?? They didn’t say they were planning to put it in every school. Just that they may expand it. |
Have you asked for certain, whether they plan to expand county-wide or just some limited expansion? I do know: 1) Brabrand and the current SB have repeatedly said their #1 agenda item is: equity. And, 2 ) E3 is an equity-based program. |
So you're just making some assumptions and pushing them as if they're fact. Got it. Why are you making S up? What is your goal here? |
This is correct. Also they haven't for sure decided (last I asked someone at FCPS) if they will do it in the exact form it is in now. It's a continuing conversation, and one that parents can weigh in on. Feel free to do so. As a parent of math-loving kids, I sure plan to pay attention and speak up. |
It does not sound like this E3 pilot program is going well, nor does it seem to be heading in the right direction. Can you add any other info or experiences from your child’s class? (any other E3 parents care to share their experience?). |
Following. PP, what grade is your child? I'm not sure my younger kids will get into the center and we weren't particularly interested in going down that path for them but our base school is rolling E3 out next year so we went ahead and referred. |
I’m the PP, my kid is in 3rd grade.
Their teacher was very honest with me when they said they can’t really provide anything extra in the classroom. My kid was offered AAP Level III and did that for a bit, but hated it and said it wasn’t really advanced math like it was at his old school (not FCPS). We are not at a school that offers Level IV. |
Also wanted to add that with E3, they presented the advanced curriculum (if you can even call it that) as a deeper dive/more discussion based stuff. “What’s a real world situation” or “how can we use this”….it isn’t harder work or advanced work. |
Our school does have advanced math starting in 5th (they take the 6th grade sol). Also, they put kids in advanced math in 6th grade who didn't take advanced math in 5th, so I know it really doesn't matter if my kid does anything advanced before 5th/6th grade. It's unfortunate they can't do a compacted 4/5 math class for kids. Getting extra packet work is simply extra busy work - I can provide that at home. |
I have an older, gifted kid and the most rewarding/intellectual experiences have been when the advanced kids were pulled for an alternate activity that included discussion. Much more engaging and satisfying than zipping on to the next topic. |
I have an older gifted kid and was also an accelerated math learner. Kid and I prefer zipping from topic to topic once we've gotten things. Gifted kids are different from each other. |
I guess ya'lls faith in Youngkin was wrong. |
This is much ado about nothing, unless your kid is TRULY gifted (most in AAP and advanced math are not). Our Level IV ES had advanced math and full AAP. My child did not want to do AAP for social reasons (so we did not) and was not tracked for advanced math in 4th grade. Despite her grades, ability, and SOLs, they wouldn't let her track back in to advanced math. I was annoyed at the time but, in the end, it ended up being a good thing. She got the base concepts, was a superstar in her "gened" class, and had tons of confidence going into MS. There, she took Honors math in 7th and Honors Algebra in 8th. She killed both of them. Now in Honors Geometry and has a near 100% The special advanced treatment in the lower grades is just not a huge deal breaker for what your kid can do in MS and HS. And that is true for the VAST majority of kids (and my teacher friends, including AAP teachers, agree on this point). And, if you think your kid really isn't getting enough - do it yourself. Tutor, Kahn Academy, workbooks, etc. etc. Get them in the math and science clubs at school. There are TONS of resources out there and they don't all cost a lot of money and which negate or significantly diminish the need for the advanced tracking. My 2 cents. |
Hopefully they start Advanced Math in fifth grade but it isn't all that. DS has been in Advanced Math since third, we added math classes at RSM on the weekend in order to challenge him in math. He enjoys the regular class but loves the math competition class. He brings home packets that are labelled 5th grade math from school, so we know he is getting the advanced math, it just isn't all that exciting. He does love Level III, it is not a math specific program but it is more creative problem solving and sounds like a fun class. He is bummed when they miss a week for some reason. If your kid was accepted into LIV, they can move to the Center. That is about the best you can do. But I think that any kid who really wants to be challenged in math is going to need to look outside of the classroom. |
VMPI is certainly not “dead” as many claim, and despite Governor Younkin’s executive order. The ideas live on within the administrators at the DOE who championed VMPI. They are still trying to implement as much of VMPI as they can get away with. The official DOE website is even still up (very odd for something supposedly “dead”). https://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/mathematics/index.shtml |