MoCo is diverse, for sure, but MCPS schools are not

[Anonymous]

My daughter goes to a "not so good by DCUM standards" middle school. We were very worried about sending her there. It is somewhat diverse - whites being the minority. School scores and reputation are low. Have heard horror stories about fighting and high suspension rates.

It is definitely too early to tell - she just started 6th this year, but so far her experience has been fine. As much as we think lots of diversity is good - kids, on their own, will self-segregate. My daughers friends from elementary school also attend this school and they still hang out together. The "bad" kids hang out together. Even though you get a variety of personalities in each classroom, it appears that those students that want to do well, will do well. In fact, the teachers seem to pay extra attention to those kids that are more driven.

Back to school night was as expected - very low turnout as most of the kids attending this school are disadvantaged. But for those of us that showed up, we formed an instant bond and have pledged to continue supporting the school and our kids.

We of course would prefer that teachers had more power in the classroom - more power to discipline or basically excuse any kid that is disruptive. But that is impossible in today's world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The point the PP's are trying to make is that if you don't think MCPS is doing enough to educate your kids then do SOMETHING about it.

1) You can have your children use FREE online resources such as Kahn Academy (go to the library and use their computer if you do not have internet access at home).

2) Purchase $7 Singapore math work books at the Teacher Bookstore. You can also find math work books for cheap at Sams Club and Costco. Have your kids practice with them and check their answers. Have them redo problems they get wrong.

3) Make flash cards for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. Drill them over and over with your kids till they are ingrained. Kids will fall off a cliff in middle school and high school if they do not know their basic math facts.

4) Read to infants - first graders 20 minutes a day, everyday. Have your first grader and second grader read to you for 20 minutes a day. 3rd grade on up, they should read AT LEAST 30 minutes a day and all the reading should not be fiction. Mix it up with non-fiction sources such as magazines and newspapers or non-fiction books at the library.

5) Take the time to see all your children's assessments. Make appointments at school if they are not coming home. You would be surprised how little the P is telling you about their performance. You would be surprised how little the B means about their preparedness for higher education. Review the tests with your kids so they can learn from their mistakes and so you know what they may need more instruction in.

6) Finally, find out who is running for public office in November and research their stand on educational issues. If you are unhappy with MCPS, vote for new people onto the Board of Education. Otherwise your cries of injustice are just sprinkling out to the wind. The old guard just doesn't care and isn't listening.

Review tests??? You do know that under 2.0 tests do not come home (at least they didn't in 6th grade). We had to make an appointment with the teacher to look at our child's assessment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The point the PP's are trying to make is that if you don't think MCPS is doing enough to educate your kids then do SOMETHING about it.

1) You can have your children use FREE online resources such as Kahn Academy (go to the library and use their computer if you do not have internet access at home).

2) Purchase $7 Singapore math work books at the Teacher Bookstore. You can also find math work books for cheap at Sams Club and Costco. Have your kids practice with them and check their answers. Have them redo problems they get wrong.

3) Make flash cards for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. Drill them over and over with your kids till they are ingrained. Kids will fall off a cliff in middle school and high school if they do not know their basic math facts.

4) Read to infants - first graders 20 minutes a day, everyday. Have your first grader and second grader read to you for 20 minutes a day. 3rd grade on up, they should read AT LEAST 30 minutes a day and all the reading should not be fiction. Mix it up with non-fiction sources such as magazines and newspapers or non-fiction books at the library.

5) Take the time to see all your children's assessments. Make appointments at school if they are not coming home. You would be surprised how little the P is telling you about their performance. You would be surprised how little the B means about their preparedness for higher education. Review the tests with your kids so they can learn from their mistakes and so you know what they may need more instruction in.

6) Finally, find out who is running for public office in November and research their stand on educational issues. If you are unhappy with MCPS, vote for new people onto the Board of Education. Otherwise your cries of injustice are just sprinkling out to the wind. The old guard just doesn't care and isn't listening.

Review tests??? You do know that under 2.0 tests do not come home (at least they didn't in 6th grade). We had to make an appointment with the teacher to look at our child's assessment.

YES - REVIEW TESTS especially those that do not come home. Personally, I think the MCPS policy to not send home assessments is particularly discriminatory to families where both parents work outside the home. For low income families that rely on public transportation and jobs that might not have leave benefits - the MCPS policy of not sending assessments home poses a harsh financial burden. If someone kept stats, I would suspect the people who are making the appointments are a higher SES than people who don't. This disparity is probably adding the achievement gap in the county.

However, EVERY parent should strive to review assessments (even if it means making appointments) because you are missing out on key information about your kid if you don't. On semester exams (tests that the students don't even see unless they make an appointment) I saw great constructional comments by the teachers as to why my child did not get full credit and discovered things my child could do to better perform in the future. Teachers took a lot of time grading the papers however, for every child and parent and students who did not make appointments, their comments fell on deaf ears.

Finally, if higher percentages of parents made appointments, perhaps the burden of the staff to schedule such appointments would put pressure on MCPS to change this crappy policy. The policy is not a good education practice. Meanwhile, till change happens, do what's best for your child and schedule the appointments.

[Anonymous]

MCPS isn't diverse- it used to be, now it accommodate one group Hispanic. My people and culture don't matter.