also was really impressed with the last band performance, where students introduced each level of band and explained what that ensemble had been learning that semester. Instead of observing it as "wow, school band concerts are hard on the ears," it becomes, "wow, I see how much these kids advance in a single year, from 6th to 7th, and wow, imagine the leap from 6th to 8th!" (I also love that they play their final piece for each ensemble twice so the families can rush the stage for the encore and get photos of their student. The community pride is so heartwarming.)

I also work in DCPS high schools (my employer is a programming partner) and I know a number of Coolidge kids from the neighborhood as well as from supporting their classes. There are some very bright and motivated students there with very happy families. If your only exposure to students there are the ones smoking as they arrive late from the Metro, of course you'll have a bad impression. But there are 1100 students there, and a bunch of them are doing really well. Even if you don't plan to send your own kid through the entire pyramid of any DCPS high school, please check out any community events the middle and high schools host, in the spirit of being neighborly and informed.

“expose them to rigor” is in fact an awful approach to math education. kids don’t need “rigor” in the abstract - they need a solid foundation built based on what skills they are missing, using methods that work instead of trends like “project based learning.” It’s a massive disservice not to meet kids where they are at in math.

Not to nitpick but I agree with this poster. Accelerated math for all students just does not work. It sounds like a pr-friendly but ineffective approach and I would be wary

The counter to this is a student who was not exposed to the correct level of rigor in elementary school. If you are a kid able to do the work but just didn’t get taught at a high enough level in elementary school you will rise to the challenge in the 5th grade class instead of being placed only by your performance upon entering the school.

Ok but Wells only has 1% of kids above grade level in math as discussed above so the data tells me that even if you had kids coming in with the ability which I am not saying that is so and am doubtful. But even under this supposed “scenario” if Wells was actually doing and being effective, you would see the results in the data which you don’t.

What I know is that I’m currently teaching a handful of Ida B wells graduates (current 9th graders) who are on or above grade level for math and reading and doing well in 9th grade. I don’t know their 8th grade parcc scores but Ida B Wells seems to have done alright by them.

I assume you teach at an application high school so perhaps have the highest achieving kids from Wells. So basically you have the top 2% of the class from last year.

The point is simply people questioning if on/above grade level students will get an appropriate education at Wells and it does seem that at least some do.

Not necessarily true. Lots of families supplement and enrich, especially at low performing schools. They might or might not tell you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last time I looked at Wells PARCC scores they were very bad. Did they improve?

New Poster- 33% of students meets or exceeds in ELA and 11% for math. That means 60+ kids in each grade for English and 20+ for math. So overall are the scores amazing? No. But the school also has tons of ELL students for example. Since there is tracking (honors/advanced) for many classes though there is a sufficient cohort of students for me to feel comfortable sending my student.

But what does the tracking actually look like? You can tell that for algebra they're doing what a lot of DCPS middle schools do, which is to put all the kids approaching grade level in algebra. Basically, the differentiation between 8th grade math and algebra is "profoundly behind kids" vs. "everyone else." Is it different for other subjects? Is there differentiation across different sections of algebra? (Also, it was 8% or 38 total kids last year proficient in math, so about 13 per grade, not 20+.)

This year Wells has every 6th grader in Accelerated Math, to give them the chance to get to Algebra in 8th. Will they all get there? No. But if you expose them to rigor, some kids will surprise you.

All core subjects (math, ELA, social studies, science) use a co-teaching model where EL and SpEd teachers are in the classroom with a general ed teacher. All students also take two blocks of Math and ELA, where the second block splits the class in half by level. If the student needs more help, their second block is remediation. If they are ready for more, then it's accelerated or enrichment. For ELA, what this looks like is the whole class is reading and discussing the same book, but the higher-level kids read more of the book and write more deeply in their pull-out.

Re the PARCC scores, my own kid's scores on Reading Inventory, iReady, and ANet are much higher than his PARCC scores would indicate. And since those assessments give much more information about specific skills and gaps, and more immediate feedback, I trust them much more than PARCC--which is why I don't give much or any weight to PARCC scores at any school as an indication of what students are actually learning.

I also was really impressed with the last band performance, where students introduced each level of band and explained what that ensemble had been learning that semester. Instead of observing it as "wow, school band concerts are hard on the ears," it becomes, "wow, I see how much these kids advance in a single year, from 6th to 7th, and wow, imagine the leap from 6th to 8th!" (I also love that they play their final piece for each ensemble twice so the families can rush the stage for the encore and get photos of their student. The community pride is so heartwarming.)

I also work in DCPS high schools (my employer is a programming partner) and I know a number of Coolidge kids from the neighborhood as well as from supporting their classes. There are some very bright and motivated students there with very happy families. If your only exposure to students there are the ones smoking as they arrive late from the Metro, of course you'll have a bad impression. But there are 1100 students there, and a bunch of them are doing really well. Even if you don't plan to send your own kid through the entire pyramid of any DCPS high school, please check out any community events the middle and high schools host, in the spirit of being neighborly and informed.

“expose them to rigor” is in fact an awful approach to math education. kids don’t need “rigor” in the abstract - they need a solid foundation built based on what skills they are missing, using methods that work instead of trends like “project based learning.” It’s a massive disservice not to meet kids where they are at in math.

Not to nitpick but I agree with this poster. Accelerated math for all students just does not work. It sounds like a pr-friendly but ineffective approach and I would be wary

The counter to this is a student who was not exposed to the correct level of rigor in elementary school. If you are a kid able to do the work but just didn’t get taught at a high enough level in elementary school you will rise to the challenge in the 5th grade class instead of being placed only by your performance upon entering the school.

Ok but Wells only has 1% of kids above grade level in math as discussed above so the data tells me that even if you had kids coming in with the ability which I am not saying that is so and am doubtful. But even under this supposed “scenario” if Wells was actually doing and being effective, you would see the results in the data which you don’t.

What I know is that I’m currently teaching a handful of Ida B wells graduates (current 9th graders) who are on or above grade level for math and reading and doing well in 9th grade. I don’t know their 8th grade parcc scores but Ida B Wells seems to have done alright by them.

I assume you teach at an application high school so perhaps have the highest achieving kids from Wells. So basically you have the top 2% of the class from last year.

The point is simply people questioning if on/above grade level students will get an appropriate education at Wells and it does seem that at least some do.

Not necessarily true. Lots of families supplement and enrich, especially at low performing schools. They might or might not tell you.

+1

You don’t actually know if Wells could support these advanced students. Especially if only one in ten is proficient in math.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if the OP got through all this and will still want to go to a Takoma or Whittier.. just to end up at Wells.

And the worst part is I know families at Takoma and they love it. But the usual DCUM and DC banter— MS and HS are so bad why even bother going to the Takoma’s of the world if you’re just gonna leave DC anyway.

I guess you can lottery for MS and hope. But then what if you don’t get in?

I wish DC would fix this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the OP got through all this and will still want to go to a Takoma or Whittier.. just to end up at Wells.

And the worst part is I know families at Takoma and they love it. But the usual DCUM and DC banter— MS and HS are so bad why even bother going to the Takoma’s of the world if you’re just gonna leave DC anyway.

I guess you can lottery for MS and hope. But then what if you don’t get in?

I wish DC would fix this.

Yes it’s the banter that’s the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the OP got through all this and will still want to go to a Takoma or Whittier.. just to end up at Wells.

And the worst part is I know families at Takoma and they love it. But the usual DCUM and DC banter— MS and HS are so bad why even bother going to the Takoma’s of the world if you’re just gonna leave DC anyway.

I guess you can lottery for MS and hope. But then what if you don’t get in?

I wish DC would fix this.

If the happy families at Takoma and Whittier continued onto Wells, this wouldn’t be an issue. It’s just that nobody wants to be the pioneer (and I’m not faulting them at all for that).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the OP got through all this and will still want to go to a Takoma or Whittier.. just to end up at Wells.

And the worst part is I know families at Takoma and they love it. But the usual DCUM and DC banter— MS and HS are so bad why even bother going to the Takoma’s of the world if you’re just gonna leave DC anyway.

I guess you can lottery for MS and hope. But then what if you don’t get in?

I wish DC would fix this.

DP. We're good. Don't worry about us

If the happy families at Takoma and Whittier continued onto Wells, this wouldn’t be an issue. It’s just that nobody wants to be the pioneer (and I’m not faulting them at all for that).

[Anonymous]

Lots of families from Whittier and Takoma go on to Wells. It’s just that most of them aren’t coming to this forum, which is has a pretty specific audience and most families at those schools are not in that demographic (and many do not speak English as a first language if at all).