MCPS 1st grade report

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So basically, the ES and P grades mean nothing other than your child hit the mediocre bar that we set for P. Your child probably entered this year knowing this material, so your child is getting a P for not de-evolving, good job. Your ES is random and doesn't reflect that we taught him anything new or he learned something new. Its our reward to you for getting your child to learn this before we ever presented it so we don't have to do it.

I'm constantly astounded by how many DCUM parents have children who already know everything they're supposed to learn in school that year. My own children have nowhere near this level of education. In fact, I'm almost embarrassed to admit that they actually learn stuff in school.

[Anonymous]

It's not about knowing too much and wanting acceleration. I have an average kid in third grade in an "excellent" school (based on test scores, demographics and what patents typically look for) with a super teacher, but thanks to 2.0 the teachers have to figure out how to implement and assess the kids using 2.0. News flash: teachers were not provided with uniform assessments and there's a variance among schools even in the same cluster. The homework is silly. The work done in class that comes home is silly. Again, I have an average kid. The math "strategies" are absurd. To be honest, I am very worried about how my average kid will do in middle school. The kids quite simply ate not being taught the old fashioned basics of how to be a good student. I guess that's why so many tutoring outlets are making big bucks. In short, this is the big difference between private and public schools: the old fashioned (and IMHO far superior) method of teaching. Honestly, I am gearing up for essentially teaching my kid everything he should have learned in third grade this summer, and I'm not looking forward to it.

[Anonymous]

OK, PP at 16:28, I will amend my statement. I am constantly astounded by how many DCUM parents have children who learn nothing in school, either because they already know it all or because the teachers are unable to teach (for whatever reason*). And am almost embarrassed to admit that my children actually learn stuff in school.

*usually but not always involving C 2.0.

[Anonymous]

Just curious OP, what did the teacher say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS makes this information available on the Internet!

How to read the report card for kindergarten: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/info/grading/how-to-read-the-curriculum-2.0-kindergarten-report-card.pdf

How to read the report card for first grade:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/info/grading/how-to-read-the-curriculum-2.0-grade-1-2-report-card.pdf

How to read the report card for second grade: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/info/grading/how-to-read-the-curriculum-2.0-grade-1-2-report-card.pdf

How to read the report card for third grade:

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/info/grading/how-to-read-the-curriculum-2.0-grade-3-report-card.pdf

If you're wondering what your student is supposed to be proficient at, MCPS also makes this information available on the Internet (in case you missed it when they sent it home from school)!

Kindergarten: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/curriculum/elementary/parent-guide-curriculum2.0-kindergarten-en.pdf

First grade: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/curriculum/elementary/parent-guide-curriculum2.0-grade1-en.pdf

Second grade: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/curriculum/elementary/parent-guide-curriculum2.0-grade2-en.pdf

Third grade: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/curriculum/elementary/parent-guide-curriculum2.0-grade3-en.pdf

Here is what it says under first grade math...

GOALS: Students will develop the knowledge and skills essential to achieving mathematical proficiency by—
• developing both conceptual understanding and proce-
dural fluency;
• thinking and reasoning mathematically; and
• u sing mathematics to solve problems in authentic contexts.

Huh????

Compare that with this from VA where my sister lives:

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/mathematics/k-8/stds_math1.pdf

Which did you understand?

[Anonymous]

16:28. How do you know what your kids were supposed to learn in 3rd grade?

[Anonymous]

I like the Virginia one better. It recognize that math has its own language. Not some dubious using words to explain math nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

By your subject line, I assumed you had a first grader. Is that correct?

My first grader received several ES's and the rest were P's. That gives me a clue as to her strengths. The system is far from perfect - I personally would prefer some actual sentences from the teacher, but if your child is older than kindergarten, and receiving straight P's, then your child is doing well for the grade level, without being exceptionally above grade level.

Don't count on the ES grades meaning that your child has strengths. We received a few ES grades that I found odd considering areas where DS was stronger were P grades. His report card seemed to reflect the reverse of his actual academic abilities. The examples that the teacher gave for the ES were not about him being strong in that subject. He just demonstrated knowing something before it was taught. He happened to do a camp in one of those subjects which is why he knew that skill. In the areas with P, she said that he was stronger in those areas but there is no way to get an ES in those subjects.

So basically, the ES and P grades mean nothing other than your child hit the mediocre bar that we set for P. Your child probably entered this year knowing this material, so your child is getting a P for not de-evolving, good job. Your ES is random and doesn't reflect that we taught him anything new or he learned something new. Its our reward to you for getting your child to learn this before we ever presented it so we don't have to do it.

So... maybe your teacher doesn't grade properly, but that doesn't mean that other teachers don't grade properly.

I'm not sure why you think you know what my child does and does not know and when she learned it. Or why you think the ES was "random", just because you think yours is. Why couldn't her reading fundamentals be ES? She has read several Harry Potter books by herself, and yes, she can answer comprehension questions on it. She gets pulled out of class for the top reading group. Also, her artwork clearly stands out among her 80+ peers - other parents comment on it. And no, she did not enter the year knowing expanded notation. Her ES's clearly line up with her skills. I'm sorry your child's teacher hasn't figured out the new system yet.