How to help MCPS' lowest performing students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread, but I have two high school kids who’ve been with MCPS since kindergarten, and here are my thoughts in no specific order:
1. Restore discipline and set high behavior expectations. Students who are violent or consistently disruptive shouldn’t remain in the classroom. Repeat offenders should only be allowed back in person after demonstrating they can handle it—virtual learning should be the only alternative for them; NOT moving them to another school. Ever since RJ was introduced, bad behavior seems to have increased. That doesn’t feel like a coincidence. We keep blaming COVID, but that’s a cop-out.
2. Bring back phonics. If this hasn't happened yet, it’s time to get back to the basics and ensure every child is taught how to read early on.
3. Reinstate tracking. Students who are falling behind need specialized instruction and tutoring outside of mainstream classes to help them catch up. If not all, most students who are falling behind will appreciate this.
4. Reintroduce free tutoring. These were effective in the past and should make a return.
5. Require full books, not just excerpts, in English classes. Every grade should include the reading of complete books—not just fragments.
6. Fix chronic absenteeism. Engage with community partners to help spread the word to families about the importance of attendance. After a certain number of unexcused absences, parents should be held accountable. If the absences aren’t legitimate, law enforcement should be involved, and parents should be charged with neglect.
7. Celebrate/Highlight student achievements and excellence. Bring back valedictorians and honors recognition. At our middle school, the principal stopped honor roll parties to avoid making other students feel bad. That’s not fair to the kids who’ve worked hard and sends the message that doing well in school isn't valued.

We don't have these issues at our school. It's like you people are from an alternate reality. My kids got a vastly superior education today from MCPS than I did at a W back in the 80s.

Well I'm glad for you. Most kids who come from households who value education will do well at MCPS. My kids are doing well too but I'm not blind to the fact that there are a lot of kids in their school who are struggling and who are chronically absent. We're at a high FARMS high school. This is a thread about how to help low performers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread, but I have two high school kids who’ve been with MCPS since kindergarten, and here are my thoughts in no specific order:
1. Restore discipline and set high behavior expectations. Students who are violent or consistently disruptive shouldn’t remain in the classroom. Repeat offenders should only be allowed back in person after demonstrating they can handle it—virtual learning should be the only alternative for them; NOT moving them to another school. Ever since RJ was introduced, bad behavior seems to have increased. That doesn’t feel like a coincidence. We keep blaming COVID, but that’s a cop-out.
2. Bring back phonics. If this hasn't happened yet, it’s time to get back to the basics and ensure every child is taught how to read early on.
3. Reinstate tracking. Students who are falling behind need specialized instruction and tutoring outside of mainstream classes to help them catch up. If not all, most students who are falling behind will appreciate this.
4. Reintroduce free tutoring. These were effective in the past and should make a return.
5. Require full books, not just excerpts, in English classes. Every grade should include the reading of complete books—not just fragments.
6. Fix chronic absenteeism. Engage with community partners to help spread the word to families about the importance of attendance. After a certain number of unexcused absences, parents should be held accountable. If the absences aren’t legitimate, law enforcement should be involved, and parents should be charged with neglect.
7. Celebrate/Highlight student achievements and excellence. Bring back valedictorians and honors recognition. At our middle school, the principal stopped honor roll parties to avoid making other students feel bad. That’s not fair to the kids who’ve worked hard and sends the message that doing well in school isn't valued.

Everybody loves tracking until their kid gets into the lowest level class and then suddenly it's bad.

Why should it be bad? Kids who aren't meeting standards should be pulled out and receive extra help so that they can get on track. We had this at MCPS in the 80s/90s. My friend who was not strong in math was thankful she got pulled out because she needed that extra time to be with an instructor to explain things to her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread, but I have two high school kids who’ve been with MCPS since kindergarten, and here are my thoughts in no specific order:
1. Restore discipline and set high behavior expectations. Students who are violent or consistently disruptive shouldn’t remain in the classroom. Repeat offenders should only be allowed back in person after demonstrating they can handle it—virtual learning should be the only alternative for them; NOT moving them to another school. Ever since RJ was introduced, bad behavior seems to have increased. That doesn’t feel like a coincidence. We keep blaming COVID, but that’s a cop-out.
2. Bring back phonics. If this hasn't happened yet, it’s time to get back to the basics and ensure every child is taught how to read early on.
3. Reinstate tracking. Students who are falling behind need specialized instruction and tutoring outside of mainstream classes to help them catch up. If not all, most students who are falling behind will appreciate this.
4. Reintroduce free tutoring. These were effective in the past and should make a return.
5. Require full books, not just excerpts, in English classes. Every grade should include the reading of complete books—not just fragments.
6. Fix chronic absenteeism. Engage with community partners to help spread the word to families about the importance of attendance. After a certain number of unexcused absences, parents should be held accountable. If the absences aren’t legitimate, law enforcement should be involved, and parents should be charged with neglect.
7. Celebrate/Highlight student achievements and excellence. Bring back valedictorians and honors recognition. At our middle school, the principal stopped honor roll parties to avoid making other students feel bad. That’s not fair to the kids who’ve worked hard and sends the message that doing well in school isn't valued.

What are you talking about? The kids in K-2 have been getting phonics instruction for at least the last 3 years

Ok, good. As I said my kids are in HS now so I wasn't sure if they brought it back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:56 yes to all.
The lowest performers need more - more time, more tutors, more books, more practice without them feeling like they are a failure because they are not there, yet, like their peers. Each classroom should have an assistant teacher to help those students or the lead teacher takes the lower students and assistant teacher works with the rest of the class. How do you get an Assistant teacher in each room, MCPS??

Advocate for this investment during the upcoming budget hearings, advocate to the BOE, work with your PTA/cluster to advocate to Admin and CO for having assistant teachers in lower ES classrooms. Similarly for all upper ES and MS math and English classes. My kid’s MS math class has 35 kids.

This is exactly what I think is needed in K-2, as reducing all class sizes is not going to happen. Additionally personnel to be tutor in Math, ELA, and English. These tutors can be full or full part-time paras or a specific tutor position that helps out.

Why should parents or teachers have to advocate to the Admin, CO or BOE? If they were doing their jobs, don't they know this is needed? They were hired/voted they should DO SOMETHING.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread, but I have two high school kids who’ve been with MCPS since kindergarten, and here are my thoughts in no specific order:
1. Restore discipline and set high behavior expectations. Students who are violent or consistently disruptive shouldn’t remain in the classroom. Repeat offenders should only be allowed back in person after demonstrating they can handle it—virtual learning should be the only alternative for them; NOT moving them to another school. Ever since RJ was introduced, bad behavior seems to have increased. That doesn’t feel like a coincidence. We keep blaming COVID, but that’s a cop-out.
2. Bring back phonics. If this hasn't happened yet, it’s time to get back to the basics and ensure every child is taught how to read early on.
3. Reinstate tracking. Students who are falling behind need specialized instruction and tutoring outside of mainstream classes to help them catch up. If not all, most students who are falling behind will appreciate this.
4. Reintroduce free tutoring. These were effective in the past and should make a return.
5. Require full books, not just excerpts, in English classes. Every grade should include the reading of complete books—not just fragments.
6. Fix chronic absenteeism. Engage with community partners to help spread the word to families about the importance of attendance. After a certain number of unexcused absences, parents should be held accountable. If the absences aren’t legitimate, law enforcement should be involved, and parents should be charged with neglect.
7. Celebrate/Highlight student achievements and excellence. Bring back valedictorians and honors recognition. At our middle school, the principal stopped honor roll parties to avoid making other students feel bad. That’s not fair to the kids who’ve worked hard and sends the message that doing well in school isn't valued.

What are you talking about? The kids in K-2 have been getting phonics instruction for at least the last 3 years

Ok, good. As I said my kids are in HS now so I wasn't sure if they brought it back.

So mcps had this really great phonics program called really great reading. They got rid of it during the curriculum switch to ckla (supposedly rgr exists as an option for intervention except there's almost no time in the day for interventions.) CKLA does have a phonics program as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread, but I have two high school kids who’ve been with MCPS since kindergarten, and here are my thoughts in no specific order:
1. Restore discipline and set high behavior expectations. Students who are violent or consistently disruptive shouldn’t remain in the classroom. Repeat offenders should only be allowed back in person after demonstrating they can handle it—virtual learning should be the only alternative for them; NOT moving them to another school. Ever since RJ was introduced, bad behavior seems to have increased. That doesn’t feel like a coincidence. We keep blaming COVID, but that’s a cop-out.
2. Bring back phonics. If this hasn't happened yet, it’s time to get back to the basics and ensure every child is taught how to read early on.
3. Reinstate tracking. Students who are falling behind need specialized instruction and tutoring outside of mainstream classes to help them catch up. If not all, most students who are falling behind will appreciate this.
4. Reintroduce free tutoring. These were effective in the past and should make a return.
5. Require full books, not just excerpts, in English classes. Every grade should include the reading of complete books—not just fragments.
6. Fix chronic absenteeism. Engage with community partners to help spread the word to families about the importance of attendance. After a certain number of unexcused absences, parents should be held accountable. If the absences aren’t legitimate, law enforcement should be involved, and parents should be charged with neglect.
7. Celebrate/Highlight student achievements and excellence. Bring back valedictorians and honors recognition. At our middle school, the principal stopped honor roll parties to avoid making other students feel bad. That’s not fair to the kids who’ve worked hard and sends the message that doing well in school isn't valued.

The district is already doing this and has had a focus on Chronic Absenteeism since last school year. There’s a whole thread here on DCUM of parents complaining because MCPS is reaching out early to see if there is a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make seperate schools for illegal immigrants.

Make separate schools for kids who do not speak English,

Integrate them in the mainstream schools when they catch up.

Are there even enough teachers to teach ELL students?

Nope. We have immigrants coming here illegally from all over the world. It's not just Spanish speakers. It's impossible to hire enough teachers to fill the need. Also, hiring even more ELL teachers means less money for other staff. We don't have an unlimited budget. So, we throw the kids into regular classes and expect teachers to pick up the slack.

The casual racism and anti-immigrant hate is just something else on DCUM. People don't even respond to it anymore.

Do any of you people reading this understand that what the PP wrote is:

A. Greatly exaggerated. No, there aren't hordes of non-English speaking students in MCPS, and

B. Hateful? This is public school. You educate the resident kids, regardless of who they are or where they come from. That is the public education compact, and it's a GOOD thing for our long-term future, for which we need educated and socially-integrated immigrants.

If you don't like it, feel free to move or to educate your kids elsewhere. You have choices.

I'm a parent volunteer in my kids' public schools. I've seen the recent immigrants learning English. They're grateful, quick to learn and they've got tons of grit. They don't take away resources from other kids, since the state gives extra money specifically to bring these kids up to speed. These are not snowflake kids. They will grow up to contribute to the economy of the United States and prop up your Social Security benefits.

Don't let your hate shoot you in the foot.

You are delusional. Of course resources have been shifted because of large numbers of immigrants to MCPS. Earlier in the decade, we had approximately 1500 new immigrant kids arriving EVERY year. That is a new school's worth. You can find the demographic numbers to see the shift. And where do you think those "state" tax dollars come from? MoCo. In addition, ELL kids ultimately slow down the teaching of native born students. Those classes just cannot make the same progress.

Trying to shut down people by calling them racist? Yes, it is OK for people to say that it is frustrating to spend our tax dollars educating illegal immigrants or the American-born children of illegal immigrants, when we have kids who experience generational poverty who need those resources. Your economic arguments are just as fallacious, but that belongs in a different thread. I always love the "if you don't like it, move" argument. Ummm... you are saying that law abiding, tax paying citizens of Maryland should move to make way for illegal economic migrants. That will definitely end well.

These people PAY taxes too. And, those illegals are the ones who care for your kids, clean your house and do your yard among other things. So, its ok they do all your dirty work but not have their kids educated along side yours?

No, they do not pay anywhere near the amount of taxes that they require, so the point isn’t to stop educating their kids, it is to stop allowing more illegal migrants into the country. I clean my own house and cared for my own kids. I do hire a landscaping company, but would much prefer to hire a teenager to mow.

You need those people to do jobs. Who do you think work at the restaurants, clean buildings, your landscaping company, etc. Be real. And, they do pay taxes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:56 yes to all.
The lowest performers need more - more time, more tutors, more books, more practice without them feeling like they are a failure because they are not there, yet, like their peers. Each classroom should have an assistant teacher to help those students or the lead teacher takes the lower students and assistant teacher works with the rest of the class. How do you get an Assistant teacher in each room, MCPS??

Advocate for this investment during the upcoming budget hearings, advocate to the BOE, work with your PTA/cluster to advocate to Admin and CO for having assistant teachers in lower ES classrooms. Similarly for all upper ES and MS math and English classes. My kid’s MS math class has 35 kids.

This is exactly what I think is needed in K-2, as reducing all class sizes is not going to happen. Additionally personnel to be tutor in Math, ELA, and English. These tutors can be full or full part-time paras or a specific tutor position that helps out.

Why should parents or teachers have to advocate to the Admin, CO or BOE? If they were doing their jobs, don't they know this is needed? They were hired/voted they should DO SOMETHING.

Because people have lots of wants and often there are competing priorities or ideas on how to best solve an issue. For example, people are constantly advocating for smaller class sizes. But we know that smaller classes sizes require teachers, space, likely additional buildings or portables, etc. So a better solution would be to advocate for Assistant teachers or Paras in say all K-3 classes to help ensure meaningful differentiation and small group usage. Or advocate for a floater Para who could help with sub duties or tutoring.

Someone asked "How do you get an Assistant teacher in each room, MCPS??". An answer was provided.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New to this thread, but I have two high school kids who’ve been with MCPS since kindergarten, and here are my thoughts in no specific order:
1. Restore discipline and set high behavior expectations. Students who are violent or consistently disruptive shouldn’t remain in the classroom. Repeat offenders should only be allowed back in person after demonstrating they can handle it—virtual learning should be the only alternative for them; NOT moving them to another school. Ever since RJ was introduced, bad behavior seems to have increased. That doesn’t feel like a coincidence. We keep blaming COVID, but that’s a cop-out.
2. Bring back phonics. If this hasn't happened yet, it’s time to get back to the basics and ensure every child is taught how to read early on.
3. Reinstate tracking. Students who are falling behind need specialized instruction and tutoring outside of mainstream classes to help them catch up. If not all, most students who are falling behind will appreciate this.
4. Reintroduce free tutoring. These were effective in the past and should make a return.
5. Require full books, not just excerpts, in English classes. Every grade should include the reading of complete books—not just fragments.
6. Fix chronic absenteeism. Engage with community partners to help spread the word to families about the importance of attendance. After a certain number of unexcused absences, parents should be held accountable. If the absences aren’t legitimate, law enforcement should be involved, and parents should be charged with neglect.
7. Celebrate/Highlight student achievements and excellence. Bring back valedictorians and honors recognition. At our middle school, the principal stopped honor roll parties to avoid making other students feel bad. That’s not fair to the kids who’ve worked hard and sends the message that doing well in school isn't valued.

The district is already doing this and has had a focus on Chronic Absenteeism since last school year. There’s a whole thread here on DCUM of parents complaining because MCPS is reaching out early to see if there is a problem.

chronic absenteeism is a good thing. students who don't care about school should not be there. not sure why this is seen as a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:56 yes to all.
The lowest performers need more - more time, more tutors, more books, more practice without them feeling like they are a failure because they are not there, yet, like their peers. Each classroom should have an assistant teacher to help those students or the lead teacher takes the lower students and assistant teacher works with the rest of the class. How do you get an Assistant teacher in each room, MCPS??

Advocate for this investment during the upcoming budget hearings, advocate to the BOE, work with your PTA/cluster to advocate to Admin and CO for having assistant teachers in lower ES classrooms. Similarly for all upper ES and MS math and English classes. My kid’s MS math class has 35 kids.

This is exactly what I think is needed in K-2, as reducing all class sizes is not going to happen. Additionally personnel to be tutor in Math, ELA, and English. These tutors can be full or full part-time paras or a specific tutor position that helps out.

Why should parents or teachers have to advocate to the Admin, CO or BOE? If they were doing their jobs, don't they know this is needed? They were hired/voted they should DO SOMETHING.

Because people have lots of wants and often there are competing priorities or ideas on how to best solve an issue. For example, people are constantly advocating for smaller class sizes. But we know that smaller classes sizes require teachers, space, likely additional buildings or portables, etc. So a better solution would be to advocate for Assistant teachers or Paras in say all K-3 classes to help ensure meaningful differentiation and small group usage. Or advocate for a floater Para who could help with sub duties or tutoring.

Someone asked "How do you get an Assistant teacher in each room, MCPS??". An answer was provided.

MCPS and the BOE have failed. Its time to clean house. Taylor has done nothing to date. The BOE mismanaged the funds and increased class sizes. If they need more buildings take back some of the old ones repurposed and open more schools.

[Anonymous]

We can’t realistically decrease ALL the class sizes. It’s not just money - there literally isn’t space at most schools.
For secondary schools, I’d like to see something like reduced class sizes for 7th and 9th grade English, where teachers are tasked with giving frequent feedback on writing and students are expected to incorporate said feedback.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:56 yes to all.
The lowest performers need more - more time, more tutors, more books, more practice without them feeling like they are a failure because they are not there, yet, like their peers. Each classroom should have an assistant teacher to help those students or the lead teacher takes the lower students and assistant teacher works with the rest of the class. How do you get an Assistant teacher in each room, MCPS??

Advocate for this investment during the upcoming budget hearings, advocate to the BOE, work with your PTA/cluster to advocate to Admin and CO for having assistant teachers in lower ES classrooms. Similarly for all upper ES and MS math and English classes. My kid’s MS math class has 35 kids.

This is exactly what I think is needed in K-2, as reducing all class sizes is not going to happen. Additionally personnel to be tutor in Math, ELA, and English. These tutors can be full or full part-time paras or a specific tutor position that helps out.

Why should parents or teachers have to advocate to the Admin, CO or BOE? If they were doing their jobs, don't they know this is needed? They were hired/voted they should DO SOMETHING.

Because people have lots of wants and often there are competing priorities or ideas on how to best solve an issue. For example, people are constantly advocating for smaller class sizes. But we know that smaller classes sizes require teachers, space, likely additional buildings or portables, etc. So a better solution would be to advocate for Assistant teachers or Paras in say all K-3 classes to help ensure meaningful differentiation and small group usage. Or advocate for a floater Para who could help with sub duties or tutoring.

Someone asked "How do you get an Assistant teacher in each room, MCPS??". An answer was provided.

MCPS and the BOE have failed. Its time to clean house. Taylor has done nothing to date. The BOE mismanaged the funds and increased class sizes. If they need more buildings take back some of the old ones repurposed and open more schools.

What part of this requires money, time, and personnel are you not clear on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:56 yes to all.
The lowest performers need more - more time, more tutors, more books, more practice without them feeling like they are a failure because they are not there, yet, like their peers. Each classroom should have an assistant teacher to help those students or the lead teacher takes the lower students and assistant teacher works with the rest of the class. How do you get an Assistant teacher in each room, MCPS??

Advocate for this investment during the upcoming budget hearings, advocate to the BOE, work with your PTA/cluster to advocate to Admin and CO for having assistant teachers in lower ES classrooms. Similarly for all upper ES and MS math and English classes. My kid’s MS math class has 35 kids.

This is exactly what I think is needed in K-2, as reducing all class sizes is not going to happen. Additionally personnel to be tutor in Math, ELA, and English. These tutors can be full or full part-time paras or a specific tutor position that helps out.

Why should parents or teachers have to advocate to the Admin, CO or BOE? If they were doing their jobs, don't they know this is needed? They were hired/voted they should DO SOMETHING.

Because people have lots of wants and often there are competing priorities or ideas on how to best solve an issue. For example, people are constantly advocating for smaller class sizes. But we know that smaller classes sizes require teachers, space, likely additional buildings or portables, etc. So a better solution would be to advocate for Assistant teachers or Paras in say all K-3 classes to help ensure meaningful differentiation and small group usage. Or advocate for a floater Para who could help with sub duties or tutoring.

Someone asked "How do you get an Assistant teacher in each room, MCPS??". An answer was provided.

Because of "competing needs...," *certain* PTA asks parents not to advocate with Admin. They think if parents advocate for things that doesn't come through the PTA, they will not agree to it or Admin will agree to whatever that parent is asking which then in turn doesn't allow the PTA to push their agenda. Eye roll!!!

[Anonymous]

A lot has been said about what school district should do, schools can do and teachers too. How about trying to help families of these students with 1:1 counseling of some sort to make sure they understand what is expected of students, the services that are available to them, and actual guiding these families especially new families to the system from another country? Could a "host family" work? It's not a one time here you go here's the welcome to mcps folder that tells you what you need to do, but actually checking in with them very frequently (1-2x week). Does this fall under Social Worker duties, can paras do some of this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Serious answers only. How can schools raise performances of students at the lowest levels? Free meals help nourish brains and bodies, are they "healthy" is questionable. What else? It it sending home books (lots of books) for them to read? More math practice practice practice. Is it helping change their attitude towards learning, less screen time? Is it identifying learning disorders in Pre-K (if eligible) or by K? Parents/guardians of these students need assistance too but there is time and language and cultural barriers- getting them information about identifying learning issues, ELL services, attitude/views about learning?

It starts at home. If parents don’t care, not much school can do.