My middle schooler never opened her backpack at home all year and got all A's and two B's

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the class. Some are more rigorous than others but they aren't very rigorous. However, everything is done online so no need for a backpack. Why is she getting B's if its so easy? Weren't you monitoring things?

You are that mom. All A's or you are the worst? Not the PP but my kids can get all A's and B's and that is just fine. You have no idea who is trying their best or not. And honestly trying your absolute best for all A's in middle school and stressing about it is a huge waste of time. No one cares.

DP. I agree with the PP. middle school is a lot easier than high school and if she’s already getting two B’s, it doesn’t bode well for a GPA good enough for something like UMD. It’s gotten very competitive. Moreover, her work ethic is going to have to improve because AP classes are no joke. And she’s not going to get into even average schools without a bunch of AP’s. Honors and below will not cut it even for the flagship.

AP's are the biggest money making scam of this generation. Most have to retake them in college and many colleges don't accept a lot of them.

Find me a student that has fun through high school without popping Adderall to stay up and study - goes to JUCO for 2 years and transfers to the same college as Adderall-popping anxious depressed kids who paid WAY over 5 figures for tutors, AP's, AP testing, ACT/SAT prep, and five SAT/AC tests. Not to mention all of the money spent to make your kid look college perfect on a piece of paper.

Not only do those A's with mixed B's and C's kids have a more normal fun life, they graduate college with the same degree with half the debt and half the stress.

So please please stop pointing people in the direction of all A's and AP's all of the time. You wonder why so many high schoolers are f'ing miserable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid was the same. No effort. None really needed.

My kid was at a supposedly good school - JW - and it was embarrassing how little they did

+1

[Anonymous]

My is finishing up 9th grade at a W school and got all As with almost no work. And she’s not some sort of child genius. I don’t understand how these kids will be prepared for college.

[Anonymous]

Not the case here. Late assignments had points deducted. Sounds like the school was quite lenient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whoever said middle school would get harder or have more homework, etc... is crazy. She had more homework and projects in her ES than MS.

My daughter did the absolute bare minimum and is still finishing up with all A's and two B's for her final. The late assignments get the same points, the retakes, the 89.5 and 79.5 will always equal an A for the semester. The teachers are done tired and don't care - and I don't blame them. My oldest went to a top 5 private school and we wanted to try public for my daughter since she has such close friends. I keep thinking it will get better after the pandemic, but it has not. And my daughter's work ethic has just plummeted. She could have easily have gotten all A's but who am I to be the pushy mom who insists on extra during this mental healthness outbreak. It is a fine line. And she sees that the hard workers and mediocre workers get the same grades so she chose mediocre (of course she loves saying how so many kids are failing etc... and she is trying her best.) It's total BS.

I know we are trying to bring up the rear and help out the struggling as a public school, but please tell me high school gets more competitive. She is a rising 8th grader and I am seriously contemplating private for high school. There is no way this type of learning will get them ready for a tough degree in college.

Anyone else feeling this with their middle school kids? I don't care about the learning as much as engaging and trying. It just isn't there.

Troll, you have no school in MCPS. You have posted the same diatribes here before

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the class. Some are more rigorous than others but they aren't very rigorous. However, everything is done online so no need for a backpack. Why is she getting B's if its so easy? Weren't you monitoring things?

You are that mom. All A's or you are the worst? Not the PP but my kids can get all A's and B's and that is just fine. You have no idea who is trying their best or not. And honestly trying your absolute best for all A's in middle school and stressing about it is a huge waste of time. No one cares.

DP. I agree with the PP. middle school is a lot easier than high school and if she’s already getting two B’s, it doesn’t bode well for a GPA good enough for something like UMD. It’s gotten very competitive. Moreover, her work ethic is going to have to improve because AP classes are no joke. And she’s not going to get into even average schools without a bunch of AP’s. Honors and below will not cut it even for the flagship.

AP's are the biggest money making scam of this generation. Most have to retake them in college and many colleges don't accept a lot of them.

Find me a student that has fun through high school without popping Adderall to stay up and study - goes to JUCO for 2 years and transfers to the same college as Adderall-popping anxious depressed kids who paid WAY over 5 figures for tutors, AP's, AP testing, ACT/SAT prep, and five SAT/AC tests. Not to mention all of the money spent to make your kid look college perfect on a piece of paper.

Not only do those A's with mixed B's and C's kids have a more normal fun life, they graduate college with the same degree with half the debt and half the stress.

So please please stop pointing people in the direction of all A's and AP's all of the time. You wonder why so many high schoolers are f'ing miserable.

We have found another private school parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah. Middle school is definitely the weakest link. It will get better in high school.

Public school in general is the weakest link

This. I teach in a public school and the standards are low. They are even lower now, after the pandemic. I sent my son to a public ES to give it a try. He also got straight As and in no way deserved them. Thankfully I found a decent-paying second job that goes to pay his tuition in private school. It's like night and day.

[Anonymous]

All A's and no homework for my kid too. She came from a DC charter, had no homework there either. She says she finishes her homework during class. Definitely worried about her being unprepared for high school and college. There has to be a middle ground somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Middle school is horrible.

Elementary school was full of reading, project, writing assignments, math homework....the whole deal. Very little of this in middle except in a couple of classes (one year of global humanities had some promising projects and books, etc). In high school it gets better if kids are going for the more challenging classes, AP, IB, etc.

My advice for parents: make sure your middle schooler has something else that will push them. My kids each have/had a sport and a side activity in middle that took up time, required discipline and focus and time management, goal setting, practice, etc. and that taught them a lot of useful skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah. Middle school is definitely the weakest link. It will get better in high school.

It really depends on the middle school and the students electives.

My child had a lot of homework. I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm sure every school and teacher is different.

Mine had a lot of homework too! 7th grade at TPMS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah. Middle school is definitely the weakest link. It will get better in high school.

Public school in general is the weakest link

They're better than most privates. There are exceptions but by and large public school education > private schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No homework anymore, its an equity issue assuming kids don’t always have quiet environment to study at home or maybe have to work or care for siblings.

This isn't true. Although they're give time in school to complete their work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My is finishing up 9th grade at a W school and got all As with almost no work. And she’s not some sort of child genius. I don’t understand how these kids will be prepared for college.

W's aren't what they used to be...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah. Middle school is definitely the weakest link. It will get better in high school.

It really depends on the middle school and the students electives.

My child had a lot of homework. I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm sure every school and teacher is different.

Mine had a lot of homework too! 7th grade at TPMS

My 6th grader at TPMS had modest amounts. I'm guessing it ramps up gradually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whoever said middle school would get harder or have more homework, etc... is crazy. She had more homework and projects in her ES than MS.

My daughter did the absolute bare minimum and is still finishing up with all A's and two B's for her final. The late assignments get the same points, the retakes, the 89.5 and 79.5 will always equal an A for the semester. The teachers are done tired and don't care - and I don't blame them. My oldest went to a top 5 private school and we wanted to try public for my daughter since she has such close friends. I keep thinking it will get better after the pandemic, but it has not. And my daughter's work ethic has just plummeted. She could have easily have gotten all A's but who am I to be the pushy mom who insists on extra during this mental healthness outbreak. It is a fine line. And she sees that the hard workers and mediocre workers get the same grades so she chose mediocre (of course she loves saying how so many kids are failing etc... and she is trying her best.) It's total BS.

I know we are trying to bring up the rear and help out the struggling as a public school, but please tell me high school gets more competitive. She is a rising 8th grader and I am seriously contemplating private for high school. There is no way this type of learning will get them ready for a tough degree in college.

Anyone else feeling this with their middle school kids? I don't care about the learning as much as engaging and trying. It just isn't there.

Troll, you have no school in MCPS. You have posted the same diatribes here before

I take it your not a fan of the society is in decline script? It's meant to make you fearful and vote for right-wing board members. That's what they did in VA. This is a very popular theme that people have been debating for centuries.