Why isn't there more challenge in the MCPS HS curriculum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, your child is sooo special. Too smart and too good for lowly MCPS.

Paleeze.

Ignore this low achiever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. DC is at BCC, and doesn't find "Honors" classes at all challenging, at least in 9th grade.

There has to be some middle ground between "loading up on APs with 5 hours of homework per night" and being so bored in science (so-called "Honors" Biology) that DC complains that no new information is being taught, everything was covered in middle (or even elementary) school. Sad because this kid loves science and is thinking of a medical career.

I agree that AP NSL is not overwhelming and easily other APs are much harder. I'm not pushing for the AP label or the AP credit - I just think my kid would do so much better (so much less boredom) if all classes were on this level of material, pace, expectations, etc. (Also, doesn't hurt that the NSL teacher is phenomenal.)

I just don't see how kids being bored and falling asleep in class helps other kids. That seems to be the justification for avoiding "tracking".

Keep in mind that most 9th grade teachers back off the workload in the first nine weeks with the knowledge that students are spending a lot of time and mental energy adjusting to high school. The beginning of content focused courses are always focused on reviewing key concepts to make sure that everyone has necessary background to tackle what's coming next. Never hurts to contact the teacher and ask what students can do to extend learning.

[Anonymous]

Sorry OP.
It is sad that even in such a highly rated school as BCC, student needs are not met. No, not all kids want to be in magnet programs. But there needs to be more levels between, magnet, AP and braindead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. DC is at BCC, and doesn't find "Honors" classes at all challenging, at least in 9th grade.

There has to be some middle ground between "loading up on APs with 5 hours of homework per night" and being so bored in science (so-called "Honors" Biology) that DC complains that no new information is being taught, everything was covered in middle (or even elementary) school. Sad because this kid loves science and is thinking of a medical career.

I agree that AP NSL is not overwhelming and easily other APs are much harder. I'm not pushing for the AP label or the AP credit - I just think my kid would do so much better (so much less boredom) if all classes were on this level of material, pace, expectations, etc. (Also, doesn't hurt that the NSL teacher is phenomenal.)

I just don't see how kids being bored and falling asleep in class helps other kids. That seems to be the justification for avoiding "tracking".

Keep in mind that most 9th grade teachers back off the workload in the first nine weeks with the knowledge that students are spending a lot of time and mental energy adjusting to high school. The beginning of content focused courses are always focused on reviewing key concepts to make sure that everyone has necessary background to tackle what's coming next. Never hurts to contact the teacher and ask what students can do to extend learning.

My DD is in a magnet and that was our experience. I remember thinking- is this what HS really is(?) I kept my mouth shut though figuring that it was a way to give the kids time to adjust.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your child takes special ed classes? Is that what sped means?

anything not honors nor AP is sped

Just so I'm clear, classes go (from easy to hard):
Special Ed (for kids with special needs)
Honors
AP

So there are no regular classes? You're either a SN kid or "advanced"?

Yes, regular classes are sped classes, pretty much babysitting

This is why MCPS has such a major problem with grade inflation. Anyone can get an A in these classes. A friend of mine who has a daughter with a severe learning disability brags about how smart she must be because she gets A's without doing any work at all. There you have it. And the college admissions officers are onto it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Why don’t you move or change schools?

Move where, pray tell?

Unless you mean move to private school. There's a simple answer to that question. $$$

Your find a school or system you like, sell your house and move there. Or go parochial or private.

Lots of families move for the schools.

Or just keep hoping and tough your way through it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious how do kids with anxiety today handle Oral communications? I heard something in the need about no longer calling on students for fear of public speaking or something though I might have misrememberEd? All I know is I have the worst speaking anxiety in the world.

Same way generations of students did speech class: you prepare and do it. All 7-8 speech types. Bfd.

[Anonymous]

I sympathize with OP because I definitely felt that way in MS. This year, with a Blair freshman, it's kinda the opposite. Be careful what you wish for! My kid has given up entire weekends to keep up with essays, projects, studying and loads of physics homework (plus some self-teaching in physics because that class isn't particularly well taught, at least so far.)
I hope that next year is more challenging for OP's kid but it actually may be a blessing to have a couple of months to transition to the new schedule, enjoy football games, spend time with family and figure out the adjustment to high school. Things could get more challenging later in the year or next year.

[Anonymous]

My child is at Blair CAP and it is challenging. I'm surprised to hear that BCC is less challenging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious how do kids with anxiety today handle Oral communications? I heard something in the need about no longer calling on students for fear of public speaking or something though I might have misrememberEd? All I know is I have the worst speaking anxiety in the world.

Same way generations of students did speech class: you prepare and do it. All 7-8 speech types. Bfd.

I hear they are exempting kids with speaking anxiety from being called on in class

[Anonymous]

I hear they are exempting kids with speaking anxiety from being called on in class

this is insanity

kids should get support they need, but avoiding calling on kids altogether sends the message that kids are incapable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC is not a genius, but a very motivated student who thrives on higher expectations and challenge. I feel like at each stage of education - higher elementary, middle, and now HS this year - I get my hopes up that now's the moment where DC will finally be appropriately challenged - finally entering HS! - only to have hopes dashed again.

The next stage where I'm hoping this takes a turn for the better is Junior year (IB diploma program). Please do not tell me I am going to have hopes dashed again!

There is one bright spot this year: AP NSL. DC is absolutely loving this class, and excelling in it. Finally a level of challenge appropriate to interest and abilities. Sadly, this is the only such class this year. Why are there not more classes taught at this level in Freshman/Sophomore years?!!!

Why is it this way?!!

Because the majority of the smart kids go to either magnets or the over 200 private schools in MCPS. Most middle class and below go to public school and their job is to decrease the achievement gap which means slow down the top and increase the bottom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Because the majority of the smart kids go to either magnets or the over 200 private schools in MCPS. Most middle class and below go to public school and their job is to decrease the achievement gap which means slow down the top and increase the bottom.

I understand every individual word in both of those sentences, and yet I can't figure out what the writer of those two sentences is trying to say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because the majority of the smart kids go to either magnets or the over 200 private schools in MCPS. Most middle class and below go to public school and their job is to decrease the achievement gap which means slow down the top and increase the bottom.

I understand every individual word in both of those sentences, and yet I can't figure out what the writer of those two sentences is trying to say.

What I got from it - smart kids only go to magnets or private schools. Middle class and below kids aren't smart - they are the ones to attend public schools. MCPS's job slows down the "top" kids to decrease the achievement gap.

Do these people hear themselves?