How is the new pilot offering equivalent to TPMS/Eastern

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:jesus. can you wait until you see what it is before condemning it?

Has waiting to see whether someone really screws you over worked for ANYONE in the past?

Think before you type, PP.

We are entitled to more information and concrete plans for students rejected from magnets.

you got a plan, and a timeline. the magnets were MASSIVELY unfair before the new admissions process was put into place. what mcps is doing makes sense. if you don’t like it, move or go to a private.

This is not a proper plan! To me, it's like saying we can't give you that $2K bonus despite your equivalent performance to your coworker, but hey...here's $3 to go get yourself a snack from the vending machine.

So what would be your plan?

If I had a real choice, I would open up magnets with the proper curriculum for all kids who are qualified. I would look at a child wholly. I would scrutinize their multiple test scores, grades and voice. Race, gender and geography would not matter. Kids who are outliers I would send to Eastern or TPMS. Kids who are just as qualified but happen to be geographically located at the same school, I would offer the exact magnet curriculum. That is how I would do it, if I could have a choice. I think MCPS had the right idea, but their execution in supporting those who are capable is sorely insufficient. I do feel like what they are offering these kids are not appropriate nor enough.

so you would do exactly what mcps is doing, except you would offer the full magnet program to kids at home schools.

Yes, and I would have done a universal test for everyone, not these ridiculous and confusing letters that reads like an eye chart for parents to opt in or out. That way, everyone gets a fair chance. In the scenario we are in, kids are finishing the race and some gets an award while others who did just as well are not. That is not a fair process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:jesus. can you wait until you see what it is before condemning it?

Has waiting to see whether someone really screws you over worked for ANYONE in the past?

Think before you type, PP.

We are entitled to more information and concrete plans for students rejected from magnets.

you got a plan, and a timeline. the magnets were MASSIVELY unfair before the new admissions process was put into place. what mcps is doing makes sense. if you don’t like it, move or go to a private.

This is not a proper plan! To me, it's like saying we can't give you that $2K bonus despite your equivalent performance to your coworker, but hey...here's $3 to go get yourself a snack from the vending machine.

So what would be your plan?

If I had a real choice, I would open up magnets with the proper curriculum for all kids who are qualified. I would look at a child wholly. I would scrutinize their multiple test scores, grades and voice. Race, gender and geography would not matter. Kids who are outliers I would send to Eastern or TPMS. Kids who are just as qualified but happen to be geographically located at the same school, I would offer the exact magnet curriculum. That is how I would do it, if I could have a choice. I think MCPS had the right idea, but their execution in supporting those who are capable is sorely insufficient. I do feel like what they are offering these kids are not appropriate nor enough.

so you would do exactly what mcps is doing, except you would offer the full magnet program to kids at home schools.

Yes, and I would have done a universal test for everyone, not these ridiculous and confusing letters that reads like an eye chart for parents to opt in or out. That way, everyone gets a fair chance. In the scenario we are in, kids are finishing the race and some gets an award while others who did just as well are not. That is not a fair process.

a universal test would result in more kids to serve at home schools, and more pissed off parents.

[Anonymous]

Anyone want to join me in focusing on the positive.

We can't realistically have a full magnet at every school.

While no kid is getting the full magnet program outside of the actual magnets , the home school kids have the potential to get magnet curriculum for both Social Studies and Math. It is a good fit to not have to specialize in 6th Grade for many students. They get the local social atmosphere of the home school. They don't have to ride the bus for an hour each way.

I want to celebrate, not throw stones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone want to join me in focusing on the positive.

We can't realistically have a full magnet at every school.

While no kid is getting the full magnet program outside of the actual magnets , the home school kids have the potential to get magnet curriculum for both Social Studies and Math. It is a good fit to not have to specialize in 6th Grade for many students. They get the local social atmosphere of the home school. They don't have to ride the bus for an hour each way.

I want to celebrate, not throw stones.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

+1 Particularly since the home school enrichment is not in science/technology. They'll throw a little enrichment into the existing CM curriculum and call it a day. How is this a comparable curriculum?

I think it's interesting that all of the endless complaining about "my kid was unjustly denied admittance to the magnet program" is about TPMS. Not about Eastern. Just TPMS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone want to join me in focusing on the positive.

We can't realistically have a full magnet at every school.

While no kid is getting the full magnet program outside of the actual magnets , the home school kids have the potential to get magnet curriculum for both Social Studies and Math. It is a good fit to not have to specialize in 6th Grade for many students. They get the local social atmosphere of the home school. They don't have to ride the bus for an hour each way.

I want to celebrate, not throw stones.

RIGHT?!?! I can't believe the discussion isn't at least a little more balanced. Of course it's not exactly the same. But they are listening to you. And they are responding. And this year it might be rocky. But then they'll know how to make it better next year. As another poster noted, the magnet curriculum is 3 courses - this is 2. I mean, it's not equivalent, but what a big change from where it started. Also, a child in the magnet only gets enriched curriculum in humanities OR math/science. Sounds like these kids will get one of each, a more balanced approach.

They weren't going to listen to you and open 30 new magnets by September (or ever). So they're doing what they can with their resources. I am with you - they made big mistakes in how the magnet process has been handled (now and in the past), and I was pissed. But I appreciate that they're trying. If I were MCPS, I'd sometimes feel like throwing in the towel because nothing I did would ever be appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone want to join me in focusing on the positive.

We can't realistically have a full magnet at every school.

While no kid is getting the full magnet program outside of the actual magnets , the home school kids have the potential to get magnet curriculum for both Social Studies and Math. It is a good fit to not have to specialize in 6th Grade for many students. They get the local social atmosphere of the home school. They don't have to ride the bus for an hour each way.

I want to celebrate, not throw stones.

I get what your saying, but I do think classes correlate with each other at this stage of their education. We are not even sure if the humanities means Social Studies, or Reading, or Writing, do we? My point is all those three subjects are interconnected in some way. While I think it is fantastic that a child does not have to choose between STEM or Humanities at such an early age, I don't think offering an enriched math or one humanities class (which we are not even sure what that is yet) is nearly equivalent. A bit more has to be done, especially proper teacher training.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone want to join me in focusing on the positive.

We can't realistically have a full magnet at every school.

While no kid is getting the full magnet program outside of the actual magnets , the home school kids have the potential to get magnet curriculum for both Social Studies and Math. It is a good fit to not have to specialize in 6th Grade for many students. They get the local social atmosphere of the home school. They don't have to ride the bus for an hour each way.

I want to celebrate, not throw stones.

RIGHT?!?! I can't believe the discussion isn't at least a little more balanced. Of course it's not exactly the same. But they are listening to you. And they are responding. And this year it might be rocky. But then they'll know how to make it better next year. As another poster noted, the magnet curriculum is 3 courses - this is 2. I mean, it's not equivalent, but what a big change from where it started. Also, a child in the magnet only gets enriched curriculum in humanities OR math/science. Sounds like these kids will get one of each, a more balanced approach.

They weren't going to listen to you and open 30 new magnets by September (or ever). So they're doing what they can with their resources. I am with you - they made big mistakes in how the magnet process has been handled (now and in the past), and I was pissed. But I appreciate that they're trying. If I were MCPS, I'd sometimes feel like throwing in the towel because nothing I did would ever be appreciated.

This is not a true statement by the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone want to join me in focusing on the positive.

We can't realistically have a full magnet at every school.

While no kid is getting the full magnet program outside of the actual magnets , the home school kids have the potential to get magnet curriculum for both Social Studies and Math. It is a good fit to not have to specialize in 6th Grade for many students. They get the local social atmosphere of the home school. They don't have to ride the bus for an hour each way.

I want to celebrate, not throw stones.

I get what your saying, but I do think classes correlate with each other at this stage of their education. We are not even sure if the humanities means Social Studies, or Reading, or Writing, do we? My point is all those three subjects are interconnected in some way. While I think it is fantastic that a child does not have to choose between STEM or Humanities at such an early age, I don't think offering an enriched math or one humanities class (which we are not even sure what that is yet) is nearly equivalent. A bit more has to be done, especially proper teacher training.

it’s 2 classes, and magnets are 3. not a huge difference.

it’s a field study. it’s possible they’ll expand to 3 classes in the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone want to join me in focusing on the positive.

We can't realistically have a full magnet at every school.

While no kid is getting the full magnet program outside of the actual magnets , the home school kids have the potential to get magnet curriculum for both Social Studies and Math. It is a good fit to not have to specialize in 6th Grade for many students. They get the local social atmosphere of the home school. They don't have to ride the bus for an hour each way.

I want to celebrate, not throw stones.

RIGHT?!?! I can't believe the discussion isn't at least a little more balanced. Of course it's not exactly the same. But they are listening to you. And they are responding. And this year it might be rocky. But then they'll know how to make it better next year. As another poster noted, the magnet curriculum is 3 courses - this is 2. I mean, it's not equivalent, but what a big change from where it started. Also, a child in the magnet only gets enriched curriculum in humanities OR math/science. Sounds like these kids will get one of each, a more balanced approach.

They weren't going to listen to you and open 30 new magnets by September (or ever). So they're doing what they can with their resources. I am with you - they made big mistakes in how the magnet process has been handled (now and in the past), and I was pissed. But I appreciate that they're trying. If I were MCPS, I'd sometimes feel like throwing in the towel because nothing I did would ever be appreciated.

This is not a true statement by the way.

The math/sci magnet program at Roberto Clemente in sixth grade is 3 classes, out of 7 (plus advisory).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone want to join me in focusing on the positive.

We can't realistically have a full magnet at every school.

While no kid is getting the full magnet program outside of the actual magnets , the home school kids have the potential to get magnet curriculum for both Social Studies and Math. It is a good fit to not have to specialize in 6th Grade for many students. They get the local social atmosphere of the home school. They don't have to ride the bus for an hour each way.

I want to celebrate, not throw stones.

RIGHT?!?! I can't believe the discussion isn't at least a little more balanced. Of course it's not exactly the same. But they are listening to you. And they are responding. And this year it might be rocky. But then they'll know how to make it better next year. As another poster noted, the magnet curriculum is 3 courses - this is 2. I mean, it's not equivalent, but what a big change from where it started. Also, a child in the magnet only gets enriched curriculum in humanities OR math/science. Sounds like these kids will get one of each, a more balanced approach.

They weren't going to listen to you and open 30 new magnets by September (or ever). So they're doing what they can with their resources. I am with you - they made big mistakes in how the magnet process has been handled (now and in the past), and I was pissed. But I appreciate that they're trying. If I were MCPS, I'd sometimes feel like throwing in the towel because nothing I did would ever be appreciated.

This is not a true statement by the way.

How is it not true? TPMS magnet is 3 courses per grade. Every other class is with the regular population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I get what your saying, but I do think classes correlate with each other at this stage of their education. We are not even sure if the humanities means Social Studies, or Reading, or Writing, do we? My point is all those three subjects are interconnected in some way. While I think it is fantastic that a child does not have to choose between STEM or Humanities at such an early age, I don't think offering an enriched math or one humanities class (which we are not even sure what that is yet) is nearly equivalent. A bit more has to be done, especially proper teacher training.

Maybe wait to find out, before you say that it's bad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone want to join me in focusing on the positive.

We can't realistically have a full magnet at every school.

While no kid is getting the full magnet program outside of the actual magnets , the home school kids have the potential to get magnet curriculum for both Social Studies and Math. It is a good fit to not have to specialize in 6th Grade for many students. They get the local social atmosphere of the home school. They don't have to ride the bus for an hour each way.

I want to celebrate, not throw stones.

RIGHT?!?! I can't believe the discussion isn't at least a little more balanced. Of course it's not exactly the same. But they are listening to you. And they are responding. And this year it might be rocky. But then they'll know how to make it better next year. As another poster noted, the magnet curriculum is 3 courses - this is 2. I mean, it's not equivalent, but what a big change from where it started. Also, a child in the magnet only gets enriched curriculum in humanities OR math/science. Sounds like these kids will get one of each, a more balanced approach.

They weren't going to listen to you and open 30 new magnets by September (or ever). So they're doing what they can with their resources. I am with you - they made big mistakes in how the magnet process has been handled (now and in the past), and I was pissed. But I appreciate that they're trying. If I were MCPS, I'd sometimes feel like throwing in the towel because nothing I did would ever be appreciated.

It's funny because like you, I was doing my happy dance when I heard this announcement. Then I started thinking about the logistic and felt a bit foolish and realized I might be getting the real short end of the stick. I would especially feel so if I was a parent of a 5th grader who was part of the HGC, had really great scores/grades/voice all across the board, and got rejected base on cohorts. There is a teacher input upthread. I think it was a nice summary of at least her view of how this program might pan out and it's really not a pretty picture as much as I wish it was. I am hopeful, but I don't want to be played for a fool either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone want to join me in focusing on the positive.

We can't realistically have a full magnet at every school.

While no kid is getting the full magnet program outside of the actual magnets , the home school kids have the potential to get magnet curriculum for both Social Studies and Math. It is a good fit to not have to specialize in 6th Grade for many students. They get the local social atmosphere of the home school. They don't have to ride the bus for an hour each way.

I want to celebrate, not throw stones.

RIGHT?!?! I can't believe the discussion isn't at least a little more balanced. Of course it's not exactly the same. But they are listening to you. And they are responding. And this year it might be rocky. But then they'll know how to make it better next year. As another poster noted, the magnet curriculum is 3 courses - this is 2. I mean, it's not equivalent, but what a big change from where it started. Also, a child in the magnet only gets enriched curriculum in humanities OR math/science. Sounds like these kids will get one of each, a more balanced approach.

They weren't going to listen to you and open 30 new magnets by September (or ever). So they're doing what they can with their resources. I am with you - they made big mistakes in how the magnet process has been handled (now and in the past), and I was pissed. But I appreciate that they're trying. If I were MCPS, I'd sometimes feel like throwing in the towel because nothing I did would ever be appreciated.

It's funny because like you, I was doing my happy dance when I heard this announcement. Then I started thinking about the logistic and felt a bit foolish and realized I might be getting the real short end of the stick. I would especially feel so if I was a parent of a 5th grader who was part of the HGC, had really great scores/grades/voice all across the board, and got rejected base on cohorts. There is a teacher input upthread. I think it was a nice summary of at least her view of how this program might pan out and it's really not a pretty picture as much as I wish it was. I am hopeful, but I don't want to be played for a fool either.

I think some of the teacher's points are valid (e.g., teacher training), but I don't think it can be applied universally. At Pyle, yes, the program will probably be diluted because 80% of the parents think their kids are a genius and that will also lead to scheduling problems. However, for many MS schools in the DCC, the cohort will be much smaller as most of the population will not demand that their kids get into the program.

[Anonymous]

I think the central office should establish a customer service line for this pilot. No joke - centralized call answering about "why my child was not placed in magnet classes." It would relieve the burden on the middle schools and will ensure uniformity of response.