How are the 6th grade enrichment classes for cohort kids who were not accepted to magnet programs?

[Anonymous]

FYI:

Rosa is less than 5 ESOL and 10% FARMS.

Pyle is also less than 5 ESOL and 5% FARMS.

Merely stating that in response to a PP who seemingly meant to paint the W middle schools as being dramatically different from Rosa (which is in Olney).

[Anonymous]

The Global Humanities Class is definitely a highlight for my kid. As a parent, it's hard to explain in detail the differences between the two classes, because (a) we may not have experience with the other class and (b) we aren't there every day. We get tidbits from our kids like, "We did a government simulation, and our group went all Lord of the Flies and overthrew the leadership and installed a dictator." Or you hear about the different roles and assignment for the literature circle, and the extensions related to the issue addressed in the book.

In the math class they seem to be doing more group projects and thought problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Global Humanities Class is definitely a highlight for my kid. As a parent, it's hard to explain in detail the differences between the two classes, because (a) we may not have experience with the other class and (b) we aren't there every day. We get tidbits from our kids like, "We did a government simulation, and our group went all Lord of the Flies and overthrew the leadership and installed a dictator." Or you hear about the different roles and assignment for the literature circle, and the extensions related to the issue addressed in the book.

In the math class they seem to be doing more group projects and thought problems.

More compared to what other class, and how do you know they are doing "more"? Are they doing about the same as the TPMS magnet math classes? If so, then that shows that the new class offerings in the home MS will meet the needs of those students, but otherwise, that's just lip service by MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Global Humanities Class is definitely a highlight for my kid. As a parent, it's hard to explain in detail the differences between the two classes, because (a) we may not have experience with the other class and (b) we aren't there every day. We get tidbits from our kids like, "We did a government simulation, and our group went all Lord of the Flies and overthrew the leadership and installed a dictator." Or you hear about the different roles and assignment for the literature circle, and the extensions related to the issue addressed in the book.

In the math class they seem to be doing more group projects and thought problems.

More compared to what other class, and how do you know they are doing "more"? Are they doing about the same as the TPMS magnet math classes? If so, then that shows that the new class offerings in the home MS will meet the needs of those students, but otherwise, that's just lip service by MCPS.

Listen, I'm sorry your kid didn't get into the magnet program.

The reality is there aren't enough slots for the magnet. They're trying to step it up with these new classes at middle schools, and I'm glad they are. Enrichment is happening. I'm the rosa poster, and since I have an older child who recently took regular history I can see a big difference in how the curriculum has been enriched in global humanities.

Math is math. My kid did compacted math and has been accelerated since elementary, and my kid is learning.

I'm curious what you want, pp? What will make you happy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Global Humanities Class is definitely a highlight for my kid. As a parent, it's hard to explain in detail the differences between the two classes, because (a) we may not have experience with the other class and (b) we aren't there every day. We get tidbits from our kids like, "We did a government simulation, and our group went all Lord of the Flies and overthrew the leadership and installed a dictator." Or you hear about the different roles and assignment for the literature circle, and the extensions related to the issue addressed in the book.

In the math class they seem to be doing more group projects and thought problems.

More compared to what other class, and how do you know they are doing "more"? Are they doing about the same as the TPMS magnet math classes? If so, then that shows that the new class offerings in the home MS will meet the needs of those students, but otherwise, that's just lip service by MCPS.

I'm the pp here - more than what I have heard about from other parents in the standard (also accellerated, btw) IM class. Covering the same topics, but in the few extra minutes they have out of 45 each day because they're the top cohort in the school, they are getting a few more group projects and a few harder thought questions. That is my perception as a parent.

I appreciate the perspective of the Rosa Poster above. I would encourage you PP/OP to contact the counselling office to figure out a mechanism for taking a deep dive into the differences between classes. If you are a Cabin John or Pyle parent who feels shortchanged that your MS is not actually implementing a different curriculum, here is your proof that it IS happening in some schools.

[Anonymous]

My child at SSIMS reports that his class is faster and does more projects and group work compared to friends in IM class. My child is in immersion so not enrolled in enriched humanities class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anecdotally - and backed up by the PP upthread whose child is at Rosa - the enrichment seems to be better implemented in heterogenous schools.

This makes some sense, because predominantly UMC, predominantly white/Asian schools are going to have a sh*tshow on their hands if they try to tell some of these parents that their kids didn't make the cut for the "advanced" classes.

It's probably easier just not to implement than to deal with hundreds of angry parents who were top of their class back in Boise and can't understand why little Sofia isn't also top of her class in one of the best educated and richest counties in the nation.


I wouldn't want that headache either.

From what I hear, this is exactly what happened at Pyle over the summer. They were initially just going to give the gifted social studies curriculum to the cohort kids only and then parents started clamoring and complaining to get their kids in. It turns out everyone wants what is best for their kids, so the department adopted the new curriculum for all classes but kept the cohort of kids rejected from the magnet schools together so that those classes would be even more advanced by virtue of peer group. Rather than comparing what kids in the cohort and non-cohort classes are doing, can someone speak to whether or not their kids like the class and are interested in the material?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Global Humanities Class is definitely a highlight for my kid. As a parent, it's hard to explain in detail the differences between the two classes, because (a) we may not have experience with the other class and (b) we aren't there every day. We get tidbits from our kids like, "We did a government simulation, and our group went all Lord of the Flies and overthrew the leadership and installed a dictator." Or you hear about the different roles and assignment for the literature circle, and the extensions related to the issue addressed in the book.

In the math class they seem to be doing more group projects and thought problems.

More compared to what other class, and how do you know they are doing "more"? Are they doing about the same as the TPMS magnet math classes? If so, then that shows that the new class offerings in the home MS will meet the needs of those students, but otherwise, that's just lip service by MCPS.

Listen, I'm sorry your kid didn't get into the magnet program.

The reality is there aren't enough slots for the magnet. They're trying to step it up with these new classes at middle schools, and I'm glad they are. Enrichment is happening. I'm the rosa poster, and since I have an older child who recently took regular history I can see a big difference in how the curriculum has been enriched in global humanities.

Math is math. My kid did compacted math and has been accelerated since elementary, and my kid is learning.

I'm curious what you want, pp? What will make you happy?

Listen, my 8th grader DC didn't bother applying to a magnet (too far), so you're barking up the wrong tree with the whole "oh sorry your kid didn't get in and don't be so bitter".

You still didn't answer the question, though. You say you see a "big difference", how so?

What do I want? Same thing OP is asking for.... someone to clearly answer OP's question... " How are the 6th grade enrichment classes for cohort kids who were not accepted to magnet programs?"... with specifics, not just general, "it's wonderful".

It's like saying Trump has done wonderful things for women, and providing zero evidence of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Global Humanities Class is definitely a highlight for my kid. As a parent, it's hard to explain in detail the differences between the two classes, because (a) we may not have experience with the other class and (b) we aren't there every day. We get tidbits from our kids like, "We did a government simulation, and our group went all Lord of the Flies and overthrew the leadership and installed a dictator." Or you hear about the different roles and assignment for the literature circle, and the extensions related to the issue addressed in the book.

In the math class they seem to be doing more group projects and thought problems.

More compared to what other class, and how do you know they are doing "more"? Are they doing about the same as the TPMS magnet math classes? If so, then that shows that the new class offerings in the home MS will meet the needs of those students, but otherwise, that's just lip service by MCPS.

I'm the pp here - more than what I have heard about from other parents in the standard (also accellerated, btw) IM class. Covering the same topics, but in the few extra minutes they have out of 45 each day because they're the top cohort in the school, they are getting a few more group projects and a few harder thought questions. That is my perception as a parent.

I appreciate the perspective of the Rosa Poster above. I would encourage you PP/OP to contact the counselling office to figure out a mechanism for taking a deep dive into the differences between classes. If you are a Cabin John or Pyle parent who feels shortchanged that your MS is not actually implementing a different curriculum, here is your proof that it IS happening in some schools.

Sorry, that's no different to "honors" or "advanced" classes to the "regular" track kids, and it's not the same as the magnet curriculum.

My 8th grader DC in honors and advanced classes told me DC gets "harder" and longer questions on worksheets. How is that really different to the supposed magnet curriculum those rejected kids are supposed to be getting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child at SSIMS reports that his class is faster and does more projects and group work compared to friends in IM class. My child is in immersion so not enrolled in enriched humanities class.

So it's the same magnet curriculum as Eastern or TPMS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child at SSIMS reports that his class is faster and does more projects and group work compared to friends in IM class. My child is in immersion so not enrolled in enriched humanities class.

So it's the same magnet curriculum as Eastern or TPMS?

This is not possible because at Eastern 6th grade Magnet students take 4 linked classes and they do a lot of interdisciplinary reading and projects

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child at SSIMS reports that his class is faster and does more projects and group work compared to friends in IM class. My child is in immersion so not enrolled in enriched humanities class.

So it's the same magnet curriculum as Eastern or TPMS?

This is not possible because at Eastern 6th grade Magnet students take 4 linked classes and they do a lot of interdisciplinary reading and projects

So the whole, "oh your kids will now get the magnet curriculum without having the long commute" is bunk, then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child at SSIMS reports that his class is faster and does more projects and group work compared to friends in IM class. My child is in immersion so not enrolled in enriched humanities class.

So it's the same magnet curriculum as Eastern or TPMS?

My son has one friend at Eastern magnet and one at TPMS magnet. The humanities classes are linked at Eastern. Again, my child is in immersion so can't enroll in new enriched class so I have no way of comparing the one class. Regarding math, my child and his friend are covering the same material at the same pace. Both do group projects and challenges in class. Can't comment on depth because kids are unreliable in describing day to day lessons and teaching style. Difference seems to be that science is somewhat linked to math at TPMS. My kid already programs software so ahead of 6th grade computer science class at TPMS. Friend likes class but thinks it is basic, not challenging at TPMS. Friend loves science at TPMS, seems more interactive and challenging than regular science class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Global Humanities Class is definitely a highlight for my kid. As a parent, it's hard to explain in detail the differences between the two classes, because (a) we may not have experience with the other class and (b) we aren't there every day. We get tidbits from our kids like, "We did a government simulation, and our group went all Lord of the Flies and overthrew the leadership and installed a dictator." Or you hear about the different roles and assignment for the literature circle, and the extensions related to the issue addressed in the book.

In the math class they seem to be doing more group projects and thought problems.

More compared to what other class, and how do you know they are doing "more"? Are they doing about the same as the TPMS magnet math classes? If so, then that shows that the new class offerings in the home MS will meet the needs of those students, but otherwise, that's just lip service by MCPS.

Listen, I'm sorry your kid didn't get into the magnet program.

The reality is there aren't enough slots for the magnet. They're trying to step it up with these new classes at middle schools, and I'm glad they are. Enrichment is happening. I'm the rosa poster, and since I have an older child who recently took regular history I can see a big difference in how the curriculum has been enriched in global humanities.

Math is math. My kid did compacted math and has been accelerated since elementary, and my kid is learning.

I'm curious what you want, pp? What will make you happy?

Happiness depends on expectations. It’s easy to feel satisfied if the expectation is low. When the expectation is different, it would be more helpful to communicate facts, rather than feeling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Global Humanities Class is definitely a highlight for my kid. As a parent, it's hard to explain in detail the differences between the two classes, because (a) we may not have experience with the other class and (b) we aren't there every day. We get tidbits from our kids like, "We did a government simulation, and our group went all Lord of the Flies and overthrew the leadership and installed a dictator." Or you hear about the different roles and assignment for the literature circle, and the extensions related to the issue addressed in the book.

In the math class they seem to be doing more group projects and thought problems.

More compared to what other class, and how do you know they are doing "more"? Are they doing about the same as the TPMS magnet math classes? If so, then that shows that the new class offerings in the home MS will meet the needs of those students, but otherwise, that's just lip service by MCPS.

Listen, I'm sorry your kid didn't get into the magnet program.

The reality is there aren't enough slots for the magnet. They're trying to step it up with these new classes at middle schools, and I'm glad they are. Enrichment is happening. I'm the rosa poster, and since I have an older child who recently took regular history I can see a big difference in how the curriculum has been enriched in global humanities.

Math is math. My kid did compacted math and has been accelerated since elementary, and my kid is learning.

I'm curious what you want, pp? What will make you happy?

Happiness depends on expectations. It’s easy to feel satisfied if the expectation is low. When the expectation is different, it would be more helpful to communicate facts, rather than feeling.

The parents here who are trying to answer the original question are doing the best they can. If anyone has a set of twins, one in AIM and Global humanities and the other in IM and Advanced World studies, perhaps they could give the details you seek. Or perhaps, not, because there is not sufficient time in life to devote to the details of the curriculum when a child is happy, doing well, feels adequately challenged. YMMV