HGC 4th grade this year

[Anonymous]

My son is in 4th grade at an HGC and I have a slightly different perspective. He was never the type of kid who would roll around on the floor or disrupt the class, but he was certainly bored in his home school. The combination of curriculum 2.0 and large classes at all different ability levels prompted us to look into the HGC for him.
I believe it is the right spot even though it isn't perfect and I am disappointed in the math. I believe that the imposition of curriculum 2.0 math on the center is a mistake -- some kids, including my son, are math-people and really need additional challenges. Unfortunately this curriculum is mandated across the county. The way I view it, if he had stayed in his home school, he would be in compacted 4/5 math along with a bunch of kids who still cover a wide range of ability levels. At least at the HGC, all the kids in 4/5 math are really, really good at math. That peer group is important.
It so happens that his home school class was very large and there were a lot(!) of boys with very disruptive behaviors.

[Anonymous]

We recently received a letter from MCPS that they have decided that the revised HGC curriculum was not rigorous enough. They are now going back to the previous curriculum. So there must have been a number of teachers, parents, administrators who thought this year's curriculum was less rigorous than in the past. Apparently it was different enough from the regular 4th grade curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We recently received a letter from MCPS that they have decided that the revised HGC curriculum was not rigorous enough. They are now going back to the previous curriculum. So there must have been a number of teachers, parents, administrators who thought this year's curriculum was less rigorous than in the past. Apparently it was different enough from the regular 4th grade curriculum.

Meant to say it was not different enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently received a letter from MCPS that they have decided that the revised HGC curriculum was not rigorous enough. They are now going back to the previous curriculum. So there must have been a number of teachers, parents, administrators who thought this year's curriculum was less rigorous than in the past. Apparently it was different enough from the regular 4th grade curriculum.

Meant to say it was not different enough.

Did the letter say when they are going back to the previous curriculum? For the rest of the year, next year, or some other year? Did other HGC people receive a similar letter? We have not received such letter as far as I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We recently received a letter from MCPS that they have decided that the revised HGC curriculum was not rigorous enough. They are now going back to the previous curriculum. So there must have been a number of teachers, parents, administrators who thought this year's curriculum was less rigorous than in the past. Apparently it was different enough from the regular 4th grade curriculum.

We also received a letter that said they're going back to the previous curriculum for next semester of this year. It has a whole lot of other words, too, which they really could have skipped, for all the communication they (don't) provide. Here is the letter:

As you know, MCPS has been implementing the Common Core State Standards in Curriculum 2.0 in all of our elementary schools beginning this school year. This new curriculum is designed to challenge all levels of students across the various content areas with significantly higher expectations for learning.

To address the changing student performance needs, the Division of Accelerated and Enriched Instruction has begun writing a new curriculum in the area of Reading Language Arts. This curriculum will provide differentiated instructional approaches and authentic learning assessments to meet the unique needs of the center program students. During our initial implementation this fall, we have heard feedback from parents, teachers, and administrators about a further need to provide increased rigorous opportunities for the students in this program. Therefore, we will reinstate the previous center curriculum for second semester of 2013-2014. Our office will work collaboratively with schools to align the curriculum with the new grading and reporting system. This change will provide our writers and schools with additional time to ensure the new curriculum and resources are aligned with best practices for highly gifted learners.

We apologize for the delay in rolling out a new curriculum in entirety but greatly appreciate the feedback to ensure we are providing a more distinctive program in our schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently received a letter from MCPS that they have decided that the revised HGC curriculum was not rigorous enough. They are now going back to the previous curriculum. So there must have been a number of teachers, parents, administrators who thought this year's curriculum was less rigorous than in the past. Apparently it was different enough from the regular 4th grade curriculum.

Meant to say it was not different enough.

Did the letter say when they are going back to the previous curriculum? For the rest of the year, next year, or some other year? Did other HGC people receive a similar letter? We have not received such letter as far as I know.

The letter, which was dated October 21st, was crumbled at the bottom of my child's backpack. They didn't send it to our house.

[Anonymous]

Glad they are on top of it and willing to go back to the old curriculum mid-year. They could have easily just said, forget it, we'll forge ahead with 2.0 and figure it out better for next year. I'm really appreciative!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently received a letter from MCPS that they have decided that the revised HGC curriculum was not rigorous enough. They are now going back to the previous curriculum. So there must have been a number of teachers, parents, administrators who thought this year's curriculum was less rigorous than in the past. Apparently it was different enough from the regular 4th grade curriculum.

We also received a letter that said they're going back to the previous curriculum for next semester of this year. It has a whole lot of other words, too, which they really could have skipped, for all the communication they (don't) provide. Here is the letter:

As you know, MCPS has been implementing the Common Core State Standards in Curriculum 2.0 in all of our elementary schools beginning this school year. This new curriculum is designed to challenge all levels of students across the various content areas with significantly higher expectations for learning.

To address the changing student performance needs, the Division of Accelerated and Enriched Instruction has begun writing a new curriculum in the area of Reading Language Arts. This curriculum will provide differentiated instructional approaches and authentic learning assessments to meet the unique needs of the center program students. During our initial implementation this fall, we have heard feedback from parents, teachers, and administrators about a further need to provide increased rigorous opportunities for the students in this program. Therefore, we will reinstate the previous center curriculum for second semester of 2013-2014. Our office will work collaboratively with schools to align the curriculum with the new grading and reporting system. This change will provide our writers and schools with additional time to ensure the new curriculum and resources are aligned with best practices for highly gifted learners.

We apologize for the delay in rolling out a new curriculum in entirety but greatly appreciate the feedback to ensure we are providing a more distinctive program in our schools.

Wow. The kids at the home schools get screwed. This sucks. My highly intelligent child doesn't get a rigorous curriculum, even though he tests gifted and talented.

[Anonymous]

40% of MoCo kids test G & T. Welcome to the top 1/2.

[Anonymous]

Kudos to MCPS for agreeing to revert to the old curriculum when it became apparent the new curriculum was not as enriched/rigorous. It is unusual for such a big school system to make adjustments in mid-course and I applaud them for putting the kids ahead of politics and/or inertia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kudos to MCPS for agreeing to revert to the old curriculum when it became apparent the new curriculum was not as enriched/rigorous. It is unusual for such a big school system to make adjustments in mid-course and I applaud them for putting the kids ahead of politics and/or inertia.

While I agree it's good that they recognized their mistake, is it too much to expect that they would have done the upfront work to avoid the mistake to begin with? For over 2 years, parents have been saying that C2.0 isn't as challenging as MCPS is promising. Last year, MCPS took away the accelerated math options for all MCPS students and said C2.0 would be rigorous enough. Parents complained all year and this year, MCPS was forced to reinstate a compacted option that would get kids to Algebra in 7th grade. During the year, many parents expressed concerns about the HGC and C2.0. So, MCPS should have been on notice that C2.0 would not cut it for the HGC.

As a parent and taxpayer, I am honestly tired of the crappy rollout of C2.0. Nothing has been beta-tested before providing to our kids. There is no evidence that this curriculum will result in better outcomes. Materials are literally coming out moments before the teachers need them.

I don't think MCPS really deserves "applause" for recognizing a mistake that many people foresaw and they choose to willfully ignore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kudos to MCPS for agreeing to revert to the old curriculum when it became apparent the new curriculum was not as enriched/rigorous. It is unusual for such a big school system to make adjustments in mid-course and I applaud them for putting the kids ahead of politics and/or inertia.

+1

The PP makes a good point, that they could have avoided all this by not implementing it in the first place, but at least they are willing to make this adjustment now, so IMO, do deserve a bit of credit for that.

[Anonymous]

So there actually was a difference in the HGC curriculum this year. It isn't as good as it used to be and has been very similar to the home school. I look forward to next semester!

[Anonymous]

I have a kid at CCES and have not received a letter. Did anybody from CCES get a letter?

[Anonymous]

Not all of the highly gifted kids are in the hgc. The old curriculum ought to be brought back in the home schools, too. This is an outrage that MCPS is showing favoritism. My kid deserves a more rigorous curriculum in his home school just as much as the kids in the hgcs.