More skills based grading at madison hs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PSA: there is a person that monitors the SBG Madison threads just to derail the discussion. The person has a vested interest in SBG. If you engage with this person, you are only helping her. She never makes any good points or backs up anything she’s saying except to link to the Madison video.

The reaction of almost every parent to SBG is at a minimum to question why this change was necessary. And then why it’s being implemented at a handful of schools. High school is when everything is really supposed to matter and FCPS should not be experimenting on some students and placing them at a disadvantage to other students when it comes to college admissions. I think this could lead to future lawsuits. I know many Madison parents with kids at OOS schools because their kids can’t get into VT or JMU. I don’t appreciate Madison admin and Reid making the college process harder and more stressful for our kids.

Where's the proof that Madison kids' grades are superficially lower than they otherwise would be? And that they have been shut out of schools that they would have been admitted to if they went to another FCPS school? Seems like you are anticipating a negative outcome that hasn't happened.

By your own statement, you ALREADY know people whose JMHS kids did not get into VT and JMU (under the former grading system that you prefer). So, the old grading system wasn't helping them get into those schools. And they made the choice to pay OOS tuition rather than go to ... gasp... GMU or VCU or CNU or UMW.

There are a LOT of kids all over northern VA that can't get into VT; less true for JMU, but yes, I know kids from other FCPS HSs that didn't get into JMU to the chagrin of their alumni parents. Life is tough all over and it's harder to get into many state schools. There are simply more people applying and the common app makes it easier to apply to more colleges.

Ultimately, it seems that you are worried about college admission for your kid, and whether s/he will be competitive. It's a legitimate concern... but can cross over into anxiety if you let it. At this point, do you have any evidence that your kid is being harmed? If it is just being applied this year, and the grades aren't final until the end of the year, how can you be so sure that your kid is disadvantaged?

I'm only referring to students from last year's graduating class.

Nope. I'm not just worried about college admissions. Just like the teacher in the video that has taught in schools using SBG, I think SBG does not prepare students and help them cultivate the skills they need to be successful in life. I am heavily supplementing the education my kids are receiving at Madison and monitoring all their work to make sure they submit regardless of whether it's required - this is the OPPOSITE of equity - a poor parent could not do this! We are just at Madison for athletics. At least the coaches still know what it takes to teach kids about success. You don't get to decide what practice you need to do, you have to show up and do it regardless of what you feel like. You don't see those kids standing around on their phones instead of paying attention like you do in Madison classrooms.

Yes - I think there is evidence if you talk to Madison parents with kids before SBG and after SBG - that we now have kids less likely to do work unless it's going to be graded after SBG. I think we have evidence that kids pay attention less in class after SBG. I think we have evidence that everyone, parents and students, are confused about grades after SBG.

You’re finally catching. It’s not about equity.

[Anonymous]

Let’s face it, whatever FCPS does, you can be certain of one thing it is not in the best interest of their high performing students. They get shafted every time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PSA: there is a person that monitors the SBG Madison threads just to derail the discussion. The person has a vested interest in SBG. If you engage with this person, you are only helping her. She never makes any good points or backs up anything she’s saying except to link to the Madison video.

The reaction of almost every parent to SBG is at a minimum to question why this change was necessary. And then why it’s being implemented at a handful of schools. High school is when everything is really supposed to matter and FCPS should not be experimenting on some students and placing them at a disadvantage to other students when it comes to college admissions. I think this could lead to future lawsuits. I know many Madison parents with kids at OOS schools because their kids can’t get into VT or JMU. I don’t appreciate Madison admin and Reid making the college process harder and more stressful for our kids.

Where's the proof that Madison kids' grades are superficially lower than they otherwise would be? And that they have been shut out of schools that they would have been admitted to if they went to another FCPS school? Seems like you are anticipating a negative outcome that hasn't happened.

By your own statement, you ALREADY know people whose JMHS kids did not get into VT and JMU (under the former grading system that you prefer). So, the old grading system wasn't helping them get into those schools. And they made the choice to pay OOS tuition rather than go to ... gasp... GMU or VCU or CNU or UMW.

There are a LOT of kids all over northern VA that can't get into VT; less true for JMU, but yes, I know kids from other FCPS HSs that didn't get into JMU to the chagrin of their alumni parents. Life is tough all over and it's harder to get into many state schools. There are simply more people applying and the common app makes it easier to apply to more colleges.

Ultimately, it seems that you are worried about college admission for your kid, and whether s/he will be competitive. It's a legitimate concern... but can cross over into anxiety if you let it. At this point, do you have any evidence that your kid is being harmed? If it is just being applied this year, and the grades aren't final until the end of the year, how can you be so sure that your kid is disadvantaged?

I'm only referring to students from last year's graduating class.

Nope. I'm not just worried about college admissions. Just like the teacher in the video that has taught in schools using SBG, I think SBG does not prepare students and help them cultivate the skills they need to be successful in life. I am heavily supplementing the education my kids are receiving at Madison and monitoring all their work to make sure they submit regardless of whether it's required - this is the OPPOSITE of equity - a poor parent could not do this! We are just at Madison for athletics. At least the coaches still know what it takes to teach kids about success. You don't get to decide what practice you need to do, you have to show up and do it regardless of what you feel like. You don't see those kids standing around on their phones instead of paying attention like you do in Madison classrooms.

Yes - I think there is evidence if you talk to Madison parents with kids before SBG and after SBG - that we now have kids less likely to do work unless it's going to be graded after SBG. I think we have evidence that kids pay attention less in class after SBG. I think we have evidence that everyone, parents and students, are confused about grades after SBG.

Most parents are not doing this.

I understand that you want to support your kid(s) and give them the best start in life. Honestly though, I do not relate to the stress level you exhibit/express/experience.

You don't have to live this way. It may not be helping your kids in the way that you intend.

[Anonymous]

The funny thing is I could just give up and go private and there would be no stress level at all. I think that public education should work for all kids - and SBG does the opposite of everything that education should give to kids. I guess I feel guilty about giving up, but I'm just about there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let’s face it, whatever FCPS does, you can be certain of one thing it is not in the best interest of their high performing students. They get shafted every time.

So your kids should be safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The funny thing is I could just give up and go private and there would be no stress level at all. I think that public education should work for all kids - and SBG does the opposite of everything that education should give to kids. I guess I feel guilty about giving up, but I'm just about there.

More hysterics.

[Anonymous]

Sure our Madison troll

[Anonymous]

Hope you get paid per post troll

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hope you get paid per post troll

And there is the disrespectful name calling.

[Anonymous]

One bad apple purposefully thread crapped and ruined a worthy discussion. Best example was when SHE bolded both of these sentences from a valid response:

Kids who deserve As do not always get those deserved As at JMHS.

And, kids at most FCPS locations all get to add buffers to grades, boosting up scores from B+ to an A, but not at JMHS.

She then completely ignores the first point that SHE bolded and says: “So you want buffers for your kid because they can't perform at the A level?”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One bad apple purposefully thread crapped and ruined a worthy discussion. Best example was when SHE bolded both of these sentences from a valid response:

Kids who deserve As do not always get those deserved As at JMHS.

And, kids at most FCPS locations all get to add buffers to grades, boosting up scores from B+ to an A, but not at JMHS.

She then completely ignores the first point that SHE bolded and says: “So you want buffers for your kid because they can't perform at the A level?”

Is this a real discussion or are you just venting? Because in a real discussion people might have a different opinion than you and they might question what you’ve said.

How is the first point relevant to the second?

And it’s a legit question. Why do you want “buffers” at Madison?

[Anonymous]

26 pages and still not one bit of evidence this SBG program helps anyone. It's also the second or third time the topic was discussed and no actual positives written there either.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]One bad apple purposefully thread crapped and ruined a worthy discussion. Best example was when SHE bolded both of these sentences from a valid response:

[b]Kids who deserve As do not always get those deserved As at JMHS. [/b]

[b] And, kids at most FCPS locations all get to add buffers to grades, boosting up scores from B+ to an A, but not at JMHS. [/b]

She then completely ignores the first point that SHE bolded and says: “So you want buffers for your kid because they can't perform at the A level?”

[/quote]

Is this a real discussion or are you just venting? Because in a real discussion people might have a different opinion than you and they might question what you’ve said.

How is the first point relevant to the second?

And it’s a legit question. Why do you want “buffers” at Madison?
[/quote]

For me "buffers" if I'm understanding them are important because everything my kid learns and is graded on should not just be about test day. I want to get a better picture of all the days in school and I know that some days test day isn't a child's best educational performance day or isn't always the best way to show their capability in a subject. I like multiple grades to show mastery and solidification of abilities as well as an ability to review work and edit. I was fine with summatives being the majority of grades with buffers. This is actually an SBG objective to have multiple data points but for some reason these proponents don't seem to be able to make the connection that this is best obtained through multiple graded assignments on the same concept and that high school classes move from concept to concept throughout the year and it's very difficult to release the same concepts throughout the year. They've falsely convinced themselves that a new test on the next unit of study will replace practice work and quizzes. On grades, the new grading is extremely complicated to follow but in addition it is not very forgiving. The lack of pluses and minuses. The summative grade only. Unforgiving and it's weird to teach children that an old grade can just be forged to be higher if you do something better in the future as if you can just rewrite your past. It's a weird lesson to teach kids that original grades dont matter and no corrections are needed for a grade bump. Its also weird that Madison doesnt have finals. Wouldn't that be a first choice in making sure kids learned all the material? It is also strange how SBG comes across as progressive in the marketing but also is very much related to the teach to the test no child left behind objectives, that so many opposed as lacking progressiveness and being too rigid. Many people wanted more buffers and less rigidity to the formulaic way sols were dictating learning. In everything moderation is key. As it is now, there are no buffers and it's a weird ever changing grading system for kids to understand, learn, and succeed in. I believe all students including low performing students would do better with a more straightforward grading system with multiple data points like SBG says but implemented with actual different data points for mastery.

[Anonymous]

Release = retest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:26 pages and still not one bit of evidence this SBG program helps anyone. It's also the second or third time the topic was discussed and no actual positives written there either.

I have written it twice. Your choice to ignore. For my kid: now is compelled to do more than what he's only required to do; hi study habits have greatly improved; he is actually mastering material before moving on and then looping back.

But it falls on deaf ears because some parents just want grade inflation and will freak out when their kids get to college and those "buffers" no longer exist.