I want a school without parents who want "pathways for advanced students"

[Anonymous]

I have been reading through the various GT, how do I get my DC out of a class with "average" students, it helps everyone if children are slotted into "pathways" at an early age threads and my conclusion is that those parents are right. Please MCPS, give those people their own schools.

I don't want my DC in a class that is moving at warp speed. I don't want my DC to be in a class that has to teach to tests. I don't want my DC to be in a class where memorization is rewarded more than creative thought and problem solving. I don't want my DC to have hours of homework, or even any homework k-4th grade, as it takes time away from them being able to read what that want and explore things that interest them. I don't want my DC in a school that creates puts so much stress on grade an "achievement" that she is afraid to fail.

So MCPS, please give those parents the schools they want, go ahead an establish public hagwons for their children, I don't care. Just give me an alternative to get away from them.

[Anonymous]

You have a really skewed idea about what people mean by advanced classes. There's a lot more memorization and rote homework in on-grade-level MCPS classes.

Other than that, you are right -- sounds like your kid isn't right for advanced level classes and that's perfectly ok.

What's a hagwon, by the way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What's a hagwon, by the way?

http://hagwon.wordpress.com/about/

A hagwon is a private cram school prevalent in South Korea. For families that can afford it, hagwon education usually starts at or before elementary level. It is common for Korean school children to attend one or more hagwons after their school. [1]

It is not uncommon for students to be enrolled in several hagwons of different subject areas at once (in addition to their normal school attendance). Hagwons may specialize in subjects like math, foreign language, science, art, or English. Hagwons offering integrated instruction in several subject areas are also common. These are known as soksem hagwon at the elementary level, and ipsi hagwon at the middle-school level. High-school, college and adult students attend gosi hagwon, which are typically focused on preparation for specific civil service examinations.

One example of a well-known hagwon is the Seoul Language Institute. The competition for college admissions in South Korea is usually fierce, and as a result, hagwons can sometimes assign large amounts of homework to students.

Like in many Korean public schools, discipline is sometimes administered with extra amounts of work assigned, as well as corporal punishment, if students fail a test or do not complete their homework.

Hagwon is sometimes used to describe similar institutions operated by Korean Americans in the United States.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have a really skewed idea about what people mean by advanced classes. There's a lot more memorization and rote homework in on-grade-level MCPS classes.

Other than that, you are right -- sounds like your kid isn't right for advanced level classes and that's perfectly ok.

What's a hagwon, by the way?

You should read some of the GT related threads. Though the vocal parents seem to have children who are almost-GT and not the parents of GT children. I personally think that the GT centers are great and needed; went to one myself back in the day. However, there seems to be a group of parents whose children were not selected for the GT program who want their children treated as if they were in the GT program. Fine. Give them their own school or center. Or give parents who want their children to have an education that is not focused on tests, measurements and rankings their own school. To me, achievement is not measured by a grade or class ranking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been reading through the various GT, how do I get my DC out of a class with "average" students, it helps everyone if children are slotted into "pathways" at an early age threads and my conclusion is that those parents are right. Please MCPS, give those people their own schools.

I don't want my DC in a class that is moving at warp speed. I don't want my DC to be in a class that has to teach to tests. I don't want my DC to be in a class where memorization is rewarded more than creative thought and problem solving. I don't want my DC to have hours of homework, or even any homework k-4th grade, as it takes time away from them being able to read what that want and explore things that interest them. I don't want my DC in a school that creates puts so much stress on grade an "achievement" that she is afraid to fail.

So MCPS, please give those parents the schools they want, go ahead an establish public hagwons for their children, I don't care. Just give me an alternative to get away from them.

Then you don't want your child in a public school period. It's the lower students who need the prep, not the advanced ones.

[Anonymous]

...It appears you have want you want in MCPS. Please do not complain. MCPS is more than adequate for below average students.

[Anonymous]

Why are people who want their kids in pathway schools posting in this thread? To call other people's kids "below average students"? Face it, if your kid was GT, he or she would be in the GT class. Get past it and go back to your own thread. Don't forget to wear green at the next BOE meeting.

[Anonymous]

Why are people who want their kids in pathway schools posting in this thread? To call other people's kids "below average students"? Face it, if your kid was GT, he or she would be in the GT class. Get past it and go back to your own thread. Don't forget to wear green at the next BOE meeting.

I believe, as many other posters, MCPS works quite well for below average (perhaps even average --by American standards). Do you disagree?

[Anonymous]

It's a rather simple proposition. MCPS should provide academic challenge not only for the below average or average student but the above average student as well ...even if it requires pathways or a BLOCK curricular schedule to make it possible. Then the majority of our children will be served with the $2 billion/year MPCS budget.

[Anonymous]

There is a big problem in MCPS education when the majority of grades are As and Bs and half of the studentry in MCPS schools makes the honor roll. This sends a false message to kids at the bottom of the global academic barrel.

[Anonymous]

There is a big problem in MCPS education when the majority of grades are As and Bs and half of the studentry in MCPS schools makes the honor roll. This sends a false message to kids at the bottom of the global academic barrel.

Our poster friends with math phobias can't seem to understand a MCPS curriculum where everyone gets As and Bs and makes the honor roll does not challenge students academically or intellectually. When kids not making the MCPS honor roll are in the minority we have a problem ... Houston? You don't need a label (e.g., gifted, HGC or magnet) to see this ladies and gentlemen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Why are people who want their kids in pathway schools posting in this thread? To call other people's kids "below average students"? Face it, if your kid was GT, he or she would be in the GT class. Get past it and go back to your own thread. Don't forget to wear green at the next BOE meeting.

I believe, as many other posters, MCPS works quite well for below average (perhaps even average --by American standards). Do you disagree?

I think MCPS does a good job overall. It is a large district with a very diverse population with varying needs. I think they do very well for GT children. The only people I hear complaining are the parents of students who were not selected for one of the GT centers.

I'm among the people who don't think homework is needed for children in k-3 grades. I think spending time reading with your child is more effective.

I'm also among the people who are tired of the BOE and county officials having to spend so much time dealing with a vocal minority. So I'm willing to throw my lot in with that group. Let's create schools or classes to satisfy the parents of the children that almost got into the GT centers. Let those parents start a charter school for the almost gifted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a rather simple proposition. MCPS should provide academic challenge not only for the below average or average student but the above average student as well ...even if it requires pathways or a BLOCK curricular schedule to make it possible. Then the majority of our children will be served with the $2 billion/year MPCS budget.

Sell it in your own thread. This is for people who are tired of hearing from you. We get it. Your child is smarter than all the other children, well except those in the gifted program I guess, and you wan them to get the same program as the gifted children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There is a big problem in MCPS education when the majority of grades are As and Bs and half of the studentry in MCPS schools makes the honor roll. This sends a false message to kids at the bottom of the global academic barrel.

Our poster friends with math phobias can't seem to understand a MCPS curriculum where everyone gets As and Bs and makes the honor roll does not challenge students academically or intellectually. When kids not making the MCPS honor roll are in the minority we have a problem ... Houston? You don't need a label (e.g., gifted, HGC or magnet) to see this ladies and gentlemen.

I wonder how the parents of those other threads would feel if MCPS did actually make the classes so challenging that the normal distribution of grades would be that only 10 percent of a class earns an A grade. I'm guessing they would still be complaining.

[Anonymous]

Sell it in your own thread. This is for people who are tired of hearing from you. We get it. Your child is smarter than all the other children, well except those in the gifted program I guess, and you wan them to get the same program as the gifted children.

The poster has not bothered to read this thread or comprehend any of the issues. I for one will ignore the poster's feeble and gasping whines.