Any TJ Staff on this Forum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does teaching at TJ differ from teaching at a base school? Would the teachers stay at a lottery TJ?

STEM teaching is at a college /MIT level, even for honors (not AP/ Post AP) classes. My kid did standard honors physics (not AP C). Got a B. Placed into third semester college physics at a pretty strong physics school. And still spent the first semester bored out of his mind and walking his problem set group of sophomores and juniors through the work. Is now a sophomore physics TA, so it worked out.

Also placed out of multi variable, despite only going through TJ’s version of BC.

[Anonymous]

My kid was able to skip out of multi, linear and differential equations and first 2 required CS courses at the university considered the top CS school in the country after graduating from TJ which also allowed him to take several graduate courses in math and CS which he enjoyed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a former TJ teacher. I was a bit shocked and disappointed to hear about the proposed change. I specifically wanted to work at TJ because I love working with gifted kids, which is what I thought TJ was all about, but maybe I just assumed that (?). Not to say the kids selected through the lottery won't be gifted, but it will be a mixed bag for sure, which will require more differentiation and probably less of an opportunity to go as in depth as I loved to do with my students. I do hope the powers that be at least figure out a way to identify the profoundly gifted kids who are interested in STEM, as I feel they would be the real losers in this plan.

No, you weren't just assuming. TJ IS a school for gifted kids. It's written in black and white in the school's charter. It appears they think every child who has at least a 3.5 GPA is gifted, regardless of whether the kids took gen ed or aap classes, or whether their middle schools have grade inflation (many do). The issue is that some people don't want to believe that intellectual giftedness is real. They think it's just a made up thing to make parents feel special.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former TJ teacher. I was a bit shocked and disappointed to hear about the proposed change. I specifically wanted to work at TJ because I love working with gifted kids, which is what I thought TJ was all about, but maybe I just assumed that (?). Not to say the kids selected through the lottery won't be gifted, but it will be a mixed bag for sure, which will require more differentiation and probably less of an opportunity to go as in depth as I loved to do with my students. I do hope the powers that be at least figure out a way to identify the profoundly gifted kids who are interested in STEM, as I feel they would be the real losers in this plan.

No, you weren't just assuming. TJ IS a school for gifted kids. It's written in black and white in the school's charter. It appears they think every child who has at least a 3.5 GPA is gifted, regardless of whether the kids took gen ed or aap classes, or whether their middle schools have grade inflation (many do). The issue is that some people don't want to believe that intellectual giftedness is real. They think it's just a made up thing to make parents feel special.

Intellectual giftedness is absolutely a real thing, but many parents spend large amounts of time, energy, and resources to make their child appear to be intellectually gifted when they are not, and are successful in doing so. The consequence of that is a TJ admissions process (and to be honest, a school at this point) that rewards those investments, which certain groups are both more predisposed to and more capable of making.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a former TJ teacher. I was a bit shocked and disappointed to hear about the proposed change. I specifically wanted to work at TJ because I love working with gifted kids, which is what I thought TJ was all about, but maybe I just assumed that (?). Not to say the kids selected through the lottery won't be gifted, but it will be a mixed bag for sure, which will require more differentiation and probably less of an opportunity to go as in depth as I loved to do with my students. I do hope the powers that be at least figure out a way to identify the profoundly gifted kids who are interested in STEM, as I feel they would be the real losers in this plan.

Do you think teachers will leave to pursue other endeavors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former TJ teacher. I was a bit shocked and disappointed to hear about the proposed change. I specifically wanted to work at TJ because I love working with gifted kids, which is what I thought TJ was all about, but maybe I just assumed that (?). Not to say the kids selected through the lottery won't be gifted, but it will be a mixed bag for sure, which will require more differentiation and probably less of an opportunity to go as in depth as I loved to do with my students. I do hope the powers that be at least figure out a way to identify the profoundly gifted kids who are interested in STEM, as I feel they would be the real losers in this plan.

Do you think teachers will leave to pursue other endeavors?

Teachers will wait to see what happens. TJ is a great gig for a teacher. So they'll see what the new class looks like - chances are, it won't look too much different except for there'll be a few more kids in Geometry - and they'll probably hang in there.

[Anonymous]

We understand that there are many people who think that there is a racial inequities at play, but the reality is that some families are just stronger in math than others.

A lot of Asians who live here work in science- whether it be government or tech. So do white people. But the difference isn’t the test per se.

It’s the culture of the home.

I wish people would just stop with this. It comes across as completely tone deaf to the idea that children have no say what families they are born into. Bright kids are born into many families in many places. Children don’t deserve to miss out on opportunities simply because of the parents they get at the birth lottery.

It is wrong too push one child in front of another because of the “culture of the home.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

We understand that there are many people who think that there is a racial inequities at play, but the reality is that some families are just stronger in math than others.

A lot of Asians who live here work in science- whether it be government or tech. So do white people. But the difference isn’t the test per se.

It’s the culture of the home.

I wish people would just stop with this. It comes across as completely tone deaf to the idea that children have no say what families they are born into. Bright kids are born into many families in many places. Children don’t deserve to miss out on opportunities simply because of the parents they get at the birth lottery.

It is wrong too push one child in front of another because of the “culture of the home.”

Right. Fcps should stop pandering to blacks and stop discriminating against Asians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We understand that there are many people who think that there is a racial inequities at play, but the reality is that some families are just stronger in math than others.

A lot of Asians who live here work in science- whether it be government or tech. So do white people. But the difference isn’t the test per se.

It’s the culture of the home.

I wish people would just stop with this. It comes across as completely tone deaf to the idea that children have no say what families they are born into. Bright kids are born into many families in many places. Children don’t deserve to miss out on opportunities simply because of the parents they get at the birth lottery.

It is wrong too push one child in front of another because of the “culture of the home.”

Right. Fcps should stop pandering to blacks and stop discriminating against Asians.

So completely tone deaf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former TJ teacher. I was a bit shocked and disappointed to hear about the proposed change. I specifically wanted to work at TJ because I love working with gifted kids, which is what I thought TJ was all about, but maybe I just assumed that (?). Not to say the kids selected through the lottery won't be gifted, but it will be a mixed bag for sure, which will require more differentiation and probably less of an opportunity to go as in depth as I loved to do with my students. I do hope the powers that be at least figure out a way to identify the profoundly gifted kids who are interested in STEM, as I feel they would be the real losers in this plan.

Do you think teachers will leave to pursue other endeavors?

Teachers will wait to see what happens. TJ is a great gig for a teacher. So they'll see what the new class looks like - chances are, it won't look too much different except for there'll be a few more kids in Geometry - and they'll probably hang in there.

I'm the PP to whom your question was directed. The answer, above, was not written by me. If I were still teaching at TJ, I would consider planning my exit strategy. I say this because I see this as being the beginning of the end. These changes will have a domino effect that will become apparent in 3-5 years, and it will no longer be the special place that students want to go the extra mile to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former TJ teacher. I was a bit shocked and disappointed to hear about the proposed change. I specifically wanted to work at TJ because I love working with gifted kids, which is what I thought TJ was all about, but maybe I just assumed that (?). Not to say the kids selected through the lottery won't be gifted, but it will be a mixed bag for sure, which will require more differentiation and probably less of an opportunity to go as in depth as I loved to do with my students. I do hope the powers that be at least figure out a way to identify the profoundly gifted kids who are interested in STEM, as I feel they would be the real losers in this plan.

Do you think teachers will leave to pursue other endeavors?

Teachers will wait to see what happens. TJ is a great gig for a teacher. So they'll see what the new class looks like - chances are, it won't look too much different except for there'll be a few more kids in Geometry - and they'll probably hang in there.

I'm the PP to whom your question was directed. The answer, above, was not written by me. If I were still teaching at TJ, I would consider planning my exit strategy. I say this because I see this as being the beginning of the end. These changes will have a domino effect that will become apparent in 3-5 years, and it will no longer be the special place that students want to go the extra mile to attend.

I responded previously much earlier to the OP. If I were still teaching at TJ, I would be excited about the possibilities of the change in the admissions process. I found my students to be increasingly self-involved and one-dimensional as the years passed - more and more focused on college and less and less focused on high school. Increase in high-maintenance parenting, increase in grade-grubbing, decrease in genuine interest in the subject matter - not just in my class, but in my colleagues' as well.

I'd be excited that the decrease in emphasis on test prep and resume-stacking would result in a student population that is more genuinely curious and more directed toward enjoying the rigorous high school environment for its own sake. TJ parents won't want to hear this, but there really wasn't that much of a difference between my AP students there and at the local high school where I taught previously in terms of ability. The difference was that the TJ students were more focused on their grades and less focused on learning.

[Anonymous]

OP back - thanks for posting about your TJ teaching experience. I hope the new system does make TJ a little less of a pressure cooker. When my DS applied to TJ, the admissions officer speaker at the MS said that many qualified kids would not get in - due to the low acceptance rate - so I absolutely believe students from other schools would have thrived there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former TJ teacher. I was a bit shocked and disappointed to hear about the proposed change. I specifically wanted to work at TJ because I love working with gifted kids, which is what I thought TJ was all about, but maybe I just assumed that (?). Not to say the kids selected through the lottery won't be gifted, but it will be a mixed bag for sure, which will require more differentiation and probably less of an opportunity to go as in depth as I loved to do with my students. I do hope the powers that be at least figure out a way to identify the profoundly gifted kids who are interested in STEM, as I feel they would be the real losers in this plan.

Do you think teachers will leave to pursue other endeavors?

Teachers will wait to see what happens. TJ is a great gig for a teacher. So they'll see what the new class looks like - chances are, it won't look too much different except for there'll be a few more kids in Geometry - and they'll probably hang in there.

I'm the PP to whom your question was directed. The answer, above, was not written by me. If I were still teaching at TJ, I would consider planning my exit strategy. I say this because I see this as being the beginning of the end. These changes will have a domino effect that will become apparent in 3-5 years, and it will no longer be the special place that students want to go the extra mile to attend.

I responded previously much earlier to the OP. If I were still teaching at TJ, I would be excited about the possibilities of the change in the admissions process. I found my students to be increasingly self-involved and one-dimensional as the years passed - more and more focused on college and less and less focused on high school. Increase in high-maintenance parenting, increase in grade-grubbing, decrease in genuine interest in the subject matter - not just in my class, but in my colleagues' as well.

I'd be excited that the decrease in emphasis on test prep and resume-stacking would result in a student population that is more genuinely curious and more directed toward enjoying the rigorous high school environment for its own sake. TJ parents won't want to hear this, but there really wasn't that much of a difference between my AP students there and at the local high school where I taught previously in terms of ability. The difference was that the TJ students were more focused on their grades and less focused on learning.

Are you pretending to be a former TJ teacher to spew anti-TJ and anti-Asian stereotypes? Sounds like you never taught at TJ since you do not say anything factually that would lend some credibility that you were in fact a teacher at TJ. Which white bio teacher was known to love watermelon? This was a well known fact at TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a former TJ teacher. I was a bit shocked and disappointed to hear about the proposed change. I specifically wanted to work at TJ because I love working with gifted kids, which is what I thought TJ was all about, but maybe I just assumed that (?). Not to say the kids selected through the lottery won't be gifted, but it will be a mixed bag for sure, which will require more differentiation and probably less of an opportunity to go as in depth as I loved to do with my students. I do hope the powers that be at least figure out a way to identify the profoundly gifted kids who are interested in STEM, as I feel they would be the real losers in this plan.

Do you think teachers will leave to pursue other endeavors?

Teachers will wait to see what happens. TJ is a great gig for a teacher. So they'll see what the new class looks like - chances are, it won't look too much different except for there'll be a few more kids in Geometry - and they'll probably hang in there.

I'm the PP to whom your question was directed. The answer, above, was not written by me. If I were still teaching at TJ, I would consider planning my exit strategy. I say this because I see this as being the beginning of the end. These changes will have a domino effect that will become apparent in 3-5 years, and it will no longer be the special place that students want to go the extra mile to attend.

I responded previously much earlier to the OP. If I were still teaching at TJ, I would be excited about the possibilities of the change in the admissions process. I found my students to be increasingly self-involved and one-dimensional as the years passed - more and more focused on college and less and less focused on high school. Increase in high-maintenance parenting, increase in grade-grubbing, decrease in genuine interest in the subject matter - not just in my class, but in my colleagues' as well.

I'd be excited that the decrease in emphasis on test prep and resume-stacking would result in a student population that is more genuinely curious and more directed toward enjoying the rigorous high school environment for its own sake. TJ parents won't want to hear this, but there really wasn't that much of a difference between my AP students there and at the local high school where I taught previously in terms of ability. The difference was that the TJ students were more focused on their grades and less focused on learning.

Are you pretending to be a former TJ teacher to spew anti-TJ and anti-Asian stereotypes? Sounds like you never taught at TJ since you do not say anything factually that would lend some credibility that you were in fact a teacher at TJ. Which white bio teacher was known to love watermelon? This was a well known fact at TJ.

Most likely. Remember there was a poster pretending to be a female black TJ alumni posting vile made up stuff about TJ and TJ students. That poster was ultimately exposed (by moderator) as a fraud not too long ago.

[Anonymous]

Here’s an opinion piece written by an actual TJ teacher a few years ago when some changes were made to the TJ admissions process.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-new-thomas-jefferson-it-includes-remedial-math/2012/05/25/gJQAlZRYqU_story.html?fbclid=IwAR2VRPuUDMy-JaPkx9gNqehWAROg7rFyOxgtPhu6x1BYgzZukxhRGYcq7w4