Let us troll FCPS! What are MD public schools doing right? What are they doing wrong?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We haven't got much of anything. 3 days of math for 10-15 minutes and the MCPS assignment and 2 days of entire class of reading and an assignment. Office hours are twice a week and its a joke as teachers aren't grading assignments and don't always return emails. No science, history or specials.

I don't know how you would teach specials like chorus and instruments on line with 20+ kids.

My DC got an assignment for PE. Sure, it was easy, but not sure what else they can do.

I recommend getting a Singapore mathbook from amazon. I used that even before this started.

[Anonymous]

I can't fathom how they planned for 4 weeks and this is what they rolled out. MCPS had the same initial problem with bad behavior on Zoom but they shut it down and had the login situation figured out in a day, not a week!

And FCPS had 4 weeks to learn from others' mistakes and appears to have taken no lessons at all.

[Anonymous]

My MCPS middle school magnet kid has kept fairly busy most days over the past two weeks. They've been moving pretty steadily through the day, with time for lunch and exercise breaks, as they wrapped up larger projects from 3rd quarter and checked in to the zoom calls to discuss/learn new material.

No persistent problems with logging on or disruptions, tech seems to be fine as long as the teacher is reasonably comfortable with the technology.

I think it helps that most of the teachers already had a routine of posting at least some class material online, so the kids knew where to look on Google Classroom/Canvas for each class. So the only new things are the routine of finding the assignments and deadlines each week (not all were posted on Monday, and they've been trickling in through the week), and keeping track of the zoom invitations and calls.

It seems like classes are just now starting to ramp up toward more challenging work next week, when 4th quarter starts in earnest. Every class has had at least some new material this week, and even Health has kind of pivoted to discussing mental health and wellness during this period of isolation.

Honestly, I'd say both my kid and I are pretty satisfied with the way things have gone these past two weeks. Considering how chaotic the messaging was the first week, and how little information we got about how all that related to the core magnet classes, it's all come together fairly well.

[Anonymous]

Update: FCPS still messed up!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The new mission of MCPS is to feed children. Apparently they are doing this quite well. Educating them, not so much.

MCPS isn’t feeding my child, but she is being educated.

My HS twins are not being educated at their W school. Very little "work," no actual learning. Yet every weekend MCPS does a live call where they tell us about the 55,000 kids they've fed three meals a day.

At our SS school, the kids do a couple of hours of work per day. In some ways, it's better than when school was in session.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Update: FCPS still messed up!

wow. I mean.. MCPS online learning isn't fabulous, but I am seeing my kids do some work; take quizzes, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The new mission of MCPS is to feed children. Apparently they are doing this quite well. Educating them, not so much.

MCPS isn’t feeding my child, but she is being educated.

My HS twins are not being educated at their W school. Very little "work," no actual learning. Yet every weekend MCPS does a live call where they tell us about the 55,000 kids they've fed three meals a day.

At our SS school, the kids do a couple of hours of work per day. In some ways, it's better than when school was in session.

I won't say it is "better" than when school was in session, but my kids in a Silver Spring school also have 2-3 hours of work a day between live instruction and work they are completing independently. It's not bad, and they are definitely covering new material now that Q4 has begun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Update: FCPS still messed up!

Huh? No, FCPS finally figured it out and is doing fine now, or at least as well as can be expected.

[Anonymous]

Teachers are in learning modes as well. Few have taught online classes before. So, can't blame them.

Look to the global universities for ideas. Some of them have had distance learning for 20 years. Before Zoom, before WebEx, before Google.