Bad grades? Let's teach them less

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This has been going on for years in MCPS. The Board of Education has been complacent with MCPS trying to cover up problems instead of raising the bar of education.

MCPS used to have semester exams that were a large chunk of final grades. For high school courses, the exams prepared students to learn study skills for long cumulative tests. These tests also made students earn a semester grade vs. just be given the higher grade. For example, if you receive marking period grades of A and B, you needed an A for a semester grade of an A. Without an exam, if a student gets an A, the semester grade will be an A as long as a student earns a B.

Also, currently-

89.5 = A
79.5 = B
69.5 = C
59.5 = D

If MCPS students are struggling with digital learning, perhaps teach MORE. Students have a fraction of the instructional time that they had before COVID. Perhaps have a more normal schedule with an 8am start time, 3pm end time, and all class periods with normal lunch time 5 DAYS A WEEK. Wednesdays are waisted time. 15 minutes of “optional” office hours is not enough time to help a struggling student.

All students are falling behind in learning because MCPS has slowed down teaching.

And this is worthwhile because why?

Also, I'm not quite understanding the point of more on-line classes for non-attending students to not attend.

[Anonymous]

On one hand, I agree watered down curriculum hurts everyone.

On the other hand, some of the work being assigned in order to self-teach (HS AP class) is mind bogglingly stupid!

And, I have compassion for those genuinely struggling, which are many.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Ongoing review of curriculum content and pacing, and reduction in number of lessons and content covered;

At the secondary level, reduction of required progress checks in mathematics, English and ESOL;

At the secondary level, adjustments to Grading and Reporting Guidance to include:
Removal of the required 10% grading category for district assessments (Progress Checks)
Reduction in the recommended range of graded assignments"

WTF? Why does MCPS have to lower the already very low standards for everyone?

How will this harm your child?

DP.
Reduction in the number of graded assignments will only make the standards lower. And yes, it will harm my child who's already harmed by learning next to zilch over the last 8 months.
Geez.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This has been going on for years in MCPS. The Board of Education has been complacent with MCPS trying to cover up problems instead of raising the bar of education.

MCPS used to have semester exams that were a large chunk of final grades. For high school courses, the exams prepared students to learn study skills for long cumulative tests. These tests also made students earn a semester grade vs. just be given the higher grade. For example, if you receive marking period grades of A and B, you needed an A for a semester grade of an A. Without an exam, if a student gets an A, the semester grade will be an A as long as a student earns a B.

Also, currently-

89.5 = A
79.5 = B
69.5 = C
59.5 = D

If MCPS students are struggling with digital learning, perhaps teach MORE. Students have a fraction of the instructional time that they had before COVID. Perhaps have a more normal schedule with an 8am start time, 3pm end time, and all class periods with normal lunch time 5 DAYS A WEEK. Wednesdays are waisted time. 15 minutes of “optional” office hours is not enough time to help a struggling student.

All students are falling behind in learning because MCPS has slowed down teaching.

And this is worthwhile because why?

Also, I'm not quite understanding the point of more on-line classes for non-attending students to not attend.

Did you ever graduate from high school, not to mention, college? Honest question.

[Anonymous]

My opinion may not be welcome but I’m a person with no skin in the game (no kids, not a teacher) who finds the topic/problem of DL really interesting.

I think flexible deadlines are great for some kids so they don’t get discouraged and not do the work at all (this was me). Some kids need deadlines or their work quality suffers because they rush.

What about flexible deadlines with an incentive to complete the assignment by a firm deadline? Like, if you turn in all assignments of a unit by the firm deadline, you don’t have to take the unit test. Or if you turn it in by the firm deadline you have the opportunity to correct it for more points but if you miss the firm deadline you get what you get (not sure if this would work, are assignments even graded?). Or if you turn in three assignments by the firm deadline in a row you get to skip one assignment with no penalty or drop a low grade. Or if an assignment has three parts (for example, three essay questions, three problem sets, three page research paper) if you turn it in by the firm deadline you only have to do two parts, but all three if you miss the firm deadline.

Just spitballing for fun here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just cancel school. screw the kids who are succeeding.

My kids are doing fine. Screw the ones who aren't.

-DCUM

This is actually going to he the line in the sand for a lot of people. We've been very liberal and gung-ho about reaching down to help others up.

But we also work hard to make sure our children do well in school. Now that they are punishing our children for the lack of any effing effort whatsoever by the less educated, they can count me out as a friend.

Read your kid a god darn book once in a while. Its not that hard.

How are they punishing your children?

Also, how do you know what efforts "the less educated" are making?

How is going to a less academically rigorous school harming my children? Is that a rhetorical question or are you an imbecile?

How do I know what efforts the less educated are making? I actually know people with only a high school diploma and even people without a GED.
You must work for the school district to be so out of touch.

[Anonymous]

Lowering the academic standards makes our hard working students less competitive for college, for work, as preparation for life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My opinion may not be welcome but I’m a person with no skin in the game (no kids, not a teacher) who finds the topic/problem of DL really interesting.

I think flexible deadlines are great for some kids so they don’t get discouraged and not do the work at all (this was me). Some kids need deadlines or their work quality suffers because they rush.

What about flexible deadlines with an incentive to complete the assignment by a firm deadline? Like, if you turn in all assignments of a unit by the firm deadline, you don’t have to take the unit test. Or if you turn it in by the firm deadline you have the opportunity to correct it for more points but if you miss the firm deadline you get what you get (not sure if this would work, are assignments even graded?). Or if you turn in three assignments by the firm deadline in a row you get to skip one assignment with no penalty or drop a low grade. Or if an assignment has three parts (for example, three essay questions, three problem sets, three page research paper) if you turn it in by the firm deadline you only have to do two parts, but all three if you miss the firm deadline.

Just spitballing for fun here.

If you own a home in this school district, you have skin in the game.

Lower standards = lesser schools = lower property values.

Its a lose- lose - lose situation!

[Anonymous]

I had the same reaction, OP, when I read that earlier today. Let’s water down standards and teach less to obfuscate the harm that DL has on certain populations.

[Anonymous]

How about letting parents opt out of the lowered standards and reduced requirements? I am fine with my kids failing school for lack of efforts. DC needs to learn that one always needs to work hard for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS sucks!
Yes, some students are failing. Find a way to hide the problem by raising their grades. PLEASE DO NOT LOWER STANDARDS for kids who can keep up. Why does MCPS have to screw up every kid???

How are your kids harmed by additional flexibility in due dates and an optional (instead of required) winter MAP?

I think the reduction in content covered will harm a lot of kids that are keeping up. My DDs 8th grade classes are a joke. in essence she has Wednesday's off because she finishes her work quickly and doesn't need extra help. MCPS needs to come up with a new model, one that is challenging to the kids that are able to handle it.

This. Exactly.

[Anonymous]

Even if graduates don't go to college, how does any of this prepare them for life? Don't want to do your job on your boss' terms and deadlines? It's okay. Just tell him or her and he/she will change it to accommodate you. Deadlines teach many things that are important in life. In reality, if you don't do things by deadlines, there are real consequences. Don't pay your utility bill, electricity is turned off. Don't make CC, car payments on time, your credit score tanks.

[Anonymous]

This change has been in public documents since 11/24 and hinted at in a couple of threads this past week. It’s interesting to me that it took this long to get the attention it deserves, because it tells me that DCUM has really done a good job of driving away all the teachers that used to post here. In the past, teachers would discuss this type of thing here, before it got picked up by news or came out in BOE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about letting parents opt out of the lowered standards and reduced requirements? I am fine with my kids failing school for lack of efforts. DC needs to learn that one always needs to work hard for it.

+1

[Anonymous]

Is there anything we can do?