When do classes get more challenging?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great time to do some challenging enrichment. An instrument, robotics club etc.

This is how we chose to use the MS years. DC went to HGC, and with an almost one hour commute, tier II school, DC didn't get home till about 4:30 or so, so very little time for after school activities. Now in MS, DC can do much more. But, yea, DC is coasting for the most part. Straight As with not much HW done at home. DC says it's done at school. And then there's the "re-take" of exams if you scored low. DC wants to go to IB magnet in HS. I told DC that DC will be in for a big surprise as far as HW load goes so prepare yourself.

[Anonymous]

My kids had almost no homework every night in middle school, but still got straight A's. Now they spend 2-3 hours on homework and studying in order to keep up straight A's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids had almost no homework every night in middle school, but still got straight A's. Now they spend 2-3 hours on homework and studying in order to keep up straight A's.

What HS? This is what I'm thinking will happen, but I wish MCPS would start preparing them in 8th grade at least for this kind of level of HW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids had almost no homework every night in middle school, but still got straight A's. Now they spend 2-3 hours on homework and studying in order to keep up straight A's.

What HS? This is what I'm thinking will happen, but I wish MCPS would start preparing them in 8th grade at least for this kind of level of HW.

Wootton, but my friends at other surrounding high schools have said the same thing about their kids.

[Anonymous]

HS for us as well. in fact we found grades 6-8 easy and unfortunately very boring. It came after two grade levels in a nearby HGC, which for middle school was too far away to really consider. Now we wish we had. More and more west county families are going to do magnet for middle school and work out car pools. That or try to fix the middle school curriculum....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never. Not in HS either. Sadly, my DC, a HS senior, told me that the last 4 years have been a waste and that she hasn't learned anything since magnet middle school program. This despite taking all honors and a heavier AP/IB schedule than many students.

AP is generally monotonous shallow book learning which is formulaic. IB is writing assignments, which could be good if there was ever any feedback on the writing, but there isn't.

Top it off with some terrible teachers - unclear, testing concepts not taught, petty and lazy (not grading for many weeks) and the whole experience has basically provoked deep boredom and lethargy. Fortunately DC has an outside interest that she spends substantial time on (both out of school and in class after DC is finished work or while the teacher is droning on about stuff DC already knows) or she would have lost her marbles a long time ago.

Thank god that your child's teacher was honest about it all. Now you know. Encourage your DC to find other outlets - classes outside if school that are interesting, reading books, whatever.

I agree, if school is not challenging, even at the honors and AP level, (Too bad it's just shallow book learning), she should read good books on her own, and do other things that interest her. School newspaper for writing and thinking skills, Explorer or other groups for outdoors and camping (or just doing it on your own), or astronomy. This could actually free up someone to live the kind of adolescence others only dream about, pursuing your own interests. I think it's a good life lesson that high school or even college and your first jobs won't always provide what you need. You need to make it happen yourself.

[Anonymous]

My kids were not really challenged until they reached HS and started taking AP and IB classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents were really wise in that when I complained about school being too easy, they told me that a school wouldn’t give me an education, but rather, I had to go and get it myself. Put the onus back on your kid to create their own learning opportunities. This will develop skills that are useful as they mature. Rather than wondering why the world isn’t designed to meet the needs of gifted people (it isn’t and never will be), your child should be looking to exploit opportunities that meet their needs. The change in outlook will be beneficial in how they frame the problem. The classroom will never meet all the needs of outliers. You can supplement, etc but nothing beats asking the kid to figure out their own problem.

Yes! I tell students the same thing. Truly intelligent people can learn to create their own challenges. I wish more parents had this thought process instead of expecting public school to constantly tailor everything to their student.

+1 DS is in 8th, gets all As every time, took PSAT and scored 1390 -- he is a good student. He is completely challenged in his middle of the road public. When he had a science assignment on rockets - he built mechanical ones at home for a couple days. Social Studies about Boston Massacre and he read everything he could find about it, He finds ways to engage. If your kid does not while taking AP classes in HS, they have really missed out of what education is about and I do not put that on the school system.