Workload at Richard Montgomery IB magnet program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So for people who have been through the program or had kids go through it, is it accurate to say that the IB emphasizes quantity of work over quality?

Seems like the work can be challenging without being overwhelming but judging from these comments, it does not appear that the program is designed that way.

Nope. It is the quality of work that it the tough part. The best writer will find that more is required in their writings. The best Math student will find that the "IB question" is more cerebral than anything that they have done.

Quantity can be handled. Actually, many of these students take AP exams too - because that's where the quantity of work matters. They can prep for it on their own too. But the IB part is not something where quantity will matter. It is the quality of their understanding and analysis. And that is a tough thing because they have to produce this kind of work in a short space of time.

RMIB program will make excellent writers and communicators out of students who are smart but hate to write and analyse. Some of these kids do not mind doing 50 calc problems in 30 minutes, but find that they have writer's block when they have to write a paper on a Math problem. So, these kids not only have to understand deeply, but they have to explain and analyze, and communicate. And this is not confined to literature only - they do this kind of discussions and analysis, for pretty much all subjects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:9:44 PP here. I had such a great time at RM that it's hard to be objective. And a big part of that was the social dynamic. Other PP was correct: there really weren't any cliques or identifiable mean girls or popular vs. reject status. Yes, people had their group of closer friends, as did I, but I never felt rejected or excluded by anyone. There was very much a "we're all in this together" mentality and anybody would help anybody else. I felt very comfortable and accepted there all 4 years.

But I was (and am) not a huge social butterfly. I found similar people who were also not hugely extroverted and made me feel ok for being more interested in reading or whatever.

+1. This is SO true.

+1. This was my DD's experience as well. I also loved the way everyone was so very inclusive. It was a very grown-up and mature behaviour on everyone's part. However, they are also teens and thus ended up finding humor in their IB trials. There were many memes and inside jokes created about the whole IB experience.

That said, they are far apart from the non-IB students. It is like their own mini-school. They aren't really interested in RM as a school, especially if it isn't their "home school." More like RM IB. It is tough for kids who are social outside of IB. It is very easy for introverts or kids who mainly hang with extremely smart kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:9:44 PP here. I had such a great time at RM that it's hard to be objective. And a big part of that was the social dynamic. Other PP was correct: there really weren't any cliques or identifiable mean girls or popular vs. reject status. Yes, people had their group of closer friends, as did I, but I never felt rejected or excluded by anyone. There was very much a "we're all in this together" mentality and anybody would help anybody else. I felt very comfortable and accepted there all 4 years.

But I was (and am) not a huge social butterfly. I found similar people who were also not hugely extroverted and made me feel ok for being more interested in reading or whatever.

+1. This is SO true.

+1. This was my DD's experience as well. I also loved the way everyone was so very inclusive. It was a very grown-up and mature behaviour on everyone's part. However, they are also teens and thus ended up finding humor in their IB trials. There were many memes and inside jokes created about the whole IB experience.

That said, they are far apart from the non-IB students. It is like their own mini-school. They aren't really interested in RM as a school, especially if it isn't their "home school." More like RM IB. It is tough for kids who are social outside of IB. It is very easy for introverts or kids who mainly hang with extremely smart kids.

Again depends on the child. My student is a social butterfly and RM was not home school for her. She made friends with non-IB RM students and loved to hang with them too whenever she got a chance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:9:44 PP here. I had such a great time at RM that it's hard to be objective. And a big part of that was the social dynamic. Other PP was correct: there really weren't any cliques or identifiable mean girls or popular vs. reject status. Yes, people had their group of closer friends, as did I, but I never felt rejected or excluded by anyone. There was very much a "we're all in this together" mentality and anybody would help anybody else. I felt very comfortable and accepted there all 4 years.

But I was (and am) not a huge social butterfly. I found similar people who were also not hugely extroverted and made me feel ok for being more interested in reading or whatever.

+1. This is SO true.

+1. This was my DD's experience as well. I also loved the way everyone was so very inclusive. It was a very grown-up and mature behaviour on everyone's part. However, they are also teens and thus ended up finding humor in their IB trials. There were many memes and inside jokes created about the whole IB experience.

That said, they are far apart from the non-IB students. It is like their own mini-school. They aren't really interested in RM as a school, especially if it isn't their "home school." More like RM IB. It is tough for kids who are social outside of IB. It is very easy for introverts or kids who mainly hang with extremely smart kids.

RM teacher here - we're working really hard on this. Part of that has been emphasizing that many IB electives are "open" electives and are offered to the general population. Another part has been advertising the DP to non magnet students. A lot of that gap is bridged also through extra curricular activities, clubs, and sports (if kids are participating in them). But yes - this sort of "school within a school" isn't necessarily ideal, but I think it's much better than it was, say, five years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
That said, they are far apart from the non-IB students. It is like their own mini-school. They aren't really interested in RM as a school, especially if it isn't their "home school." More like RM IB. It is tough for kids who are social outside of IB. It is very easy for introverts or kids who mainly hang with extremely smart kids.

Are you a parent of an RMIB student?

These students really have a lot on their plate. It is not a matter of introvert or extrovert, but mainly that they utilize their time doing high quality academic work, some do internships, some are holding part time jobs, all are involved in EC activities, and all are also working towards not only MCPS graduation requirement but college applications and IB diploma requirement. They may not have time for anything more...they certainly are not sleeping as much as they need to.

[Anonymous]

A lot of MCPS HSs also have IB programs where IB classes are offered a'la carte. Which means that you take the IB exam in the subject you want without doing other work to qualify for the IB diploma.

Thus the IB exam works like the AP exam. You get college credit for it and it is a signaling device to admissions committee that you can handle academic rigorous courses.

Non-IB RM students can also take a'la carte IB courses, if I am not mistaken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that the rigor in pre-IB (9th and 10th) was necessary for these kids to be able to actually do the IB curriculum in 11th and 12th, to a world-class level. There is rigor in all magnet programs. Except, the RMIB is being graded by people in foreign countries. They do not care if someone was victim of curriculum 2.0, they will grade on the student's grasp, understanding and command of the subject.

RMIB is not for all students. They have to be very bright, but also have excellent organization and time management skills. If you are in the habit of procrastinating and not really working on short, medium and long term goals - you will find it tough.

For the person who commented on students getting C's and Ds in RMIB. Yes, that happens a lot. But these people do not graduate with low GPAs. They will work to bring their grades up. I like the fact that there is no grade inflation in RMIB. An essay that gets graded A is usually a work of art. The standards of grading is very tough, but surprisingly, these children actually end up rising to the expectation.

Yes, sleep deprivation is a big deal. Mostly for those kids who were really laid back in HGC and MS Magnet. This program is great for a child who is very bright, and very strategic in managing time. I cannot emphasize it enough.

It is doable. Everyone graduated with flying colors, with great opportunities in front of them in college, with skills that is useful in life. It has the highest retention rate, and highest rate of IB Diploma awarded in the WORLD.

Interestingly, my RMIB graduate thinks that it was the best experience in her life, and is loving college now because she is head and shoulders above others.

The child when she went into the program was very bright, very well read but a real procrastinator. It resulted in some major adjustments for her in the very first quarter. You have to really hit the ground running. At the end of this whole experience - she can write and churn out essays in her sleep, she knows how to study effectively, she can maximize her time by seeking out new opportunities.

So, check out the program. Trust the wisdom of the selection committee. If they think your kid will be a great RMIB candidate, then he/she will be. Know your child and lastly let this be their choice.

My DS graduated from RM IB last year. He was selected into all programs in Poolesville and RM. He chose RM. While he is very intelligent and bright, he lacks time management skills and the drive to constantly be on of things. His choice of RM was the not the best . He struggled quite a bit and graduated RM without a diploma. I do not know the statistics but, there are always some kids in each year who go the same path.

DS is doing well at UMD now, but probably he would have been in a different place had he chosen his home school or Poolesville. Senior year was quite a setback for him. So, please do your homework and do not believe that if your DC is accepted, the school is best for him/her.

[Anonymous]

We didn't have a ton of interaction with the non-IB kids when I was there. Required electives, some of the AP classes, but it was pretty insular. Maybe that's changed.

I will emphasize again, your child has to make the decision with no undue pressure from you, because it is a big commitment and they need to own it to be invested. I got into the Takoma Park magnet and didn't end up going--the bus ride seemed like too much. My parents were a bit disappointed, but our home MS was fine and they accepted my decision. For RM, I was much more interested and I could tell they really wanted me to go, but again, the home HS was fine and the final decision was left up to me. I'm so glad I went but I'm sure I would also have been successful if I didn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think that the rigor in pre-IB (9th and 10th) was necessary for these kids to be able to actually do the IB curriculum in 11th and 12th, to a world-class level. There is rigor in all magnet programs. Except, the RMIB is being graded by people in foreign countries. They do not care if someone was victim of curriculum 2.0, they will grade on the student's grasp, understanding and command of the subject.

RMIB is not for all students. They have to be very bright, but also have excellent organization and time management skills. If you are in the habit of procrastinating and not really working on short, medium and long term goals - you will find it tough.

For the person who commented on students getting C's and Ds in RMIB. Yes, that happens a lot. But these people do not graduate with low GPAs. They will work to bring their grades up. I like the fact that there is no grade inflation in RMIB. An essay that gets graded A is usually a work of art. The standards of grading is very tough, but surprisingly, these children actually end up rising to the expectation.

Yes, sleep deprivation is a big deal. Mostly for those kids who were really laid back in HGC and MS Magnet. This program is great for a child who is very bright, and very strategic in managing time. I cannot emphasize it enough.

It is doable. Everyone graduated with flying colors, with great opportunities in front of them in college, with skills that is useful in life. It has the highest retention rate, and highest rate of IB Diploma awarded in the WORLD.

Interestingly, my RMIB graduate thinks that it was the best experience in her life, and is loving college now because she is head and shoulders above others.

The child when she went into the program was very bright, very well read but a real procrastinator. It resulted in some major adjustments for her in the very first quarter. You have to really hit the ground running. At the end of this whole experience - she can write and churn out essays in her sleep, she knows how to study effectively, she can maximize her time by seeking out new opportunities.

So, check out the program. Trust the wisdom of the selection committee. If they think your kid will be a great RMIB candidate, then he/she will be. Know your child and lastly let this be their choice.

My DS graduated from RM IB last year. He was selected into all programs in Poolesville and RM. He chose RM. While he is very intelligent and bright, he lacks time management skills and the drive to constantly be on of things. His choice of RM was the not the best . He struggled quite a bit and graduated RM without a diploma. I do not know the statistics but, there are always some kids in each year who go the same path.

DS is doing well at UMD now, but probably he would have been in a different place had he chosen his home school or Poolesville. Senior year was quite a setback for him. So, please do your homework and do not believe that if your DC is accepted, the school is best for him/her.

I agree. What I meant was that academically a child who gets in can handle the program. However, if you do not have the time management skills, and are not on top of things - you can not catch up ever because it is very fast paced.

If my child fell sick, I would make sure that she petitioned the teachers to give more time to finish assignments or drop assignment requirements and they always accommodated her. My child eventually learnt to advocate for herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We didn't have a ton of interaction with the non-IB kids when I was there. Required electives, some of the AP classes, but it was pretty insular. Maybe that's changed.

I will emphasize again, your child has to make the decision with no undue pressure from you, because it is a big commitment and they need to own it to be invested. I got into the Takoma Park magnet and didn't end up going--the bus ride seemed like too much. My parents were a bit disappointed, but our home MS was fine and they accepted my decision. For RM, I was much more interested and I could tell they really wanted me to go, but again, the home HS was fine and the final decision was left up to me. I'm so glad I went but I'm sure I would also have been successful if I didn't.

+ 1 to all the bolded.

Let it be your child's decision. And the kids who get selected will be successful no matter where they go, because they are very bright kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Nope. It is the quality of work that it the tough part. The best writer will find that more is required in their writings. The best Math student will find that the "IB question" is more cerebral than anything that they have done.

Quantity can be handled. Actually, many of these students take AP exams too - because that's where the quantity of work matters. They can prep for it on their own too. But the IB part is not something where quantity will matter. It is the quality of their understanding and analysis. And that is a tough thing because they have to produce this kind of work in a short space of time.

RMIB program will make excellent writers and communicators out of students who are smart but hate to write and analyse. Some of these kids do not mind doing 50 calc problems in 30 minutes, but find that they have writer's block when they have to write a paper on a Math problem. So, these kids not only have to understand deeply, but they have to explain and analyze, and communicate. And this is not confined to literature only - they do this kind of discussions and analysis, for pretty much all subjects.

It sounds to me like RMIB will encourage efficiency, writing, analysis, communication, and factual understanding (all good things) -- but not creativity, because there is no time or space for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Nope. It is the quality of work that it the tough part. The best writer will find that more is required in their writings. The best Math student will find that the "IB question" is more cerebral than anything that they have done.

Quantity can be handled. Actually, many of these students take AP exams too - because that's where the quantity of work matters. They can prep for it on their own too. But the IB part is not something where quantity will matter. It is the quality of their understanding and analysis. And that is a tough thing because they have to produce this kind of work in a short space of time.

RMIB program will make excellent writers and communicators out of students who are smart but hate to write and analyse. Some of these kids do not mind doing 50 calc problems in 30 minutes, but find that they have writer's block when they have to write a paper on a Math problem. So, these kids not only have to understand deeply, but they have to explain and analyze, and communicate. And this is not confined to literature only - they do this kind of discussions and analysis, for pretty much all subjects.

It sounds to me like RMIB will encourage efficiency, writing, analysis, communication, and factual understanding (all good things) -- but not creativity, because there is no time or space for it.

Not true - there are many options of IB arts classes students can choose from to fulfill their sixth subject area. And with courses like Theory of Knowledge, and with the interdisciplinary approach, students DO have time and space for creativity.

[Anonymous]

If you have to do 10 hours of work in 5 hours, you better be creative.

[Anonymous]

9:44 again--the one thing I did not like about the IB program was English. I learned how to write one heck of a paper and how to close-analyze the bejabbers out of one line of text, or one word, or the punctuation, or what the author didn't say. But by the end of 4 years of "unpacking" little chunks of texts, boy, was I sick to death of it and I really do think it damaged my enjoyment of classic literature. We were never able to just enjoy any books because we had to sit down and nitpick them to death, or constantly have in the backs of our minds how we could nitpick it to death. I think some of it resulted in losing the forest for the trees, and working so hard at going "deeper" all the time that we may have gone pretty far afield and wound up attributing motives and hidden meanings to the author that weren't actually there.

I haven't really picked up a work of "classic literature" since I graduated. I read a ton, of course, but it's mostly non-fiction and modern novels. I was a science major in college, so maybe I'm just not a literature person, but I can't help but wonder if I've always been that way or if IB English ruined it for me. IB History was absolutely fantastic and college history was a big disappointment in comparison, but man I hated IB English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It sounds to me like RMIB will encourage efficiency, writing, analysis, communication, and factual understanding (all good things) -- but not creativity, because there is no time or space for it.

Not true - there are many options of IB arts classes students can choose from to fulfill their sixth subject area. And with courses like Theory of Knowledge, and with the interdisciplinary approach, students DO have time and space for creativity.

Additional classes and classwork are not what provides time and space for creativity.