Pre-Calc and Analysis I Math at Blair

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this sounds like private school math grading; you are experiencing what kids at Sidwell, STA (St, Albans) experience in all their math classes.
my son just finished a class at one of these schools: no credit for homework, no quizzes, 2 exams per marking period. no retakes. you do bad on the exams, you do bad in the class. Period. kids learn to be very prepared for the exams and they do all the homework even though it officially counts for nothing.

Honestly, this is what (math) learning is supposed to be. HW and quiz are just temporary crutches that help students learn.

Exactly, if the teacher did what they wanted, other parents would complain about it being dumbed down and grade inflation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess. This is Rose? Sounds like him. My D had him for Discrete, and this sounds oh-so familiar. If the issue is Kirk or Schwartz, I would question the account, but if Rose, complain and loudly. And don't try to be nice because he will try to turn it on the kid and suggest it is about their feelings. PS. The reason he doesn't get tests graded 8s because he is squandering his planning/grading periods trying to hang out with students in other teachers' classes or posting on Twitter. He literally told my kid's class that. He is the one teacher I complained to Ostrander about. My kid did a great job standing up fo herself, but it wasn't enough. Nothing is enough because they have no one who can take his place.

I do not think Rose is there anymore.

He's still there. Our experiences were last year, and he is still on the staff list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t want to be mean, but it sounds like you’re very involved in the details of your high school student’s class. I have no idea how many assignments, points, tests, quizzes, etc. my magnet student has. Managing that is their job.

That said, what exactly do you think should happen based on your post to an anonymous board? Sounds like you’ve already talked to the teacher and magnet coordinator, which is probably the most you can do beyond working with your kid on study skills and time management, and encouraging them to go to iffice hours if they’re having trouble with content.

A good parent should be. Talk to the principal.

Talk to Ostrander and Johnson.

How have they resolved issues with this teacher?

2nd quarter of Discrete was a little better last year after several students met w/ admin. My kid met w/ the teacher repeatedly. Not sure he was able to hear any critical feedback on his own. He really needs to go because he has had so many warnings, but there is no one to replace him with (certainly not for Discrete). But, meeting w/ Johnson and Ostrander, especially if it is multiple people w/ good data (late grading, bragging about being on Twitter rather than grading, refusing to answer questions, ignoring female students etc), will prompt them to warn him again and to keep looking for a possible replacement.

[Anonymous]

If your kid cannot handle this class, and an oddball teacher like Rose, college should be fun! Welcome to the real world of crazy college profs. Parents need to let their kids handle their business. He actually knows his stuff. Yes, everyone wishes he graded quicker etc.. but your kid needs to learn to deal with all sorts of teachers and without mom and dad constantly stepping in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid cannot handle this class, and an oddball teacher like Rose, college should be fun! Welcome to the real world of crazy college profs. Parents need to let their kids handle their business. He actually knows his stuff. Yes, everyone wishes he graded quicker etc.. but your kid needs to learn to deal with all sorts of teachers and without mom and dad constantly stepping in.

Yes, but I’m a weird way more may ride on the grade for the hs class.
Sounds like the dude isn’t doing his job satisfactorily if he’s taking forever to grade things. A lot of math builds on what came before, and students need the feedback.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid cannot handle this class, and an oddball teacher like Rose, college should be fun! Welcome to the real world of crazy college profs. Parents need to let their kids handle their business. He actually knows his stuff. Yes, everyone wishes he graded quicker etc.. but your kid needs to learn to deal with all sorts of teachers and without mom and dad constantly stepping in.

I don't know about current poster, but my kid experienced far more than just late grading. She and other students spearheaded complaints. I weighed in once to O to add some parental support. He really creates a borderline hostile environment for female students. Yes, he may know his stuff and may be like some college profs, but not good ones! He doesn't explain (sometimes can't explain) and refuses to answer questions on content, especially from female students. Literally said, "I'm not going to answer you." It was ridiculous. He may know his stuff but is an ineffective teacher. So glad mine went the Functions route and only had to deal with him for Discrete. She is doing great in math classes at college, but that is because of Schwartz and Kirk, who prepared their students well.

[Anonymous]

I’m sorry, what? Borderline hostile environment in a top, competitive magnet program? And the school is not doing anything about it? That is outrageous if true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your kid cannot handle this class, and an oddball teacher like Rose, college should be fun! Welcome to the real world of crazy college profs. Parents need to let their kids handle their business. He actually knows his stuff. Yes, everyone wishes he graded quicker etc.. but your kid needs to learn to deal with all sorts of teachers and without mom and dad constantly stepping in.

Yes, but I’m a weird way more may ride on the grade for the hs class.
Sounds like the dude isn’t doing his job satisfactorily if he’s taking forever to grade things. A lot of math builds on what came before, and students need the feedback.

Seems like he is, but you wish he did things differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I think the teacher takes long time to grade because he has to check each step of the work. The grade is not only based on the final answer, sometimes even a wrong answer but with all the correct steps -- the teacher will deduct less points. This is even more so for analysis.

Other math Magnet teachers provided feedback within a week of the test taken except for the Pre-Calculus C/Analysis I teacher. If he can not grade the exam within 3 to 4 days, he should have given a shorter version of the tests that is reasonable for him to grade. He can provide other opportunities for students and can assign some grades to all of the homework assignments. Each Pre-Calculus/Analysis I test is so significant (as OP stated 120 points or more), there is no way students can just focus on his Math class 24 hours of the day. The teacher needs to reconsider his approach and think from student's perspective. He should build confidence in students IF they have to retake this in college. He was not easy to work with.

So what's harder this class or functions? I mean others have stated that functions involve more homework than all the other magnet classes combined?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I think the teacher takes long time to grade because he has to check each step of the work. The grade is not only based on the final answer, sometimes even a wrong answer but with all the correct steps -- the teacher will deduct less points. This is even more so for analysis.

Other math Magnet teachers provided feedback within a week of the test taken except for the Pre-Calculus C/Analysis I teacher. If he can not grade the exam within 3 to 4 days, he should have given a shorter version of the tests that is reasonable for him to grade. He can provide other opportunities for students and can assign some grades to all of the homework assignments. Each Pre-Calculus/Analysis I test is so significant (as OP stated 120 points or more), there is no way students can just focus on his Math class 24 hours of the day. The teacher needs to reconsider his approach and think from student's perspective. He should build confidence in students IF they have to retake this in college. He was not easy to work with.

So what's harder this class or functions? I mean others have stated that functions involve more homework than all the other magnet classes combined?

Functions creates 2-4 hours of homework a night. Students without functions typically do 2-3 hours a night in total. Nobody complains about functions. It's a challenging course where many strong math students don't get A's but nobody complains about it.

[Anonymous]

DC refused to take discrete. I now know why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC refused to take discrete. I now know why.

Rose's class can be challenging and a lot of kids try to avoid hard classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I think the teacher takes long time to grade because he has to check each step of the work. The grade is not only based on the final answer, sometimes even a wrong answer but with all the correct steps -- the teacher will deduct less points. This is even more so for analysis.

Other math Magnet teachers provided feedback within a week of the test taken except for the Pre-Calculus C/Analysis I teacher. If he can not grade the exam within 3 to 4 days, he should have given a shorter version of the tests that is reasonable for him to grade. He can provide other opportunities for students and can assign some grades to all of the homework assignments. Each Pre-Calculus/Analysis I test is so significant (as OP stated 120 points or more), there is no way students can just focus on his Math class 24 hours of the day. The teacher needs to reconsider his approach and think from student's perspective. He should build confidence in students IF they have to retake this in college. He was not easy to work with.

So what's harder this class or functions? I mean others have stated that functions involve more homework than all the other magnet classes combined?

Would also like to know this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC refused to take discrete. I now know why.

Rose's class can be challenging and a lot of kids try to avoid hard classes.

Challenging material is not the reason. My kid went through functions and is now majoring in math at an Ivy. Definitely not one "to avoif hard classes." This class is just extremely poorly taught and managed by the teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I think the teacher takes long time to grade because he has to check each step of the work. The grade is not only based on the final answer, sometimes even a wrong answer but with all the correct steps -- the teacher will deduct less points. This is even more so for analysis.

Other math Magnet teachers provided feedback within a week of the test taken except for the Pre-Calculus C/Analysis I teacher. If he can not grade the exam within 3 to 4 days, he should have given a shorter version of the tests that is reasonable for him to grade. He can provide other opportunities for students and can assign some grades to all of the homework assignments. Each Pre-Calculus/Analysis I test is so significant (as OP stated 120 points or more), there is no way students can just focus on his Math class 24 hours of the day. The teacher needs to reconsider his approach and think from student's perspective. He should build confidence in students IF they have to retake this in college. He was not easy to work with.

So what's harder this class or functions? I mean others have stated that functions involve more homework than all the other magnet classes combined?

Would also like to know this?

Functions is significantly more difficult content-wise. More material in a shorter time frame.