I’m an MCPS Teacher Who Has Taught at All Three Levels AMA!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't the kids read more actual books?

My kids are assigned lots of actual books by their teachers. Do you mean books you like personally or ones that you read as a child?

NP here. My senior only read like 3-4 books in AP Lit this year. It was shocking.

I should have done Dual Enrollment for him. I really regret not pursuing that.

[Anonymous]

1. My three biggest areas of concern are curriculum, grading/testing policies, and grouping. I was hoping the curriculum change after the audit would be an improvement, but I’ve heard very little about it and don’t know if they even finished the rollout with the interruption by COVID. I’d be very interested to hear any thoughts you have on these topics.

2. What are your biggest concerns? Is there anything parents could do to make things better systemically? What should we be pushing for and where should we push (central office, school board, local school administration, etc.)?

3. With elections coming up, do you have thoughts on the candidates for school board? What do you think about the apple ballot?

4. What do you think of MCPS spending priorities?

5. What do you wish people knew?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why doesn’t MCPS teach phonics in early elementary? Is benchmark as bad as it seems to parents?

Having a one size fits all curriculum doesn’t work when the country is as diverse as our county is.

How does this answer either question?

[Anonymous]

When you say you’re at a highly regarded middle school, do you mean it’s wealthy and has high scores without doing much because parents are highly educated, or do you have a strong principal and unusually strong staff compared to other schools and believe it deserves its reputation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thoughts on Weast vs. Starr vs. Smith vs. McKnight?

The county has changed drastically over the four Superintendents’ tenures. The county’s wealth and demographics looo very different from when Weast was at the helm. Starr wanted to privatize mental health before it became commonplace. Always responded to emails. Solid guy. .

Put 2nd graders on Twitter with easy access to porn.
Kept known sexual predators in classrooms in MCPS and in previous school system in Connecticut.
Solid history of not keeping children safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Send your questions in and I’ll do my best to respond.

Best troll in town

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you say you’re at a highly regarded middle school, do you mean it’s wealthy and has high scores without doing much because parents are highly educated, or do you have a strong principal and unusually strong staff compared to other schools and believe it deserves its reputation?

+1

This response is way too open ended. I think we are dealing with another troll

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you say you’re at a highly regarded middle school, do you mean it’s wealthy and has high scores without doing much because parents are highly educated, or do you have a strong principal and unusually strong staff compared to other schools and believe it deserves its reputation?

+1

This response is way too open ended. I think we are dealing with another troll

That was why I asked about certifications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you say you’re at a highly regarded middle school, do you mean it’s wealthy and has high scores without doing much because parents are highly educated, or do you have a strong principal and unusually strong staff compared to other schools and believe it deserves its reputation?

+1

This response is way too open ended. I think we are dealing with another troll

The poster seems incredibly diplomatic and reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Do students in MCPS read entire books as part of the curriculum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do students in MCPS read entire books as part of the curriculum?

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you say you’re at a highly regarded middle school, do you mean it’s wealthy and has high scores without doing much because parents are highly educated, or do you have a strong principal and unusually strong staff compared to other schools and believe it deserves its reputation?

+1

This response is way too open ended. I think we are dealing with another troll

The poster seems incredibly diplomatic and reasonable.

Catfish

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you say you’re at a highly regarded middle school, do you mean it’s wealthy and has high scores without doing much because parents are highly educated, or do you have a strong principal and unusually strong staff compared to other schools and believe it deserves its reputation?

+1

This response is way too open ended. I think we are dealing with another troll

The poster seems incredibly diplomatic and reasonable.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you say you’re at a highly regarded middle school, do you mean it’s wealthy and has high scores without doing much because parents are highly educated, or do you have a strong principal and unusually strong staff compared to other schools and believe it deserves its reputation?

+1

This response is way too open ended. I think we are dealing with another troll

The poster seems incredibly diplomatic and reasonable.

+1000

I am that poster. I was attempting to be diplomatic. Thanks to those who took it the right way!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why doesn’t MCPS teach phonics in early elementary? Is benchmark as bad as it seems to parents?

Having a one size fits all curriculum doesn’t work when the country is as diverse as our county is.

How does this answer either question?

You know what’s also diverse, OP? The 20+ years or scientific research showing how kids actually learn to read. Phonemic awareness is a HUGE part of that. This is what’s wrong with MCPS! Well tenured teachers have no clue of the outside world and are brainwashed by MCPS dogma.