I don't want to supplement at home

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Shouldn't kids use their free time for self-directed "enrichment," like free reading and research? I understand the need to supplement if you feel that the school has gaps in the curriculum (although that's pretty depressing -- I think I'd switch schools if I could.) But if you say have a kid who loves math, why not just let him get into coding, etc? Or just read whatever they want to on their own? At a certain point, don't you have to ALSO develop the values of independent intellectual pursuits?

It's the asian tiger mom syndrome that is now with white folks too

I was born in the 80s I went to some average school probably a 5 on great schools or something

There was no such things as enrichment or pullouts or supplementation by the school or my parents

Whats the point of making your snowflake accelerate thorugh things? What's going to happen when they have an actual job and they aren't challenged all the time? How will they cope

Are you serious, or do you really have such mediocre expectations for yourself and/or your children?!? You're also wrong about this being an "Asian tiger mom" or "white folks" thing. I'm AA and I work very hard to provide the best possible academic enrichment and travel opportunities to my children. My hope is that they will choose careers that keep them engaged, fulfilled and challenged (and I hope it's lucrative).

+1 To me the whole point of supplementation / enrichment is to ensure that your child gets every opportunity to learn/advance etc. so that they have maximum opportunities later to choose a career that is fulfilling. What parent wouldn't want this for their child?

The smartest and most successful people I know weren't pushed into adult-led "enrichment" and "supplementation" (apart from music lessons). They got obsessed on their own with history, D&D, coding, jazz ...

Good for the few "smartest and most successful" people you know.

I don't think the averagely successful people I know were drilled after school either. The only people I know who were drilled now have horrible relationships with their parents. One is a school teacher and under-achieved; the other didn't go past a BA, despite being the most brilliant person I know -- he was just done with formal expectations after duly graduating from an Ivy like Mom demanded; the other is a successful academic physician. So that's 1:3 success stories.

Good for you too! I know entire families, including my own, where the children were "drilled" before/after school and on weekends. Almost all of us have achieved a very high level of academic and professional success. You raise your children the way you want; and let others with different styles do the same.

sounds so boring and repressive, and likely not to result in a fully developed person. if you have the innate capacity to say, go to medical school, you don't need to start drilling your child at 7 years old!

Then focus on your children, and I'll focus on mine. My children's grades and their chosen professions will not have any impact on your life. Unless they end up being your doctor, lawyer or college professor (and following in the footsteps of other family members).

[Anonymous]

^^^ both of you suck. Heaven help your kids.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, CTY summer camp falls in the enrichment category, not supplementation. It doesn't get you ahead in core subjects; it is usually just a fun class that is totally different from what you usually do in school. The camps are mostly a way for kids to meet other kids with similar academic interests. A bully free environment for smart kids to be themselves. You will also find kids from AAP and MD magnets and private schools there.

The CTY on line classes can be used as supplementation, but are crazy expensive. I'd only use that for subjects a kid was REALLY into that are not within any school's curriculum at your child's grade level.

So neither of these is necessary for a kid to get in the advanced track at DCPS schools (to OP's question); but a kid who already is may enjoy them if you can afford it and the kid wants to do the extra work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just feel like as long as this thread lurches forward, I have to keep interjecting my opinion that this is a city of terrible, whiny, insecure people
I just hope your children have nice au pairs.

You sound like a peach!

I am hilarious. And constantly confounded by this oppressive hellscape of a town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, CTY summer camp falls in the enrichment category, not supplementation. It doesn't get you ahead in core subjects; it is usually just a fun class that is totally different from what you usually do in school. The camps are mostly a way for kids to meet other kids with similar academic interests. A bully free environment for smart kids to be themselves. You will also find kids from AAP and MD magnets and private schools there.

The CTY on line classes can be used as supplementation, but are crazy expensive. I'd only use that for subjects a kid was REALLY into that are not within any school's curriculum at your child's grade level.

So neither of these is necessary for a kid to get in the advanced track at DCPS schools (to OP's question); but a kid who already is may enjoy them if you can afford it and the kid wants to do the extra work.

Not sure I agree. In our experience, CTY math constitutes supplementation, with much tougher offerings than the DCPS elementary and middle school math curriculum.

Which advanced track at DCPS schools? There isn't an advanced track in DCPS middle schools, or GT support services, even at Deal, other than for 7th grade math. At Stuart Hobson, kids take remedial classes or at-grade level "honors" classes. You're talking about AP classes at Wilson? Half the kids in them shouldn't be there because they can't handle advanced work. Anybody can sign up. Same with International Baccalaureate at Banneker. No need to knock yourself out to get your teen on DCPS "advanced tracks."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ both of you suck. Heaven help your kids.

Convincing argument!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just feel like as long as this thread lurches forward, I have to keep interjecting my opinion that this is a city of terrible, whiny, insecure people
I just hope your children have nice au pairs.

You sound like a peach!

I am hilarious. And constantly confounded by this oppressive hellscape of a town.

I bet you are the life of every party. Not whiny at all!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just feel like as long as this thread lurches forward, I have to keep interjecting my opinion that this is a city of terrible, whiny, insecure people
I just hope your children have nice au pairs.

You sound like a peach!

I am hilarious. And constantly confounded by this oppressive hellscape of a town.

I bet you are the life of every party. Not whiny at all!!

Usually. Although being the life of every party is not one of my goals. Perhaps because I am not a K street lobbyist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, CTY summer camp falls in the enrichment category, not supplementation. It doesn't get you ahead in core subjects; it is usually just a fun class that is totally different from what you usually do in school. The camps are mostly a way for kids to meet other kids with similar academic interests. A bully free environment for smart kids to be themselves. You will also find kids from AAP and MD magnets and private schools there.

The CTY on line classes can be used as supplementation, but are crazy expensive. I'd only use that for subjects a kid was REALLY into that are not within any school's curriculum at your child's grade level.

So neither of these is necessary for a kid to get in the advanced track at DCPS schools (to OP's question); but a kid who already is may enjoy them if you can afford it and the kid wants to do the extra work.

Not sure I agree. In our experience, CTY math constitutes supplementation, with much tougher offerings than the DCPS elementary and middle school math curriculum.

Which advanced track at DCPS schools? There isn't an advanced track in DCPS middle schools, or GT support services, even at Deal, other than for 7th grade math. At Stuart Hobson, kids take remedial classes or at-grade level "honors" classes. You're talking about AP classes at Wilson? Half the kids in them shouldn't be there because they can't handle advanced work. Anybody can sign up. Same with International Baccalaureate at Banneker. No need to knock yourself out to get your teen on DCPS "advanced tracks."

I have no doubt there would be different experiences within DCPS, and didn't mean to suggest otherwise. But to OP's question, supplementation of core subjects is not necessary everywhere. You are misinformed about Deal, and misunderstand the IB and AP policy in DCPS. Everyone can take it; not everyone will pass. If your school is not preparing your child for these classes, then you should knock yourself out to get them ready ... because a lot of their classmates are ready (without supplementation).

And my point about CTY is that camps are enrichment subjects; on line classes are supplementation and enrichment.

[Anonymous]

Trust me, I'm not misinformed. I work as a high school guidance counselor in a DC suburb (where I've counseled many students whose families removed them from DCPS somewhere between the elementary grades and the start of HS). The fact that any student can sign up for AP and IB Diploma classes DCPS high schools is a real problem for the most advanced students. There are no bona fide high school magnet programs in the city, and no real standards for entry to advanced classes other than clearing the (not terribly high) entry bars at SWW and Banneker. It's all done in the name of fairness of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly my friends who feel this way pay for private.

I know people who have changed jobs in order to afford it. I am not sure suburban publics would be better.

Ditto. We switched too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly my friends who feel this way pay for private.

I know people who have changed jobs in order to afford it. I am not sure suburban publics would be better.

Ditto. We switched too.

What I've found in interviewing in for an Ivy in this Metro area for many years is that the strongest HS students generally aren't found at privates, including the "top 5" in DC. They're found at the most selective suburban magnets like Thomas Jefferson, Blair Montgomery magnets, and the Richard Montgomery and Washington-Lee International Baccalaureate Diploma programs. All the suburban publics aren't better of course, far from it. But where well-resourced elementary GT programs feed into strong test-in middle and high school programs, you find a nose-to-the-grindstone culture largely driven by immigrant families (particularly from East and South Asia) privates have trouble competing with...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trust me, I'm not misinformed. I work as a high school guidance counselor in a DC suburb (where I've counseled many students whose families removed them from DCPS somewhere between the elementary grades and the start of HS). The fact that any student can sign up for AP and IB Diploma classes DCPS high schools is a real problem for the most advanced students. There are no bona fide high school magnet programs in the city, and no real standards for entry to advanced classes other than clearing the (not terribly high) entry bars at SWW and Banneker. It's all done in the name of fairness of course.

Well I'm glad you qualified your comments with the fact that you are getting your information from people who bailed before high school.