Are there any “just average” kids anymore?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In MCPS, 50% of all 5th graders scored 90% on COGAT. I think this area has a concentration of bright, well-educated parents that you don’t see all over the US. But not more than say NYC, Chicago, SF, or other major US cities with gov’t, finance, or tech-based economies.

My cousin’s kids are much more advanced than their peers in Detroit, but far behind my kids here. And my kids aren’t even magnet.

That does not sound accurate. MC is a very large and diverse place.

Or are you talking about one school?

Do you have a link or is this just hearsay?

I teach for MCPS. This what I was told in a training on Thursday. It’s why there will be new sixth grade courses in SS and math offered in neighborhood schools this year. There is a huge pop of kids who would benefit from enriched courses, but most have a cohort of 15-20 peers at their home school. Only the true outliers, the kids with no peer or only 1-2 need to be in a magnet middle.

What about average to above average kids in a high poverty school with few academic peers? Any advice on that front in MC, APS, ACPS?

We were told every MCPS ES had 5th graders that qualified as gifted by score on COGAT. Even high poverty schools. Hypothetically, the above average, few peer kids were invited to attend the magnets. That doesn’t mean they will attend. For example, a gifted but poor kid’s parents might depend on him to walk younger sibs home from school because they can’t afford a nanny or aftercare. Other families fear they are unwelcome by traditional magnet pool families. Their parents may have fears about the social environment impacting their child. I hope they come anyway. We’ll see in a few weeks.

Hypothetically, a merely average kid should have plenty of academic peers, even in a high poverty school. Average is more than just standardized test scores, after all.

Intellectually speaking, of course average kids have plenty of academic peers regardless of their school's demographics. The problem isn't the intellect part - it's the language and economic part. An average MC white English-speaking kid at Randolph ES does not have a lot of peers with whom he/she can easily socialize and become friends. And, if a school with a high FRL/ELL population is more focused on getting those kids to English-proficiency that brings them up to learning in English and performing on the same level as the native English speaker, then it doesn't matter how many peers the "average" kid has. Too many of those "average" kids are still in different peer groups and instruction groups - based on language and other mitigating factors that result in "average" kids performing at different levels.

Putting the child you described in private school is the typical response here. Catholic if the parents aren’t able to swing another option. Or they move out of MoCo altogether.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems like every other kid (at least according to DCUM) is either gifted, has a learning disability/IEP, behavioral disorder or some combo of all. Arethere any just normal, regular kids anymore? I am afraid my polite, not too rambunctious, average intelligent kid is going to get ignored in public school. APS if it matters. How can I help her not just blend in and get ignored? She’s not a “squeaky wheel”.

My kids are both average. Was tested for gifted programs, never went in, stayed in private school that does not separate gifted/not gifted children. We had to pull one of the kids out one year and put them to FCPS top elementary, AP. Moved back to private the very next year. We encountered the same situation that you are concerned about: they were pushed to the back row, and by the end of the school year, knew less than when they started. Grades remained As, however

[Anonymous]

When my kids return from their next play date in someone's musty-moldy old basement, I'll ask them if they feel normal.

Good question!

[Anonymous]

The only thing that my kids are above average in is their looks. Not being biased but I am always told how gorgeous they are (they are in high school). They are happy, compassionate and well rounded teens. They have lots of friends and are polite and respectful to me and other adults. They get average grades which is fine with me.